Owning a dog is like adding a child into the family. They need care, attention, love and discipline. If you do not prepare yourself for this addition, you may find difficulties in the months ahead. Take a few moments and read the tips below to learn the best advice for caring for your K-9 companion.
If your puppy or dog is constantly chewing up your furniture, invest in some chew-toys. Scatter them around the floor, especially around the legs of the sofa and end-tables. Be enthusiastic about your offers to play with the chewies with your dog to encourage frequent use. This should eventually deter him from chomping your furniture.
If you have medications at home, ensure that it is safely hidden away and out of the reach of your dog. Swallowing a couple pills could can serious health issues, even heart attacks and seizures. Be sure to contact your vet if your dog swallows your medication.
Not everyone is good at training dogs, so quit trying if you see things are not going as well as planned. Instead of beating yourself up about it, get in touch with a trainer in your area. Since they have more experience with dogs, it may be much easier for them to train yours.
Let your dog have rawhide rather than bones from the meat you eat. Bones can lodge in the mouth or throat, causing devastating injuries. Rawhide is healthy for their teeth and gums, so don't share your bones, even if the dog wants it!
It is important to use your lifestyle as a guide to what breed of furry friend you should get. For example, someone that stays inside a lot would want a calm lap dog and not a hyper breed. On the other hand, if you are the type of person to sit at home, you need a smaller breed that will enjoy lounging around with you. Selecting the right dog will make you both happier.
Keep your dog in good shape. He can suffer with the same weight-related issues that you can, so make sure he gets plenty of healthy exercise and eats a well-balanced diet. Remember that walking will benefit
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Make sure that you show your dog affection at all times. Similar to other areas of life, dog owners notice a dog's bad behavior rather than the good. If that persists, your dog may begin to act inappropriately to get your attention. You should mostly focus on praising and petting your dog when you notice a good behavior. Dogs stand a much better chance of displaying good behavior if that is the case.
Always teach your dog to walk properly on a leash. The dog needs to stay beside you, not behind or in front of you. It also needs to know the command "heel". If you walk in this way, you will be sure that your pet is safe so that your walks are more enjoyable. Your dog needs to get used to this.
It is very common for objects to get lodged in the pads of your dogs paws. Check them regularly to make sure that nothing is in there. If you see something, be very careful about taking it out, or it may become lodged even deeper. It is a wise to use tweezers for this.
If you breed your dog, do so responsibly. The AKC advises all owners of pure-bred dogs to make an effort to advance the breed and discard all other motivations, such as money or experimentation. Consider
best dog food for ading american bulldog of your actions before allowing your dog to mate and create a litter of puppies.
It is very common for objects to get lodged in the pads of your dogs paws. Check them regularly to make sure that nothing is in there. If you see something, be very careful about taking it out, or it may become lodged even deeper. It is a wise to use tweezers for this.
Get creative with your dog's ongoing training. For example, teach him commands in other languages or show him how to do something that will really impress everyone he meets. He will love showing off to people and the extra learning will create a more well-behaved animal who is happier with himself.
Dogs do not necessarily need vitamin supplements like humans. If your dog eats commercial foods, he doesn't need vitamin supplements unless your vet advises you to give them to him. You can cause damage to your dog's joints, bones and circulatory system with excessive vitamins. Speak with your vet to determine the correct course of action for your dog.
If your dog seems to be struggling with learning commands, consider getting a clicker. A clicker is a tool that is useful when training as it teaches your pup that when he does something correctly, a click will happen which is immediately followed by a reward. Clicker training can be helpful for teaching commands, tricks, and walking manners.
Punish your dog carefully. You should never punish your dog for a mischief that happened more than fifteen minutes ago since your dog will probably not establish a connection between the punishment and the bad behavior. If you catch your dog misbehaving, say no in a firm voice and have your dog sit in a corner for a few minutes.
When you are walking your dog in the wintertime, there may be rock salt or chemical ice melters that come in contact with his feet. Once you get back in the house, wash his paws and dry them gently. This will prevent these items from causing any type of infections.
If you have a dog, it is your responsibility to clean up behind him or her. Keeping some plastic bags by the front door will help remind you to bring them along on your walk. It can be embarrassing when you forget your little baggie, and in some places you can also be fined.
Dogs bring a lot of love to both children and adults. But, to really get the most of the relationship you have with your dog, you need to know as much as possible about them. Reading this article was a great first step, giving you tons of tips. Use what you have learned here and learn whatever else you can about owning a dog.