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Once you’ve brought home your new dog, you’ll want to have a long and happy life together. A dog will require care, attention and a commitment to look after him for his entire life, which could be 10 to 15+ years. The commitment required includes not only routine feeding, care and time spent with your dog but also the provision of veterinary treatment if the dog becomes ill. The following dog care tips will help to keep your dog happy and healthy throughout his life.
Dog Care Tips For A Happy And Healthy Dog
1. Provide Proper Dental Care
Proper dental care is important for us and it’s also important for our dogs. Do you know how to properly care for your dog’s teeth?
How to brush your dog’s teeth?
Step One: Pick an appropriate pet toothbrush. The ideal dog toothbrush will have a long handle, an angled head to better fit the mouth and extra soft bristles. Another option is the finger toothbrush that fits over the tip of your finger.
Step Two: Select an appropriate toothpaste. The best pet toothpastes contain enzymes that help control plaque. Try to avoid toothpastes with baking soda, detergents, or salt sometimes found in human pastes. Fluoride may be incorporated to help control bacteria. Rather than placing the paste on top of the brush try to place it between the bristles. This allows the paste to spend the most time next to the teeth.
Step Three: Get the brush with paste into your dog’s mouth and all the teeth brushed. Most dogs accept brushing if they are approached in a gentle manner. If you can, start when they are young. It’s quite easy, but even older pets will accept the process.
Start slowly, you can use a washcloth or piece of gauze to wipe the teeth, front and back in the same manner you will eventually be using the toothbrush. Do this twice daily for about two weeks and your dog should be familiar with the approach. Then take the pet toothbrush, soak it in warm water and start brushing daily for several days. When your dog accepts this brushing, add the pet toothpaste.
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2. Provide Safe Options For Toys
Sticks and bones can splinter and cause choking or vomiting or they can perforate the mouth, throat or intestine. Hard bones can easily damage teeth. Instead, use hard, non-splintering chew toys to play fetch or to allow your pet to chew.
A chewing pet can shred soft, latex toys. If the toy includes a squeaking mechanism, the squeaker can be easily swallowed or cause choking.
Towels, socks, underwear and other similar clothing or materials can be swallowed by a rambunctious pet, causing intestinal obstruction. Make sure that your home is “dog proof” to prevent an emergency trip to the vet.
Some dogs like to chew on or eat rocks, this is a bad idea! Rocks can cause broken teeth and serious intestinal obstruction if swallowed.
Be careful if you offer your pet rawhides, as these can also cause intestinal obstruction if swallowed, and some are preserved with arsenic, which is toxic to pets.
Be aware of sharp objects that can cut skin, feet, eyes or ears.
Click on the images below to check out our favorite dog chew toys on Amazon.
3. Provide Safe Exercise Opportunities
Keep Your Dog Leashed When Necessary
Whenever you are near a road, or wherever your dog is likely to cause a nuisance if he runs free, you should keep him on a leash. Both you and your dog will be much happier if he’s well trained. Remember that not everyone is as fond of dogs as you are and you must respect their feelings. Keep your dog under control at all times.
Don’t Over-Exercise Your Dog
Don’t make the mistake of over-exercising your dog if he’s still growing, as his bones aren’t yet strong enough to cope with the extra stress this puts on him. Little and often is the rule until your dog’s growth plates close. Remember that large breeds mature later than small breeds. Ask your dog’s breeder or your vet for their advice.
Take Your Dog For Regular And Varied Walks
Regular and varied walks are not just essential to keep your dog fit. They also give him the chance to explore and to experience new stimuli, including meeting other dogs. This will help him develop into a content and well-adjusted dog, and avoid developing problem behaviors. Make sure you supervise your dog’s exercise. Do not allow him to stray and never leave him outside for the day to fend for him while youre gone.
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4. Provide A High Quality Diet
Eating well and getting enough exercise are as important for dogs as it is for people. Unfortunately, too often pets pick up the same bad habits and health problems, as people do. Diabetes, heart disease, and obesity related arthritis are problems that are often preventable with a good diet and regular exercise.
A high quality dog food is a good centerpiece for a healthy diet. Look for dog food with high quality ingredients that has meat as the main ingredient. Stay away from foods high in fillers, such as corn. It’s also important to make sure that pets always have access to clean drinking water.
Click on the images below to check out our favorite brands of dog food on Amazon.
5. Provide Regular Grooming
All dogs need regular nail trims, unless your dog wears his nails down on his own. For tips on how to trim your dog’s nails, check out our article 4 Tips For Stressfree Nail Trimming. Coated dogs need regular grooming to prevent matting and to keep the skin healthy. Check with your dog’s breeder or your local groomer to find out the grooming requirements of your dog.
Click on the images to check out dog grooming tools on Amazon.
These dog care tips might not be something that you think about when you bring home your dog but they are important for the health and happiness of your dog. Of course, this is just a few tips and throughout the life of your dog you will be constantly learning new ways to keep him safe and healthy.
What’s a dog care tip that you use with your dog that most people wouldn’t think of? Let us know in the comments below.
*Disclaimer: All information presented here is intended for entertainment purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, illness or injured condition of the body or pets. The author, publisher, and contributors accept no responsibility for such use. Anyone or their pets suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with their physician or veterinarian.
