Are you interested in adopting a dog from a shelter? Or do you prefer to get a dog from a dog breeder? Getting a dog will give you endless amounts of love, whether it be mutt or show dog. A lot of responsibility is involved, and reading this will help you understand what you can expect.

Make your home safe for your dog. Create a safe area to bring a new puppy into the home. Do not have any pills out in the open and put all supplies in cabinets. Some very common plants are quite toxic to animals, so always make sure they are out of reach.

You should not kiss your dog. Dog kisses may be seen as cute, but their mouths aren’t all that clean. Dogs dig in trash cans, drink from toilet bowls and sniff and lick various body parts on themselves and other dogs. Many people believe that the human mouth has more germs than that of a dog – this isn’t true. Definitely do not believe that!

Your dog needs annual medical exams. 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. A checkup every year can make sure that issues are caught before he is suffering too much.

Because dogs cannot speak to you, it is important to learn their non-verbal cues. If when meeting a new dog or person you find your dog is filled with dread, remove him from the situation. That could lead to another person or dog being bitten. Watch for these non-verbal hints and let the dog guide your actions.

Let your dog have rawhide rather than bones from the meat you eat. Giving them actual bones may cause them to fall apart and become lodged in the digestive tract or oral cavity of your dog. In contrast, rawhide has health benefits for your pet.

Take the time to correct bad behavior in your dog at the first sign of it. Ignoring it for any length of time will only make it that much more difficult to contain later and you never know what could happen as a result of it now. It is possible that your dog could injure a person, and that person could be you! So correct unwanted behavior right away.

Don’t feed your dog the cheap stuff. It is vital to give your dog the best quality food. Although this could mean paying a higher price for a better brand, at least you know that your pet is getting the required amount of nutrients in their diet.

This article has provided you with an understanding of what your dog will need, so go find your new pup! Don’t stop your research here, as dog ownership details are updated frequently online. Think about joining a dog forum to chat with fellow dog owners. Keep learning throughout your life.

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