Dogs have a unique ability to give companionship and loyalty to their owners. It is important for you to fully understand how to take care of your dog so you can watch it grow up happy and healthy. Start by reading this article for some useful tips.
Neuter or spay the dog. Research has proven that this can reduce your dog's risk of cancer and make them healthier in general. Also, dogs that get fixed won't feel the need to wander away so that may mean that they won't get into accidents like getting hit by a vehicle.
Training your dog should be done in your yard or inside your home. You do not want to train your dog around a bunch of people. Your dog could become distracted and will be tougher to teach.
Make use of hand signals when training your dog versus relying only on verbal commands. Your dog might learn commands more easily using this approach. Experiment with each way and determine what works.
Don't purchase cheap dog food. Less expensive brands of dog food often contain artificial coloring, additives, preservatives and so on that can be very bad for your dog. Try using animal advocacy groups or consumer awareness to get a list of great dog foods that have high professional recommendations. Your dog can really benefit from better food.
Instead of feeding your dog meat bones, give him rawhide. Bones can chip and hurt your dog if sharp fragments are ingested. Rawhide has been proven to be healthy for your dog. It is excellent for its teeth too, so do not give in to the temptation to give your dog a real bone no matter how hard it begs.
Try not to force your dog to eat things. If you offer him a treat he doesn't seem to like, do not make him eat it. It will take you a little while to figure out what your dog likes and what he doesn't, but you'll get the hang of it.
Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. Regular exercise is a necessity, as is playtime in order to keep him physically and mentally happy. Regardless of the activities you choose, the dog and you will surely benefit a great deal. Every time you play with or exercise your dog, you will find that you are promoting a lasting bond.
Your dog needs to have mental stimulation as well as ways to become physically active too. Bring him outside and teach him how to fetch. This gives him a job to do and he'll feel fulfilled as a result.
Keep a dog tag on your dog at all times. One thing a lot of people do to be sure they get their dog back is they fit them with a collar that's breakaway and has an ID tag. The tag should include your name and contact information as well as the name of your dog. Another good thing to do would be to have a micro-chip put in your dog.
Owning a dog has a lot of benefits, and it can be the basis of a great friendship. The best thing any prospective or current dog owner can do is spend some time studying up on the needs and care requirements of canines. The above advice can be used for times to come.
