Have A Happy, Healthy Dog With These Tips.

Are you worried about your dog? Some people tend to feel overwhelmed when it comes to a dog owner’s responsibilities. For other dog owners, curbing their pets’ independent streak seems impossible. The following information offers you many tips to train your dog right.

Owning a dog is quite a large financial commitment. When you add up the medical care, food and supplies in general, your costs could run from $700-$1000 annually. Getting into a vet if you have an emergency can cost quite a bit of money, sometimes in the thousands, so you may need pet health insurance too.

Avoid kisses and stick with hugs. Kisses seem nice, but dogs have very dirty mouths. Remember that dogs use their tongues to clean themselves, and they like to eat garbage and drink out of the toilet. It saying that the dog’s mouth is much cleaner than a human’s is folklore. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Always make sure to keep any prescription medications away from your dog. The same holds true for over-the-counter meds. Swallowing just a few pills could lead to catastrophic health issues for your dog, including a seizure or heart attack. If you notice that your dog has consumed any of your medication, you need to immediately contact your vet.

It’s a good idea to have your regular dog training sessions in your own yard or at home. Don’t train them in any areas full of people. This will make it more difficult for your dog to pay attention.

Don’t get your dog food based on how cheap it is. The cheaper brands actually contain a lot of preservatives, additives and other ingredients that can compromise your dog’s health. Find a list of recommended dog foods from the vet or an advocate for animals. Your dog will be in better health when he has high quality food.

Don’t try forcing anything into your dog. If you’ve purchased your dog treats that it doesn’t want to eat, set them aside. Not all dogs like the same things.

If you are going to get a dog from the shelter, make a appointment with the vet. Dogs are more likely to be sick or have exposure to viruses in the shelter. Error on the side of caution and get your dog all its shots.

Take your new dog to the vet. Once the dog arrive home, place a call to the vet and schedule that appointment. Your dog will get a vaccination schedule and a checkup. You should also have your dog neutered or spayed to cut down on pet overpopulation.

Make sure the hair located on your dog’s paws is trimmed in order to prevent matting. Comb the tangles out before you start trimming. If you’re uncomfortable doing this, you should get a professional groomer to do it.

Really show your dog some love. Similar to other areas of life, dog owners notice a dog’s bad behavior rather than the good. If you focus on the negatives, they will not maximize their potential. Instead, make sure you pet or praise your dog five times more often than you scold him. This will reinforce that positive behavior brings due rewards, and thus lead to a better behaved pet.

There are a lot of responsibilities that come with owning a dog. Sometimes, a pet feels like your day job. However, you now have the information you need to get the job done. In no time your worries will be gone.