Caring For Your Furry Family Member

I firmly believe that owning a dog is just like having a child. Dogs need a lot of care, patience, time, and money to properly care for them. In this article, I will explain what you need to know about caring for your furry family member.

Basic Care For Your Dog

First and foremost, making regular appointments with your local animal clinic or veterinarian is the most important step to keep your dog in good health. Yearly shots and health checks are absolutely necessary and Rabies vaccines are required by law. Grooming, nail trimming, and bathing are also important. If done properly this can avoid many health problems in the future. The earlier you start grooming and bathing your dog the better. Otherwise, they will not be use to the handling and may become nervous, possibly respond in a negative way.

Feeding and Treats

I prefer giving my dog a high protein dry dog food, especially in the winter months. Avoid foods with a lot of carbohydrates and fillers. These will give your dog empty calories, cause them to out on excess weight, and become hungry more often. I also give my dog a raw hide about once a week as a treat. Raw hides help reduce tartar build up on the teeth and dogs love to chew on things. Avoid giving your dog human food excessively. Human food can cause obesity and encourages your dog to beg at meal time. There are also many foods that are toxic to your dog (e.i. chocolate, grapes, caffeine, avocado, onion, garlic, etc.). These food can cause many health issue for you dog and even , in severe cases, cause death.

There are also many types of diets and foods you can give your dog. The preference is yours. Also, I recommend speaking with your vet as to which diet and food is recommended for your specific dog and how much and often to feed him/her.

Toys and Exercise

There is a very large amount of pet toys on the market today. The question is, which product is right for your dog? In my case, my Luna prefers anything with a squeaker. If is doesn't have a squeaker, she WILL destroy it. I also get her long, sturdy toys that we can play "tug o' war" with, and tennis balls to play fetch. I don't recommend anything plastic or made of soft rubber. These toys your dog can break easy and ingest and they can make your dog sick. Also, get toys that encourage interactive play. This will help you and your fur-friend bound and you both get exercise.

Basic Training and What Not To Do

I feel the two most important commands you should teach your dog first are SIT and STAY. These commands lay the ground work to other and more advanced commands. Also, I believe in treats as positive reinforcement. NEVER yell or strike your dog. This will only lead to behavior issues and aggression. Stating from my personal experience, especially if you own a dominant breed, make sure you assert yourself as the ALPHA. If you don't do this, it could lead to your dog lashing out at you, biting, food stealing, and other issues. Something as simple as a game of "tug o' war", do not be the first to let go. This is showing your dog that you are the dominant member of your pack.

My Experience as a Dog Owner

As you can see, it takes a lot time, patience, and knowledge to properly care for your fur-friend. But trust me when I say it is well worth every ounce that you put into your relationship. With the right care and training, you and your dog will be a happy family.

I hope you and your fur-friend have a long, healthy and happy life together.

With wishes of lots of wagging tails and puppy kisses in your future.