A dog is a great pet. A dog is a very popular pet for a lot of reasons. They are active, affectionate, and very loving. They make wonderful friends. You must be as good to your dog as he is to you. Read on to find out more.

Keep in mind that dogs are expensive. Good quality dog food and medical care can cost between $700-1000 a year. Emergency vet care is very expensive, in some cases thousands of dollars, so you might want to consider purchasing pet health insurance.

Because dogs cannot speak to you, it is important to learn their non-verbal cues. Avoid forcing your dog to interact with others if he doesn’t want to. This may lead to someone getting bitten. Follow your dog’s body language.

When bringing dogs on vacation, it pays to take a photo of them to keep on your phone. This will be helpful should he get lost.

When it comes to dog flea treatments, you should proceed with caution. Many have ingredients that may put kids at risk for various cancers over 1000 times what the EPA may consider to be safe. Ask the vet about flea powders and other products that are less hazardous for kids.

Don’t allow your dog to leave your property without being on a leash even if you think your dog is well behaved. A wild animal may get his attention and cause him to run off, or he may have a bad situation with others and their dogs. You are responsible if your dog does this.

Ask your vet the amount of food your dog needs daily. The amounts on the label might not apply in your dog’s situation. Your vet should be able to let you know what your dog’s specific needs are.

Correct bad behavior the first time you see it from your dog. Ignoring it for a while can make it harder to correct later and you don’t know what may happen if you don’t. You could end up with a dog that hurts other people, so make sure you’re in control at all times.

Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. Dogs need game time and regular exercise to keep them mentally and physically healthy and happy. Your dog will get the exercise it needs (and you’ll be a little more active yourself!) from virtually any kind of outdoor activity you share with it. You can get a lot of much needed exercise and build a stronger bond with your dog.

Avoid keeping your dog outdoors all day, every day. While this happens quite often, a dog needs interaction during the day. Your dog may be lonely if it is just him. In addition to the socializing need, you should not leave a dog to fend for himself in heavy rainstorms or very cold weather. Bring the dog indoors until the inclement weather passes.

Some breeds have inherent health issues you need to watch for. Find out what your dog’s breed frequently suffers from and the symptoms. Also, ask your vet what you can do to help your canine beat the odds for his breed.

If you have your heart set on a purebred dog, realize that the city pound may be somewhere to look. Pets are abandoned due to a variety of circumstances, so you might be lucky enough to find one at the pound. Just give a quick call to your local humane society to see what breeds they may have available. You could save a dog’s life by doing so!

A dog needs both mental and physical exercise. Teach them to do things around the home to help or get a newspaper. Your dog is going to feel useful and also stay quite sharp.

Be proactive politically for your pet dog. Watch for local legislation that may be passing through the system, restricting and regulating dog owner’s behavior and rights. These pieces of legislation are typically motivated by a single incident, one particular breed or a limited number of misbehaved dogs. Get in touch with local officials to let them know about the good behavior of your dog.

You might be tempted to share your food with your dog. It might be alright to give your dog some foods, but not all foods are good for dogs. Dogs are not able to tolerate grapes, chocolate and anything with caffeine, for instance. They can make you dog seriously ill or even cause death if enough is ingested.

Monitor your dog’s diet and eating habits. Puppies can eat lots of calorie packed foods because they are still growing. But, adult dogs who eat such foods will become overweight and likely develop health issues.

Training your dog through crate training can be effective if you’re unable to watch your dog all day. Doing so can prevent unwanted damage to household items, as well as help your puppy not go to the bathroom inside.

Be as kind to your dog as he is to you. Follow these tips to take the best possible care of your best friend. Your dog needs to have the best life, this information will help you along the way.