How to Take Care of a Dog at Home. Everyone must be familiar with the fact that dog’s were the first animal to be tamed by men. Decades have passed or may be innumerable years and undefined time, but these cute animals have not changed. Even today they are called, “Man’s best friend.” Owing your favorite pet, a dog, must be a pleasant feeling for you. But!! Does your dog too feel the same? Pets are not just toys that can be bought and played. Having one at your home is a big responsibility. Your responsibility starts the very moment when that though came into your mind that you wanted to adopt a dog. The first thing you should remember is to select the right breed. There are various dog breeds available in the market and you require choosing the breed that suits you and your lifestyle. Your budget can be another factor as some dogs may need more maintenance and expense as in food and health care. Other factors that you need to consider while dealing with a pet dog are discussed below.
Food: Feeding your pet depends on their age. Young puppies need to be fed often as it is their growing phase. Feed your puppy with 1/4th of a cup of food every 4 hours gradually decreasing the frequency and increasing the amount. When the puppy is of 6 months, you can feed it twice a day. Adult dogs should be fed twice in a day. You can either feed the dog with home food or dog foods that are specially formulated for particular breeds. It is advised to use dog foods in order to keep your doggy healthy. Commonly dogs are carnivores and fat and protein rich meat is good for it. However, you can make them vegetarians by providing them with well balanced vegetarian diet. Apart from just the food, provide your dog with fresh water all the time.
Veterinary Care: You should take your dog for veterinary checkups at least once in a month even if it seems to be healthy. In cases when your dog suffers from health issues, you should immediately consult a veterinarian. Sometimes the cost that you may need to pay for its medical care may seem to be beyond your budget. To cope up with such awkward situations, you can buy pet insurance policies. These insurance providers may cover a good fraction of the medical cost that you may need to pay.
Dog Grooming: Grooming your dog is necessary if you want to keep it healthy. You need to groom your dog twice a week. However, the frequency at which you groom your dog depends on the breed of the dog. Long haired dogs need more frequent grooming than short haired dogs. Some important organs that should be provided more importance include ears, eyes, nails and teeth. You can get grooming tools at a pet supplies store.
Training: Training your dog is also very important as it helps you to have a better relationship with your pet animal. You should start training your dog as soon as you bring it to your home. The intelligence level of the dogs may vary depending on the type of breed it belongs to. So, you need to consider this factor while training your dog.
Bathing: You can bath your dog as soon as it gets six week old. More frequent bathing is not advised for dogs as it removes essential oils and dries the dog skin, which may further lead to infections in their skin. Mild soap and shampoo is advised to be used while bathing it and rinse it thoroughly after bathing so as to avoid any chemical deposition on its body. Follow the information provided above and you will be able to keep your dog healthy and fit. Hope you know now, how to take care of a dog.
Article by Chris Gardener. Chris Gardener is a veterinary doctor and has been working in the field of pet care for 8 years. He wants to share his knowledge and experience with the world so that it helps people to take proper care of their pets. To know more, visit the url – http://domesticanimalcare.wordpress.com/
