Every dog requires much more than being fed and a few pets. You have to show your dog attention and love at all times. How can you be sure of what your dog needs? The following information will teach you what you need to know to properly care for your dog.

Being a dog owner requires a financial commitment. Not only do you have to buy food, but you have to pay their vet bills and purchase other items that they need. You could spend as much as a thousand dollars in one year on your pet! You should also look into purchasing a good pet health insurance policy to avoid high medical bills.

You need to take your older pet to the vet at lease once a day. Your dog can’t speak to you, which means it isn’t easy to tell if they’re having a tooth ache or issues with arthritis. You need to go to the vet every year to get a check up.

Table Scraps

You should never give table scraps to your dog. This teaches dogs bad habits. Table scraps can negatively affect the dog’s health and cause digestive issues or obesity. While you and your family dine, keep your dog in another room so that table-feeding isn’t an option.

If the dog is doing something right, like sitting before he is leashed, lavish him with praise and affection. You want to reinforce your dog’s good behaviors. This will also give your dog incentive to be good.

Your dog deserves to have quality dog food. Cheap brands are full of fillers, preservative and even chemicals. Check with an animal advocacy group for a list of foods you should be feeding your dog. This will be very helpful to your dog’s health.

Genuine meat bones may be tempting, but it’s best to stick to rawhide. Real bones chip apart and can become dangerously lodged in the oral cavity or digestive track. Rawhide is great for oral health, so don’t give Rover any of your T-bone, regardless of how much you know he wants it.

Buy or build a home for the dog if they need to stay outside when it’s cold. Wet feet and cold fur can bring on health problems. Your dog needs a space that is dry and provides him with adequate shelter.

It is important that your dog’s nails are not allowed to get too long. If the dog’s nails curl under, your dog might be in pain. You can use store bought clippers to trim them yourself. It is best to take your dog to the groomer if you do not want to do it yourself.

If you decide to adopt a dog from a shelter, you should schedule an appointment with a veterinarian right away. Animals from shelters sometimes have viruses or might have already been sick when taken in by the shelter. Make sure the new puppy gets their required shots before going home.

Investing a little time in self-education can pay off big dividends during your time as a dog owner. You will have a loyal companion for life when you treat your dog right. Imagine being a dog: wouldn’t you want the same done for you?

Thanks for reading! Looking for more?

Log onto 112 Amazing Dog Hacks (Guaranteed to Work or Your Money Back!).