Adopting a dog is a lot of fun, but it can also add a lot of
responsibilities to your life. When you become a dog owner, you
take on the responsibility to make sure your pet has everything
he needs, a safe environment to live in, proper care, and
everything he needs for a happy and healthy life! It's a big
step to care for a dog, but you'll be rewarded with a loving
companion.
The first step in providing a good life for your pet and making
sure your dog remains safe is to get him trained properly.
Believe it or not, many people do not see to this important
task and then wonder why their dog jumps up on visitors or
won't listen to their commands. Many a dog has been considered
a "bad" pet when all he really needed was the owner to take the
time out to train him properly.
If you train your dog properly, not only will he have some cool
tricks to show off, but it will also add to his safety. Should
your dog be heading off into a dangerous situation, your
obedience training will come in handy and you can call him back
to your side and safety. A well trained dog will be well behaved
around strangers and the family - an obedient companion. Plus
the training process can help define you as the master and act
as a bonding experience for you and your pet. You can train a
dog on your own, or you can join an obedience training class
and get instruction from professionals.
You want to make sure your pet is as healthy as can be and part
of dog ownership is to provide your dog with excellent
veterinary care. A yearly physical exam should be performed and
any vaccinations updated. Also make sure you put him on the
right heartworm and flea and tick medications. If you notice a
difference in your dogs behavior schedule a vet appointment
right away. Even a small change in habits, mood, eating or
elimination pattern should be checked by your vet - it could be
nothing, but it's better to be safe than sorry! Have your dog
neutered or spayed - they WILL be much happier.
Providing a safe environment for your dog is up to you as the
pet owner. Make sure there are no places your dog can get stuck in
or fall from and there is no sharp objects like nails or pins
laying around. Everyone in the family should know not to leave
the door open so that your dog can run out in the street.
Refrain from feeding your dog "people" food as some of it can
be harmful to them. Chocolate, for example, can even be deadly!
Grooming your dog can be a good time to bond with your pet and
can also help him stay healthy. Brushing his coat, trimming his
nails, cleaning his ears and around the eyes are all part of
good dog health. Proper dental care is the most important
grooming task you can do for your dog. Bacteria that builds up
on the teeth can break away and cause health issues in other
organs of the body. Brushing every other day is recommended to
keep your dog's mouth clean and will have the added bonus of
giving him fresh breath!
Hopefully you'll never need to enact it, but you should have a
plan for the dog in case of emergency. What if there is a fire
or some other disaster? Make sure someone is responsible to get
your pet out of the house in case of emergency. It's not a bad
idea to have a designated person that can mind your dog on
short notice if you get called out of town on an emergency.
Bringing a dog into your family, you are committing to provide
that dog with all the things he needs for a happy and healthy
life. Some dogs can live into their teens if taken care of
properly. That's a long commitment on your part, but the
rewards are so great that the commitment pales by comparison.
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