How to Be a Responsible Dog Owner
Provide your dog with healthy food., Make sure your dog always has access to water., Clean your dog’s teeth., Keep your dog at a healthy weight., Avoid giving your dog “people food” or medicine., Register your dog with a veterinary clinic., Neuter...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Provide your dog with healthy food.
Get recommendations from your vet or breeder as to which foods work best for your dog’s breed.
The type and amount will vary according to your pet’s age, weight, and activity level, so be sure to consult the packaging for the correct serving sizes.A dog’s digestion will be healthiest if you give them a consistent diet.
If you do change your dog’s food, introduce the new kind gradually by mixing it in with the old at first.
Keep in mind that how much you feed your dog is almost as important as what you feed them.
Overfeeding can lead to obesity, which increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
Since you want to feed your dog a set amount, it’s best to control their feeding times rather than letting them graze throughout the day.
Establish meal times once or twice a day to give your dog a sense of routine.
Monitor your dog’s treats.
It’s always wonderful to reward your canine companions with treats, but be sure that you’re adjusting their normal food intake accordingly.
If you feed your dog a bone, reduce the amount of kibble they’ll get for dinner. -
Step 2: Make sure your dog always has access to water.
Hydration is critical for your dog’s nutrition, digestion, and joint health.
It’s also critical for the regulation of their body temperature.
Your dog should always have a dish of fresh, clean water available, even at night.If you go on car trips or outings, take water with you for your dog.
Be sure to clean your dog’s food bowl and water dish regularly to prevent mold, dirt, and bacteria from building up. , Regularly brush your dog’s teeth and give them canine dental products, like hard biscuits and dental chews to improve their oral hygiene.
Toys that allow them to chew, like rope or nylon bones, will also help keep their teeth clean and gums healthy.Brush your dog’s teeth daily.
This will prevent bad breath, tartar buildup, and bacterial infections.
You can lift their lips to expose their teeth and brush them as would your own.
To be the most effective, use an angled brush that’s specially designed for dogs.
Always stick to toothpaste made for canines since the fluoride found in most human toothpastes is poisonous to dogs. , It’s your job to monitor your pet’s food intake and feed them an appropriate amount for their size and ideal weight.
While it may seem cruel to deny your dog the food that they’re begging for, letting your dog get obese is more cruel since it compromises their health and well-being.If your dog is overweight, ask your vet to recommend a diet to help get them get back to an appropriate weight. , Canines have very different nutritional needs than humans, so stick to feeding them dog food to ensure they’re getting a healthy and well-balanced diet.
They also have different medical needs, so never assume that the remedies that work for us will work for them.Be aware that many of our common food items are poisonous or even lethal to dogs, like raisins, grapes, mushrooms, onions, macadamia nuts, caffeine, chocolate (especially dark chocolate and baking chocolate), alcoholic beverages, dairy products such as milk, and citrus fruits such as oranges.Only give your dog medicines that have been explicitly prescribed or approved by a vet.
Many human drugs—over-the-counter or prescription—can kill your dog.
For instance, aspirin may be given to a dog if your vet tells you it is alright and tells you the proper dosage.
But acetaminophen and ibuprofen are highly poisonous for your pooch.Have a canine first aid kit on hand to address your dog’s medical needs.
You can either buy one or put one together yourself.
Make sure it includes basic supplies like a pet first-aid book, self-cling bandages, gauze pads, an antibacterial ointment or antiseptic wipes, disposable gloves, scissors, and tweezers., Having an established veterinarian-owner-patient relationship with regular check-ups will help ensure that your dog is as healthy as possible and up-to-date with their vaccinations and parasite control.When searching for a vet, be sure to choose one that is nearby to where you live and has good online reviews.
Go to your vet regularly to minimize your dog’s risk of contracting and spreading dangerous diseases (like rabies or kennel cough) or parasites (like fleas and heartworm).
Your vet will keep records to remind you when preventative treatments need to be administered.
How often you should visit the vet will depend on the health and age of your dog.
Puppies will need several appointments in their first year, but a normal, healthy adult dog can generally get by with an annual check-up.
Senior dogs who are pushing ten years of age should probably go in at least twice a year.Your vet can also help you decide when it’s time to let go.
When your pet is stuck in a cycle of incurable suffering due to sickness or old age, the best thing you can do for them is to seek your vet’s help to end your pet's life humanely., Responsible dog owners will control their pet’s reproduction.
Neuter or spay your dog as soon as your vet recommends doing so to prevent unwanted litters adding to the numbers in shelters as well as adolescent behavior problems that arise from sex hormones. -
Step 3: Clean your dog’s teeth.
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Step 4: Keep your dog at a healthy weight.
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Step 5: Avoid giving your dog “people food” or medicine.
-
Step 6: Register your dog with a veterinary clinic.
-
Step 7: Neuter or spay your dog.
Detailed Guide
Get recommendations from your vet or breeder as to which foods work best for your dog’s breed.
The type and amount will vary according to your pet’s age, weight, and activity level, so be sure to consult the packaging for the correct serving sizes.A dog’s digestion will be healthiest if you give them a consistent diet.
If you do change your dog’s food, introduce the new kind gradually by mixing it in with the old at first.
Keep in mind that how much you feed your dog is almost as important as what you feed them.
Overfeeding can lead to obesity, which increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
Since you want to feed your dog a set amount, it’s best to control their feeding times rather than letting them graze throughout the day.
Establish meal times once or twice a day to give your dog a sense of routine.
Monitor your dog’s treats.
It’s always wonderful to reward your canine companions with treats, but be sure that you’re adjusting their normal food intake accordingly.
If you feed your dog a bone, reduce the amount of kibble they’ll get for dinner.
Hydration is critical for your dog’s nutrition, digestion, and joint health.
It’s also critical for the regulation of their body temperature.
Your dog should always have a dish of fresh, clean water available, even at night.If you go on car trips or outings, take water with you for your dog.
Be sure to clean your dog’s food bowl and water dish regularly to prevent mold, dirt, and bacteria from building up. , Regularly brush your dog’s teeth and give them canine dental products, like hard biscuits and dental chews to improve their oral hygiene.
Toys that allow them to chew, like rope or nylon bones, will also help keep their teeth clean and gums healthy.Brush your dog’s teeth daily.
This will prevent bad breath, tartar buildup, and bacterial infections.
You can lift their lips to expose their teeth and brush them as would your own.
To be the most effective, use an angled brush that’s specially designed for dogs.
Always stick to toothpaste made for canines since the fluoride found in most human toothpastes is poisonous to dogs. , It’s your job to monitor your pet’s food intake and feed them an appropriate amount for their size and ideal weight.
While it may seem cruel to deny your dog the food that they’re begging for, letting your dog get obese is more cruel since it compromises their health and well-being.If your dog is overweight, ask your vet to recommend a diet to help get them get back to an appropriate weight. , Canines have very different nutritional needs than humans, so stick to feeding them dog food to ensure they’re getting a healthy and well-balanced diet.
They also have different medical needs, so never assume that the remedies that work for us will work for them.Be aware that many of our common food items are poisonous or even lethal to dogs, like raisins, grapes, mushrooms, onions, macadamia nuts, caffeine, chocolate (especially dark chocolate and baking chocolate), alcoholic beverages, dairy products such as milk, and citrus fruits such as oranges.Only give your dog medicines that have been explicitly prescribed or approved by a vet.
Many human drugs—over-the-counter or prescription—can kill your dog.
For instance, aspirin may be given to a dog if your vet tells you it is alright and tells you the proper dosage.
But acetaminophen and ibuprofen are highly poisonous for your pooch.Have a canine first aid kit on hand to address your dog’s medical needs.
You can either buy one or put one together yourself.
Make sure it includes basic supplies like a pet first-aid book, self-cling bandages, gauze pads, an antibacterial ointment or antiseptic wipes, disposable gloves, scissors, and tweezers., Having an established veterinarian-owner-patient relationship with regular check-ups will help ensure that your dog is as healthy as possible and up-to-date with their vaccinations and parasite control.When searching for a vet, be sure to choose one that is nearby to where you live and has good online reviews.
Go to your vet regularly to minimize your dog’s risk of contracting and spreading dangerous diseases (like rabies or kennel cough) or parasites (like fleas and heartworm).
Your vet will keep records to remind you when preventative treatments need to be administered.
How often you should visit the vet will depend on the health and age of your dog.
Puppies will need several appointments in their first year, but a normal, healthy adult dog can generally get by with an annual check-up.
Senior dogs who are pushing ten years of age should probably go in at least twice a year.Your vet can also help you decide when it’s time to let go.
When your pet is stuck in a cycle of incurable suffering due to sickness or old age, the best thing you can do for them is to seek your vet’s help to end your pet's life humanely., Responsible dog owners will control their pet’s reproduction.
Neuter or spay your dog as soon as your vet recommends doing so to prevent unwanted litters adding to the numbers in shelters as well as adolescent behavior problems that arise from sex hormones.
About the Author
Elizabeth Smith
Creates helpful guides on DIY projects to inspire and educate readers.
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