Are you having a hard time with training your dog? Do you find that your dog seems to gravitate to your favorite belongings as chew toys? It’s probably past time that your dog is given a lesson in how to behave properly. The following advice contains some excellent tips on raising a well behaved dog.

Consider the situation before allowing a dog to kiss your face. While those sloppy kisses may be cute, be aware that your dog’s mouth is apt to be crawling with germs and bacteria. Dogs root around in garbage pails, drink enthusiastically from the toilet bowl and love to lick and smell certain body parts of other dogs. Keep in mind that an animal’s mouth is full of germs. This is completely wrong!

When it comes to dog flea treatments, you should proceed with caution. Some medicines can put your children in harms way. Talk to your veterinarian about safer alternatives.

It’s a good idea to have your regular dog training sessions in your own yard or at home. You do not want to train your dog around a bunch of people. Your dog may have trouble paying attention, and even the simplest commands could go right over their head.

When training your dog, use hand gestures along with the verbal commands. When provided with signals of this type, dogs tend to pick things up faster. Find out the way that your dog prefers and use it.

Talk to your vet about which foods you should be feeding your dog. Different breeds and stages of development might mean that certain brands and types of food cause an upset stomach. Never give your dog any food you are not sure of.

Try not to force your dog to eat things. Some dogs won’t love all treats, and you shouldn’t push your dog to like something. The best judge of what your dog likes is the dog himself. Fancy name brands mean nothing.

Trim your dog’s nails on a regular basis. If they start to curl, your dog may feel a lot of pain. You can use store bought clippers to trim them yourself. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, you can take him to the groomers and have them done for very little money.

Do not buy the cheapest dog food you can find. Your dog will benefit from eating healthy, quality food. It costs more, but you’ll save money on vet bills for health issues down the road.

Make sure the hair located on your dog’s paws is trimmed in order to prevent matting. A comb should be used first to straighten it before you do any cutting. Go to a professional groomer if you have a hard time doing this yourself.

If you have a dog that can’t function properly when they aren’t around you and develops separation anxiety, try putting on some soft music when you go out. The sounds will help your pet feel safer and will make it feel like it’s not alone. This may help ease the dog’s fears and calm him down just enough so he isn’t going crazy while he awaits your arrival.

You no longer have to deal with a naughty dog. You don’t have to watch him ruin everything and growl at everyone who passes by. If you are consistent and competent, you can control your dog’s behavior. Use everything you have learned to teach your dog the best way to behave.