Most people who own a dog love them dearly and want to take the best care of them possible. But there are always techniques that you can use to improve and become better at caring for your canine. These are the things that we are going to be talking about in this article. Hopefully, by the end, you will come away with a renewed sense of passion, ready to give your dog an even better life than the one they have already.
Practice Preventative Care
The first thing you can do is to make a commitment to preventative care that stops them from suffering from a whole host of common conditions. You need to be proactive with things like brushing their teeth, giving them parasite preventatives, keeping them clean and well-groomed, and giving them the daily exercise that they require. As they always say, prevention is far better than the cure. Try to establish a daily routine of preventative care so that your dog becomes used to what is happening on a regular basis.
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Get Moving More Often
We have just mentioned ensuring your dog gets daily exercise, but if you have become a little lazy with exercising your dog, now is the time to start back up again. Of course, different dogs have different exercise needs, so you need to be aware how much is best suited to your furry friend. It is a good idea to discuss with your vet how much exercise is best for your dog depending on their age, breed and pre-existing medical conditions. Once you have the recommendations, you should be putting them into practice to the best of your ability.
Learn to Read Your Dog’s Body Language
Your dog will use their entire body to communicate with you, so it is a good idea to brush up on your dog body language detection skills! For example, a wagging tail usually indicated a willingness to interact, while a stiff and upright tail often means that your dog is intensely focused on something and about to react (e.g. chase a squirrel). A relaxed dog will often hold their ears forward, while a submissive or anxious canine will hold them back or flatten them against their head. Simply learning a couple of things like this can help you to understand your dog so much better.
Monitor Your Dog’s Health Closely
If you really know your dog well, you will be able to pick up on changes to their health, and know the best way to respond. If itching and biting themselves becomes an issue, a product like Pet-Lock can make all the difference. Visiting the vet on a regular basis can help you to detect any issues that your dog may be having and respond to them quickly and effectively. You should always remember to make time for the ‘smaller’ vet trips like a general wellness exam or a dental cleaning. Even if your dog doesn’t thank you for taking you to the vet so often, we are sure that they appreciate it!
Supply Better Dog Food
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When you are choosing the type of dog food to buy, you need to make sure that it is giving them all the nutrients that they require and that it meets necessary health guidelines. Ask whether it is suitable for the specific breed of your dog and whether it fits in with their lifestyle. Sometimes, you need to spend a little more to get food which is best for your dog. If you are struggling to fit this in with your budget, you should at least try to provide them with some premium quality organic food from time to time. Don’t forget that dog treats need to be healthy as well.
Give Them Their Own Space
Even though dogs are naturally social creatures who love being around humans, they still love to have their own space as well. So, try to give them some items and an area of the house that they know belongs to them. Perhaps it is just a small mat in the corner of the living room or it could be something bigger like a dog house in the back garden. After all, everyone likes to have something that they can call their very own!
Don’t Leave Them Alone in Cars
Even leaving your dog along in the car for a very short period of time is not only unfair, it can also end up being very dangerous for them. During the colder months, they could end up suffering from all manner of detrimental conditions, and you are probably already aware that dogs can die in hot cars. So, bring your dog out with you even if you are only popping out for a couple of minutes – they will be glad to get of the fresh air!
Allow Them to Socialise
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Dogs like to spend time interacting with their own species as well as humans, so you should take them for trips out to the local park where they will encounter other pooches. If you are not situated nearby to a dog park, you could research local communities where dogs and their owners tend to gather. Even if you have to go a little further afield, your dog will be pleased by the opportunity to escape for a little while.
Practice Grooming
Like anything in life, the more you practice, the better you will get at it. How much trouble you have grooming your dog will depend very much on their breed. Grooming your dog properly involved bathing them a few times a month and deshedding them on a regular basis. If you have some extra cash to spend, you could always take them into the professionals to learn the best grooming practices.
Hopefully, the points that we have discussed have inspired you to be a better dog owner. Ultimately, putting in that little bit of effort can yield a host of fantastic rewards for your pooch.
