Dog Health & Training Issues You Must Know
April 16, 2009
A healthy well-trained dog for life!
After your family and friends, dogs are the most important creatures in our lives! In fact, dogs are our best friends!
Some things you must know to have a healthy, well-trained dog who loves you and will be your best friend for life.
#1. Treat your dog as you would treat any other member of your family; dogs respond to love, care and attention just like the rest of us!
#2. Be sure your dog knows who’s boss: be firm but not physical. Dogs are like children – they need to know limits but they do not respond well to physical violence.
#3. Feed your dog food that it likes to eat but is also good for it. There are plenty of dog foods available but make sure the one you choose for your dog is as natural as possible and not full of preservatives or additives that can and do cause ailments such as cancer.
#4. Exercise your dog according to its needs. A big dog requires big exercise, a smaller one not so much. Exercise will enable youtr dog to burn off the energy they will otherwise spend on things they shouldn’t, such as digging holes and chewing slippers!
#5. Do not leave your dog at home all day alone. Dogs are social animals and need your company. On their own they get frustrated and bored (just as humans do!)
Some Easy Things to Do for a Happy, Healthy, Well-trained Dog
- Start training and good eating habits early! Take your puppy to a training school for basic tips and socialisation with other dogs and humans.
- Pick a pecking order of command givers in your family and stick to it. Dogs are pack animals and look to the alpha male.
- Get a good vet and stick with him or her if you can. They will give you good advice on nutrition, vaccinations etc and will get to know your dog’s history.
- Unless you plan to breed, have your dog neutered at about 6 months; he will not wander and will generally lose any aggressiveness he might have. If your dog is a female and un-neutered, you will have to lock her in when she’s on heat!
- Make sure your dog has plenty of company and appropriate exercise
- start off and continue to feed your dog the best. It may be a bit more expensive, but quality counts and is worth it.
- Check out online sites if you need help. Lots of people will have the same issues you do, and it helps to share!
If you would like some further information on how to have a healthy, well-trained dog, be sure to visit this site and also this one.
These sites are extremely helpful and user friendly, and will asssist you to make good choices for your dog (and therefore for you!)
