Tips & Tricks On How To Take Care Of A Dog
Your dog is not just your pet but a living being who has needs and requirements to live comfortably. Therefore, they need proper care and any negligence leads to health issues, depression, isolation and sadness in them.
Although there are some basic ways one needs to take care of their dog, some breeds need special care. This is because their body types, hair, size and shape is different and requires suitable factors, including environment, temperature, food, space etc.
‘How to take care of a dog?’ is a must for everyone to research and learn about before adopting any dog. You might assume that providing food and space is enough, but do you as humans, stay healthy and happy with these basic needs? Just as there is additional and consistent care required for humans, your dog requires the same or more.
Basic dog care tips:
The dog care tips listed below and available at many sources today are not just enough to be read. They need to be consistently followed to take care of your dog.
- The best way you can begin to care for your dog is when you decide to educate yourself about them, their breed and their requirements. There is no way you can care for your dog if you do not understand them and their needs. As your first step, educate yourself and learn about the breed that you want to adopt.
- Create a comfortable and clean space for them to live in. If you are thinking about adopting a dog, you need to provide them with a space to live. No, your room isn’t their room. Many people assume that they can share their room with their new little family member but that never works. They need a separate space to sleep and rest. This way, they won’t disturb you while you’re busy and you won’t bother them while they rest. They also need toilet space and training so that you can maintain a pleasant environment for yourself and your dog.
- Fulfil their basic needs i.e. food and water. Many people love the idea of adopting a dog but they don’t like the idea of being the constant caregiver later. This is why some dog owners often neglect and forget to provide food and water on time. Have you ever come home after a long day and realised your dog didn’t have any food by its side the whole time? While that may be a small mistake on your part, it is huge negligence. Always make sure to keep fresh water and food by their side.
- Design a healthy diet for them. If you love them, you don’t overfeed them. Some dog owner thinks they can make their pet happy by feeding them all the time, what they’re doing is, only making the dog obese in the future. For their healthy and quality life span, you must design a balanced diet for your dog that contains all the nutrients and is enough for their body type/age.
- Build a relationship of trust and friendship. When you adopt a dog, it relies on you. What they eat, how much they eat, what they drink and everything else depends on you. You are the person they need to trust and be comfortable around. You don’t want your dog to be scared around you, so make sure to earn their trust and build a healthy relationship.
- Pay regular visits to the vet. Health care is a major part of basic dog care guidelines. You must keep a check and balance of how they’re doing physically and emotionally. Find a trusted veteran and pay regular visits to get them examined regularly. In case of any health issue, inform the vet and do not prolong any health condition.
- Groom, your dog. When you ask, ‘how to care for a dog’, you must also know that grooming is essential. They need the assistance of their nails, hair and bathe routine.
- Maintain their hygiene and cleanliness. The way you care about your cleanliness, your dog requires more than less. Because they cannot maintain their cleanliness themselves, you need to maintain that for them regularly.
- Spend time with your dog. A dog is not an adorable toy to see and love from far away. They need your attention and time. They don’t ask for a lot but some playtime once a day. This will ensure they are loved.
- Take them for walks and park tours. Your dog cannot stay indoors for a long time. They need fresh air and some time outdoors for a change of environment. If you don’t take them out yourself, they will escape whenever they get the chance to, which will show that they were not happy. You must take them out for at least half an hour a day and take them for a walk or activity time with other fellow pet dogs.
- Please do not hurt them. Some people think it is important to punish the dog if they do something wrong. Physically abusing a dog is never right and never justified. This is why you must train them as they cannot learn your likes and dislikes themselves.
- Check the expiry date of the dog food. Like you check the expiry date of your food, you need to check for your dog as well as food poisoning is a common health issue in dogs and this mostly happens because of their human companion’s negligence.
Several other equally important tips for dog care include an exercise routine, which is very important to keep your dog active and healthy. Please pay attention to their symptoms or anything they’re trying to convey, as they might go through something unnoticed by you.
In conclusion, education is the key. Educate yourself and seek help from fellow dog owners. You might learn something good from their experience but remember all dog breeds and dogs are different and need different care. What makes your dog happy and healthy at the same time can only be figured out by you.