Have Dogs? What You Should Know About Them!

Dog care is a huge responsibility. It’s similar to caring for a kid, except they bark instead of cry. Even though it’s a big responsibility, you can learn to do it well. To pick up some handy suggestions on dog ownership, just keep reading.

You should not kiss your dog. Kisses from dogs are adorable, but they’re a lot less cute when you realize how filthy your dog’s mouth actually is. Dogs are always getting into garbage, drink from places like the toilet, and they clean their bodies with their tongues. Many people believe that dogs’ mouths do not have as much germs as humans’ mouths. This is absolutely a myth!

In the same way that a yearly physical is helpful to you, a yearly trip to the veterinarian is a must for your dog. Because your dog can’t speak with you, you may have trouble knowing when your dog is feeling pain like if it has arthritis. Making an annual trip to the vet is the best way to discover and deal with these kinds of problems when they’re still manageable.

Be sure to have your dog spayed or neutered. This reduces the chances of cancer and helps keep the stray animal population down. Spayed and neutered dogs wander less often as well, so this reduces likelihood of your dog getting hit on the road or lost.

If there are prescription and other medications within your home, keep them away from your dog. If the dog gets near the pills, then just a few of them could do serious harm and result in a trip to emergency room. If your pet does manage to ingest some medicine, contact the vet right away.

To improve the dog training process, try using hand signals in addition to verbal commands. These signals will help you keep your dog under control in a noisy environment. Always associate the spoken command and the hand gesture at first and choose the system that works best later on.

Be sure to address your dog’s bad behavior when you first notice it. If you ignore it you might make it worse than before. In addition, by not taking action, your dog may injure another person, even you. Therefore, ensure you discipline your dog.

Schedule a veterinary checkup for your new dog. This is one of the first things you should do. The veterinarian will make sure your pet is as healthy as you think he is and also talk to you about vaccinations. Consider having your pup spayed or neutered as there is already an overpopulation problem.

Always make sure your dog understands how to walk correctly on a leash. He should stay by your side, not in front of or behind you, and respond to the command “heel”. Walking in this manner keeps your dog safe, and you are bound to enjoy walks more as well. The heel command is crucial for your dog, even if a loose leash walk is being used.

Whatever your vet recommends, do it. Your dog may hate wearing a cone, however it is prescribed for good reason. It is always best to follow the recommendations shared by your veterinarian.

You should take dog care seriously. Your dog will need everything it must have to survive, plus attention and love from you. Though it is a big job to do, you should be able to do it. This piece is a great resource for helping you care properly for any dog.