Having a dog as a pet is a fun, amazing, and enlightening experience. A dog can quickly become your strongest defender, your favorite cuddly toy, and your best companion, sometimes practically overnight, which is why they make amazing pets for huge families and those living alone. However, there is a difference between simply having a dog and being a responsible dog owner. If you want to ensure that you’re the latter, keep reading.
Do Train Your Dog:
Some people get a dog on a whim and don’t take into account the amount of work that goes into training your new best friend. If you don’t train your dog, they can make your life a noisy and messy living nightmare. Untrained dogs are hard to walk, pee everywhere, chew everything, and are generally difficult to live with. It will be funny at first, but your patience will quickly wear thin. If you don’t know where to start, then attend some dog training classes.
Don’t Leave Them For Ages:
Dogs, like humans, get lonely if they’re left alone for too long. If you work all day every day, then a dog really doesn’t fit your lifestyle, as they require much more attention than a couple of hours in the evening. One thing you should never do is leave your dog in a car, no matter for how long and no matter the circumstances, especially on a hot day.
Do Get Your Dog Microchipped:
In the UK it is now a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped. The same can’t be said for The U.S, but microchipping is just as important here. Microchipping your dog (and ensuring that you keep your details up to date) will mean that, if your dog ever managed to get away from you, you would have a much higher chance of being reunited with them. A collar and tag with your name, phone number, and address is also a sensible idea.
Don’t Leave Their Mess:
There is nothing more disgusting than a sidewalk covered in dog mess, so why would you leave your dog’s mess on the sidewalk? Whenever you walk your dog, remember to take bags with you, and clean up after your dog if and when they foul.
Do Get Pet Insurance:
Most people view pet insurance as unnecessary, especially if they have a dog that isn’t prone to too many illnesses and ailments. However, you should remember that things can always go wrong, and there may come a time that your dog really needs to visit the vets. Without pet insurance, even a short visit can get quite costly, so if they need medication, or even surgery, you’re looking at hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Don’t Let Them Roam Free:
One of the first things that you should know about owning a dog is that they need a lot of exercise, especially if they’re a large breed. However, when you take your dog for a walk, you need to actually walk them, you can’t just let them roam wherever they like. They could be the best-behaved dog on the planet, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t ever run into the road or eat something that they shouldn’t. Keeping your dog close keeps them safe.
Do Flea And Worm Them:
You need to ensure that you are fleaing and worming your dog regularly, and when you’re supposed to. You can either order this treatment offline, buy it from your vets, or even have your vets administer it themselves. Your pet insurance might cover this treatment, so be sure to read through the terms and conditions thoroughly. If you’re administering the treatment yourself, you might find that your dog doesn’t really like the worming tablet. If this is the case, the VetIQ pet pill treat will make your life a whole lot easier.
Don’t Let Them Jump Up People:
Some people don’t like dogs; It’s a sad fact, but it’s true. Some people have no reason for this, but others are scared of them. For this reason, you should never let your dog jump up people, especially not strangers. Not only can it get annoying, but your dog could also hurt them by accident, or absolutely terrify them, despite how adorable and cuddly your dog may look to you.
Do Groom Them Regularly:
You wouldn’t go months without having a shower, so why would you wait months in between bathing your dog? It’s usually recommended that you wash your dog about once a month, but, of course, sometimes you will need to wash them more than this. Some dogs also require a lot more grooming than others and need to have their fur cut by professional dog groomers regularly.
Don’t Approach Other Dogs:
Like with people, not all dogs like other dogs. Some dogs are frightened of other ones, particularly larger breeds, and others want to protect you, so don’t want other dogs near you. When you’re out and about with your four-legged friend, never approach another dog with yours without asking first. If you do, you could risk a fight breaking out, which is something, I imagine, you would prefer to avoid.
Do Take Them To The Vets:
Your dog needs to be getting regular check-ups with a vet, especially if they’re getting on in life. Your vet will be able to advise you on lots of different dog-related things and will be the best person to identify if your dog is unwell or injured. Obesity is a huge problem in dogs, so your vet will also keep an eye on your dog’s weight, and ensure that you’re not feeding them too many treats.
Dogs are a lot of fun and really are man’s best friend. However, they also require a lot of attention and a lot of work is required to get them trained and keep them exercised. You should always think things through properly before deciding whether or not a dog is for you. If you think that they are, then great, you’re going to have lots of fun.
