Owning a dog is definitely not a simple task. You must care for a dog as you would a child with proper care, feeding and grooming, socializing, education and medical care. How can you learn all the steps you need to take? The following tips will teach you how to take great care of your dog.

Make sure your house is free of doggy danger. Prior to bringing your dog into your home, be sure that it is entirely safe. Make sure chemicals, medications and any garbage is out of reach of the dog. Since some plants are very harmful because of their toxicity, it’s best to get rid of them or put them in an area that the dog cannot get to.

Be sure your dog is neutered or spayed. Statistically speaking, dogs who are “fixed” live longer lives and are less prone to cancer. In addition, dogs that are spayed or neutered do not have as strong of a desire to wander from their home, meaning that they are less likely to get lost or hit by a car.

Erbal Cues

Your dog cannot speak, so you have to interpret non-verbal cues. If your dog is fearful or shy, do not insist that they interact. This could lead to the other dog or person getting bit. Look for non-verbal cues and follow what the dog is telling you.

Avoid giving your dog scraps from your table. This will make your dog beg all of the time and also will make it not want to eat its regular food as much. Overfeeding him will lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, too. Put your dog in another room while the family eats, and do not allow him to reenter the dining space until dinner is done.

Take some time to schedule dog training sessions in your own home and backyard. It’s never good to try and train your pet when there are quite a few people around. Distractions occur, making it difficult to get your dog to focus on basic commands.

Never take your dog away from home without a leash, even if he is well-behaved. There are a number of distractions that could cause your dog to run off into a dangerous situation. You will be to blame if your dog gets hurt for being off his leash.

When you are training your dog, it is always best to incorporate the use of hand signals in addition to using verbal commands. Dogs tend to respond better with these additional types of signals instead of always relying on voice commands. Try using both ways with your dog to see which works best.

After reading this advice, start putting it to use on a daily basis. When it comes to mastering dog ownership, you have the foundation you need to make it happen. Both you and your dog will enjoy the benefits of your knowledge and dedication.

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