Common Sense Advice For Caring For Your Dog
Sometimes our dogs can get a little fat. This usually happens do to dietary reasons and due to a lack of exercise. The excess weight isn't doing much for your dog's physical appearance or it's health. You can help your dog lose that weight by using the tips included below.
Whenever you travel with your pet, don't skimp on the packing. Of course you need to be well supplied with his food, water and any medications he may be on, but experts advise that you also bring his grooming supplies, vaccination paperwork, tags and an extra leash. Also, bring a flat sheet for when your dog will be on hotel furniture.
If you are planning to take your dog on an extended car-ride, talk to your vet about motion sickness medication first. Avoid feeding him before setting out to prevent queasiness and vomiting and make sure you buy him bottled water if you are traveling to any destination that is known to have issues with water quality.
Much like people in the United States, many dogs are overweight. Having a few extra pounds on their frame can lead to a number of health problems, like cancer or diabetes. Many owners simply overfeed their pets. Talk to your veterinarian about how many calories your dog needs each day so you can adjust their meals accordingly.
If you are thinking of getting a new dog for your family, be sure you are prepared for this commitment. Smaller dogs will require at least a 14-16 year commitment, and larger dogs will require at least 10 years. If you are not prepared to own the dog for its entire life, then do not choose a dog as a pet.
If you are interested in providing your dog with the healthiest of diets and making positive contributions to the earth's environment, make his food from scratch. You can buy locally grown organic ingredients and provide him all the proteins, carbs and fats he needs with no preservatives while reducing the waste from packaging as well.
Schedule regular veterinary visits. Regular veterinary exams are extremely important for your dog's overall health - as with humans, it is important to catch any health problems early on. The vet will make sure that your dog is up to date on his vaccinations, and check for any other issues such as weight and dental problems or parasites.
Build or buy a house for your dog if he has to stay outdoors for any length of time in cold weather. Especially if your dog's feet get wet, exposure to very cold temperatures for long time periods can cause stress and other health issues. Keep your dog safe by giving him shelter.
Dogs love to eat grass and other plants. When you're outside, this may not be much of a problem, but if you maintain houseplants indoors, chances are they are poisonous to dogs. Before bringing a dog into the home, make sure all your houseplants are well out of reach of a dog who may be tempted by a green tasty treat.
Even if you seek a pure bred animal, you should not overlook the pound. A pure bred dog is just as likely to be abandoned at the pound as any other if its owners can no longer take care of it. Call the pound to see what they have. You can save the life of an abandoned dog this way.
Do not make training your dog seem like a chore. Dogs pick up on this negative energy and will have a difficult time learning if you are not in the right mind frame. Make it fun and try to look at it as a bonding experience with your pet. When your dog is having fun, they will learn their training quicker.
If you are training your dog, make sure the treat you are giving him really is desirable. Pets have preferences too, and if your dog does not like the treat you are providing, there is not going to be much motivation to do the right thing. Try out a few different brands, and remember that soft, chewy treats are generally the most well-received.
Remember the saying "The more people that work on something, the less likely they are to succeed" while you train your dog. Folks all do things differently, and it is important not to confuse the animal. Designate one person to be in charge of training and have others reinforce everything the dog learns by adhering to the same rules and respecting the process.
If your dog suffers from constipation or diarrhea, you can try feeding the pet canned pumpkin. This is not same as pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin contains fiber which helps with constipation. In addition, it also absorbs water which helps with diarrhea. Don't give the dog much, just a teaspoon or two with the dog's regular meal.
If you pick up a dog from a shelter, make sure that he has been seen by a medical professional. You don't want to bring home a sick dog unless you are aware of it, particularly if you have other dogs at home. Make sure to ask if the dog you have chosen has been around sick dogs in the past few weeks as well.
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.
If you want to take good care of your dog, you need to learn to think like a dog. Does your pet seem distressed? Think about what you might want if you were a dog. Is your pet having trouble sleeping? Consider where you'd want to sleep if you'd been born with a tail. Taking your pet's needs into account can make it easy to solve any problem.
It's time for you to do something about your dog's weight. Your dog will only continue to get fatter if you don't do anything about it. If you truly care about your friend and companion, you'll do what it takes to make sure it stays healthy. Use these tips and help it slim down.
Related