With all of the different breeds, temperaments, and characters available in dogs, there’s a perfect pooch out there for any owner. Building a rewarding relationship between yourself and your dog is simply a matter of learning how to care for your canine companion in a responsible manner. Read on to learn more on how to give your pet the best care possible.

Take the time to make sure your house is dog-proofed. Before you bring a new dog home, make sure the whole area is safe. Make sure chemicals, medications and any garbage is out of reach of the dog. Research the toxicity of plants you own, and move or remove anything that might be an issue.

Hugs are great, but steer clear of kisses. Kissing a dog might seem cute, but they have dirty mouths. He probably doesn’t mind eating dirt, enjoys drinking water from the toilet if he can get at it, and tries in vain to clean himself with his tongue. Many people believe that the human mouth has more germs than that of a dog – this isn’t true. This is not true, at all!

You should take your dog to the vet at least once a year. Even the best dog owner will find it difficult or impossible to detect the first signs of health troubles, like a tooth infection or arthritic joints. Bringing your dog to the vet each year can help stop these health issues from becoming a huge problem.

Dog training should take place on your property. It’s never good to try and train your pet when there are quite a few people around. They can get distracted, which can make it harder to train them even basic commands.

Speak with a vet as soon as possible if you are adopting a dog. Shelter dogs could be sick or exposed to different viruses. You should also get your dog all of his shots before bringing him into your home.

When it is time to buy dog food, avoid buying the cheapest brand. In the long run, it is beneficial to be feeding your dog high quality, nutritious food. Sure, it’s more expensive. But, isn’t your pet worth it?

For pure bred dogs, don’t discount local pounds to find one. Unfortunately there are many people out there who simply cannot care for their dogs anymore and they end up at the local pound. Speak to the nearest pound to see if an option suits you. You could possibly be saving a dog’s life in the process.

Let your dog know that you care. Do not focus on just the negatives with your dog. This can only lead to future difficulties. Praise your dog at least 5x more than you discipline him. This will make them very happy when around you.

If your dog isn’t happy or is lonely, consider buying a second dog. Dogs come from packs, so it’s in their nature to prefer spending time with a member of their own species. Get dogs of similar energy levels and temperaments for the best results.

Dog Owner

When it comes to your dog, you need to be aware of the laws in your area. Be on the lookout for changes in local laws and ordinances that may restrict and regulate a dog owner’s rights. Many times new, overly-restrictive ordinances have incredibly broad impacts when they’re only intended to affect a tiny minority of pet owners. You should speak out as a good dog owner, and talk with officials in your area.

Remember that too many people training your dog can mess up the training. Everyone has their own unique ways of training, and having multiple people trying to train a dog differently can leave it confused. Have one person in charge of their training and let the others reinforce what they’ve learned by respecting their methods and using the same rules.

Are you more confident that you know a bit more about caring for your dog? You have the right information, and now you just need to implement it. Use the information that you read here to ensure that you have a happy, healthy family dog.