Most people believe that dogs can be man’s best friend. That proverb is widely known for a reason. If you know how to handle a dog, your relationship with him can be a great one. This article has some tips to follow if you want that great relationship.
Go on and hug your dog, but do not kiss him. Dog kisses may be seen as cute, but their mouths aren’t all that clean. Dogs tend to dig through garbage cans, drink out of toilets and explore the hind quarters of other animals. Some believe the mouth of a dog is even cleaner than our own. It simply is not true.
You need to have a physical every year, and so does your dog. Since your dog doesn’t talk, you may have difficulty figuring out if a tooth starts hurting or where arthritis is developing. Taking your dog for a yearly checkup allows relatively minor problems to be detected before they turn into major issues.
Anti-flea products are dangerous. A lot of these medications have ingredients that can be harmful to children and can cause cancer. Find out about healthy treatments that can keep you and your pet safe.
Purchase a dog that can keep up with your lifestyle. For instance, joggers may want dogs that can run along with them, instead of a toy breed that cannot. When you prefer to stay home, choose a small dog who doesn’t need much outdoor time. Don’t get a dog that you don’t fit in with if you can avoid that.
Instead of feeding your dog meat bones, give him rawhide. Pieces can break off of the real bone, which may cause your dog to choke. Rawhide is healthy for their teeth and gums, so don’t share your bones, even if the dog wants it!
Find out what is going on that is causing your dog to act out. If you ignore any issue with your pet then later on it’s going to be harder to train it to obey because it doesn’t know any better. You could end up with a dog that hurts other people, so make sure you’re in control at all times.
If you get your dog from the pound, make sure you have a vet check him out right away. Illness is common in shelters, and your new pet could be at risk or already nursing an ailment. A full check-up, a clean bill of health, and a full complement of the necessary shots is the best way to start off your relationship with your dog.
Make sure to exercise your dog often. A dog needs to play and exercise on a regular basis so that it can be happy and healthy. Playing fetch or going for a nice walk will be good for both you and the dog. Besides just getting some exercise, you’ll be creating a bond between you and your dog.
Dogs make great pets. The more you educate yourself about caring for them, the happier your relationship will become. You’ve learned many things from this article, so hopefully you use it to help your dog live a happy, long life. Now you can have a great relationship with your dog.