How To Take Care Of Your Furry Friend ?

Dogs, known to be man’s best friends, are intelligent, loyal and devoted as pets. From being your feline friend in your fresh morning walk to being the lone protector of your home at night, dogs will be there for you all the time. There even goes a saying that dogs repay you your love tenfold.

But keeping a dog isn’t easy because taking a new pet in brings a lot of responsibilities. Your dog will rely on you for his lifetime, which makes this decision a lifetime commitment. So, you need to know everything about how to properly take care of a dog.

That’s why here’s our detailed guide on general dog care to let you know how you can take care of your loving dog properly.

Basic Care

Food Diet

Source : frommfamily.com

When we are talking about the basic needs of your dog, feeding comes first of all. The productivity of your dog highly depends on its food diet. That’s why always be sure to provide your dog with the best quality dog food. Minimize giving it human foods, because the ingredient and nutrition of human food can lead to nutrition imbalance.

Make sure to feed your dog according to its age as

● 8 to 12 years old puppies require food 4 times a day.

● 3 to 6 months old puppies require food 3 times a day.

● Dogs older than 6 months can go well with 2 times meal a day.

But not the same food diet is appropriate for all types’ dogs as food intake varies according to its breed, age, weight etc. So be sure to consult with a vet about the right diet of your dog.

Housing

Source : dog-milk.com

If you keep your dog indoors, it’s necessary to give it a fixed place for sleeping. Most dogs feel secure in its own personal space which is why it’s the best to give him a crate or an individual bed of its own.

On the other hand, if you keep your dog outside in a pet house then make sure that the house is large enough to let your dog move freely inside it and feel comfortable and safe. Moreover, make sure there are no dangerous things such as fireworks near your dog. You should know that dogs are afraid of fireworks. Visit observer to know more.

Handling

Source : wallpaperscraft.com

Handling your dog in the right way is very important for building your friendship with it. When you are carrying a small puppy, keep your non-dominant hand under its chest and the other hand behind its back legs. You can keep it close to your chest to provide extra support. If you are handling a larger dog, use your dominant hand to support its chest and the other hand to support the rest of the body. Never try to pick up your dog by its scruff, legs or tail as it can lead to irreparable damage.

Hygiene

Source : www.pets4homes.co.uk

The next important basic need is its hygiene. Dogs don’t need to be bathed regularly. Bathing it a few times a year is enough.

But brush your dog with a good quality brush which is originally made for dogs. Brushing your dog regularly will keep its coat nice and well groomed. Besides, brushing will reduce shredding and help in blood circulation.

If you keep your dog indoor, then be sure to keep its nails trimmed to avoid any kind of scratches.

Physical Exercise

Source : www.pets4homes.co.uk

Spending all day without having any exercise makes a dog dull and lazy. That’s why it’s a must to let your dog have a bit physical movements regularly. You can take it on a walk or even play with it with balls, sticks and pet toys. And, if you are in home you can use toy like automatic dog ball launcher to keep your buddy active and don’t make him feel lonely.

In this way, your dog will stay active and healthy. It will also make its bonding with you stronger.

Dogs daily needs

● Food dish

● Good quality dog food

● Water bowl

● Crate or pet bed or housing

● Dog shampoo

● Grooming brush

● Dog collar

● Dog Leash

● Dog carrier

Health Care

Treating parasites

Dogs often get external and internal parasite attacks.

Among them, noticing fleas on dogs is quite common. One or two fleas at first may not be concerning but they tend to reproduce quite fast and cause infections.  You can use a flea shampoo and flea comb to treat and remove fleas.

Another common parasite is heartworms which are passed by mosquitoes and lives in the heart of dogs. That’s why you need to have a blood test once a year to know if your dog is infected by heartworms.

No medicine to treat parasites should be given without properly consulting with a vet.

Vaccinating

Source : dogzadda.com

Every puppy should be vaccinated by at least 5-in-1 combined vaccination to protect it from hepatitis, distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis and, parainfluenza. There are also some other vaccinations to give dogs according to its age.

Here is a proper vaccination schedule for dogs-

Neutering and spaying

Removal of testicles is known as neutering and removal of ovaries and uterus is known as spaying. Both of these should be done by the age of 6 months to reduce testicular diseases and risk of an infected uterus in dogs.

Behavioral Care

Potty Training

Source : i0.wp.com

Potty training a dog is very important to maintain the hygiene of your dog and your house. Dogs can adopt new habits very quickly. So, give it a balanced diet, keep a consistent potty schedule and take your dog outside every day at the same time and it will learn to do potty on its own. Enrolling your pet in Huntsville dog training classes in group settings can greatly help in improving his behavior.

Behavioral Training

Source : anythingpawsable.s3.amazonaws.com

Training your dog for some basics such as stay, come, sit or leave it will make your dog polite and obedient. You can even use a dog training collar to discipline your dog. Training properly will improve the mental condition of it and also improve your bonding with your dog.

You can follow this dog general care guide to take care of your dog properly and give it the best life experience.