It is a huge responsibility to own a dog. It is even somewhat akin to raising a child. While this is a serious responsibility, you can care for them with knowledge and patience. The following tips will help you achieve this goal.

Hugs are great to give your pets, but kisses are not that great. In theory, giving a dog a kiss is cute, but realize that the mouth of a dog is generally very dirty. Dogs will eat their own waste, dine on garbage, and gulp water straight from your toilet. It’s an old wives’ tale that a dog has a very clean mouth. This is not in the least bit true.

Be sure to have your pet spayed or neutered. This helps reduce the probability of cancer and extends the life of your dog. Also, dogs that are fixed do not want to run away as much.

Since dogs cannot talk, you’ll need to learn about your dog’s way of communication. For instance, if your dog is hesitating, it is not a good idea to force him to approach a person or another animal. This could cause the dog to bite. Watch for any of these non-verbal cues and let these guide your actions.

Don’t force your dog to do anything. If your dog doesn’t like a particular treat, don’t force him to eat it. The best judge of what your dog likes is the dog himself. Fancy name brands mean nothing.

Do not overlook your dog’s bad behavior. If you let it fester it can only make the problem much worse and eventually the dog becomes extremely difficult to train. Bad behaviors that are left uncontrolled can result in human injuries to you, your child, your friend or your neighbor. This is why it’s important to nip them in the bud immediately!

You should always trim your nails. If they get so long that they start curling under, your dog will probably hurt a lot. You can use store bought clippers to trim them yourself. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this on your own then you can hire a groomer to do it for a little bit of money.

It isn’t easy to care for a dog. Your dog must be cared for as carefully as you would take care of a child. He must have what he needs to thrive. Taking care of a dog requires consistency and responsibility, and you can do it if you apply yourself. This article should have given you a good understanding of what your pup needs, so it’s time to get started.