Pet care and training

Choose a dog breed carefully

mike — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:55:09 +0000

I see a lot of dog owners not happy with their dogs or getting frustrated with their pets. When they get too much of it they abandon the pet, this is very cruel of them and the cases are on the rise. When I see the reason behind it, the common situation I observe is that people make a wrong choice of a dog breed. Though you can have any dog you want if you are ready to take care of him. But a choice of breed suited to your needs matters a lot. For instance family with small children have a dog that does nt goes well with kids because of the nature of his breed or his intolerance. This kind of situation will be tough to handle by the dog owner, and the poor animal has to suffer.

The choice of a lot of people is influenced by media. If a commercial or a movie shows a cute dog doing fancy tricks, it becomes popular. The demand for the dogs of that breed will go up instantly. And with in a period of time everyone will be boasting of the same dog as seen in the media. Now this kind of a choice is bad. When ever you get a dog for yourself, research on the breed you want to have. The temperament, the behavior, size and other attributes of the breed should be taken into consideration. See if your choice is good for the situation you are in and the kind of environment you will be keeping him in. A big dog may not be suited for someone living in a small place as it needs more room for him. I have seen breeds like a well coated St. Bernard in the hot and humid areas. This will no less than a torture for him.

If you are deciding on a breed to have make a well informed choice according to your present and future needs. See if both are compatible. A dog would be there with you for a good 10-15 years. There is nothing better than a happy dog eager to meet you everyday of his life.

Exercise your dog

mike — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:02:44 +0000

One thing your dog will love doing would be his exercise, might be in the form of walks or run or other playful activities. As in humans, exercise is really important for the health of your dog. Puppies tend to be playful and need to spend their energy in some physical activity. This also helps your dogs to be in good shape, burning the calories and keep their systems tuned.

Many of the problems related to the dog behavior are also because of the lack of exercise. When they are unable to spend the extra energy in exercising, they may use it in other destructive acts. The amount of exercise a dog will need depends upon the size, breed and the age of the dog. Small dogs need a lot less exercise than the bigger ones, though they are very active. A large dog will need a lot of exercise which are very important for the growth of their bones as well. Large breeds tend to have bone problems later in life and most of it can be avoided with a good diet and exercise.

Your exercise session with dog is also a good opportunity for you to train them or teach them the basic things like obedience. The dog who goes on a walk daily with his owner will know how to walk right whereas the one who goes out occasionally will pull his owner in all directions. He does nt have a clue what to do and he is curious about the surroundings. Regular exercise routines will also tell them that who is the leader of the two.

Dogs form habits easily. If he gets into exercise routine it will become a habit for him. Make sure your dog is getting all the nutrition he needs. If you are feeding a dog right with a good exercise, it will make him stronger, happy and healthy.

Feeding your dog

mike — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:13:06 +0000

When you get a dog he is like another member in your family. It is the responsibility of the owner to take care of his dog. Feeding the dog is an important part of his health. Feeding should be done with the right foods in the right proportions. He totally depends on you for what he eats and you should be the one taking care of his nutrition. Give him too little and he will be undernourished and give him too much and he will get obese.

Good food is essential for a good healthy dog. It will help him fight diseases and keep him fit and energetic. What your dog needs in his diet will depend on the type of breed, the size, the amount of physical exercise he does, his age, sex etc. Puppies tend to grow very fast so they need food rich in calories and other nutrients.

Ideally you should make your dog eat both the dog food available in the market as well as the home cooked food. Dependency on any one type of food may not be good. There are hundreds of brands in the market. You can ask your vet as to which one is best for your dog instead of getting the most popular food available.

Your dog needs his daily protein requirement which could be around 20 or 30% of each meal. So an ideal meal should have enough carbohydrates and proteins in it. Growing puppies will need an extra dose of calcium in their diet for a healthy growth of their bones and to avoid bone related problems later.

For puppies you can give several small meals in a day and as it grows make it to feeding twice a day usually around the same time as to make a habit of his eating. Avoid over feeding him. Don’t give him tit bits while you are eating yourself or he will get into the habit of begging for food when ever you sit down for your meal.

These are some basic things you can take care of with respect to your dog’s diet. A healthy diet will go a long way towards the health of your dog.

Bringing a dog – Read the essentials

mike — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:07:59 +0000

Dog can be the best companion of a human. The most intelligent, loyal and also the common pet around the world. Bringing a dog or a puppy at home is a responsibility for the owner. Some people, mostly the first time owners bring in the pets without realizing the fact that it needs to be loved and treated as a part of the family. There are some basic things which a dog owner or anyone interested should know regarding the care about their dog.

All the dogs whether they are big or small will need exercise. The small or toy breeds will need a lesser exercise as compared to bigger ones but most of the small breeds are also very active so be ready for some physical activity with them. You need to take him out for walks or exercise. Your dog will need some space in your home so be ready to share some of it.

Your dog will need some special things as a part of his daily routine like his bowls, supplements, food, water, toys, leash, bed medications etc All these things are essentials to keeping a dog.

One of the most important things your dog will need from you is your time and patience. A dog needs companionship from his owners and that needs a little bit of time for his needs. Time will be needed to feed him, his walks or exercise, and taking him to a vet if needed. If you don’t have a flexible schedule to take care of all this time requirement, it will be tough for you to take a good care of him. You need to have some patience as well in treating and training him. He will be learning things from you if you teach him right but he is bound to make mistakes as well. So patience will help you build a trust between you and your dog.

Apart from some of these basic things to take care of, dogs are joy and fun to be with, they will be looking forward to your every arrival at home and be as exited to see you every time. Enjoy the company of your pet.