A dog is the ideal pet as he is loving, loyal and affectionate. Dogs can be a great pet for the entire family, or can be a great companion for people who live alone. Use this advice to properly care for your pooch.

If you’re on any kind of medication, even if it’s over-the-counter, you need to keep it away from your dog. Just a few of your pills can be disastrous for the dog, inducing a heart attack or seizure. If the dog does consume some medication, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Avoid giving your dog scraps from your table. This can make your dog not want to eat his dog food, and it will promote begging. You might be wrecking your dog’s health by giving him table scraps. Keep the dog away from your table when you eat to avoid any temptation on both parts.

Never take your dog away from home without a leash, even if he is well-behaved. A dog might run after an animal and get into trouble, or it might get into a fight with another animal. You are responsible for anything your dog does, as well as for his safety.

Make use of hand signals when training your dog versus relying only on verbal commands. These signals will help you keep your dog under control in a noisy environment. Try both ways and see which is best for your dog.

If you aren’t sure of the amount of food your dog needs on a daily basis, talk to your vet. Most dog food packages include guidelines but keep in mind that these instructions might not be adapted to your dog. Speak to the vet about what makes sense for your dog.

Try giving the dog rawhide versus actual meat bones. Real bones can chip and splinter, this can cause your dog to choke and wreak havoc on his digestive tract. Rawhide has been proven to be healthy for your dog. It is excellent for its teeth too, so do not give in to the temptation to give your dog a real bone no matter how hard it begs.

Bad Behavior

Correct bad behavior the first time you see it from your dog. If you ignore it you might make it worse than before. Not only will it be difficult to curb the bad behavior, he can pose physical harm to you or someone you love.

Brushing your dog on a daily basis has other benefits aside from the fact that he will shed less fur on your furniture clothing. A daily brush will make their coat radiant and shiny. Brushing distributes the natural oils of the skin throughout the hair coat for added sheen and softness.

If you’re adopting your pet from a shelter, it’s important that you take it to see a vet immediately. Dogs from pounds are exposed to more illnesses than others. That is why it’s important to have a full checkup and a course of vaccinations before you bring your puppy home.

Solid leash training is a must for any dog. Your dog should learn to walk by the side of you, teach them to ‘heel’. That way, your dog is safe and the walks are better for you as well. Even if you’re using loose leashes for walking here and there, make sure the dog understands this command.

Prevent matting on your dogs paws by keeping the area well trimmed. Straighten the hair with a comb slightly before you do any trimming. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, a professional can always step in to help.

What types of health problems are typical for your dog? Research the kind of dog you have and see if there are any preventative measures you can take. Also, ask your vet what you can do to help your canine beat the odds for his breed.

If you have just one dog who spends lots of time alone, consider getting a buddy dog. Dogs are known to be pack animals and enjoy the company of other dogs. Get dogs of similar energy levels and temperaments for the best results.

It is important that your dog is equipped with some kind of ID. Purchase a dog tag so your dog has identification. This tag needs to contain all of your relevant contact details and the name of your dog. You can also opt to have a micro-chip inserted into your dog.

Do tick and flea inspections on a daily basis with your dog whenever the weather becomes hot. Utilize a flea comb in order to eliminate any fleas on your pet. The market is full of products that will assist you in keeping your pet’s fleas and ticks in check. Try talking to your vet about these products or other available options.

You need to really consider adding a dog to your home. There are so many things involved, and it is easy to fall in love with an adorable puppy face. Make sure that you understand all of the care dogs need so that you will know if you’ll be able to do it all.

There’s quite a bit behind taking great care of a dog. It can be challenging on some days when there’s additional responsibilities other than a simple walk or feeding. It’s important you know how to properly take care of your dog. When you follow through properly, you can enjoy life together for years to come.