Are you thinking of becoming a dog owner? Do you already have one? If you said yes to any of these questions, these tips are for you. The advice here is perfect for new and old dog owners alike.

Make your home suitable for dogs. Your entire home should be safe prior to bringing the dog inside. Store things like meds and cleaning products in a safe location, and be sure to keep any indoor trash cans behind a cabinet. Some plants in your house may be toxic to your dog, so they should be kept where your dog cannot reach them.

If you are going to taking your dog on vacation, take a pic of him on your phone. That way, if he happens to get separated from the family, you have an up-to-date picture of him that is easily accessible for showing people or can be downloaded for printing up “lost” flyers.

Be sure to keep all medications out of the reach of children and pets. Taking just a few such pills can have devastating consequences for a dog. Call the vet immediately if you suspect that the dog has swallowed the medication.

Flea Treatments

Use flea treatments with caution. Many of them contain ingredients that can put children at risk for cancer at a rate that is 1000 times more than what the EPA considers safe! Discuss family-friendly alternative flea treatments with your vet. Be sure to store all flea treatments out of the reach of children.

Avoid giving your pup table scraps. This teaches dogs bad habits. Table scraps can negatively affect the dog’s health and cause digestive issues or obesity. Make sure your dog does not sit near the table and beg, so you aren’t tempted.

Use hand signals when training your dog along with verbal commands. Hand signals can really help your dog. Look at both options and see if one particular way works best.

Ask the vet about how much the dog should eat each day. While some people follow the direction on the back of the dog food packaging, they are sometimes incorrect and may make your dog overweight. Check with you vet to find out about the feeding guidelines for your particular dog.

Let your dog have rawhide rather than bones from the meat you eat. Rawhide limits the danger when your dog is chewing. Also, rawhide is better for the health of your dog’s teeth.

Try not to force your dog to eat things. If you purchase a treat your dog doesn’t appear to like, just try another brand rather than making him eat. Get to know your dog better to figure out how you can make it happy.

A trip to the vet should be at the top of your schedule if your new dog’s last home was the animal shelter. They may be carrying some sort of illness that they picked up at the shelter. Error on the side of caution and get your dog all its shots.

Did you take time to learn the information that you read. If you haven’t, take a moment and read them again. When an issue arises, you’ll be happy when you’re able to deal with it. Utilize this advice, and you and your dog will have a wonderful relationship.