Take Care of Your Dog

Dogs are man's (or woman's) best friend so treat them as such! Be a good friend to your dog, give it lots of tender loving care and you will have a companion for life!

Your dog has instinctive compulsions to dig, herd, retrieve, chase and chew. You, as the owner, are responsible for teaching your dog when these behaviors are appropriate.
Keeping your dog on a balanced exercise program will stimulate its mind, keep it healthy and escape boredom. Destructive dog behaviors can be lessened or eliminated by making sure your dog gets enough exercise with supervised play. Exercise also burns calories that will keep your dog looking trim and slim! Exercises vary with breed type, size, sex, age and health. If you are lazy, your dog will be lazy and become destructive. Walking your dog a few times a day around the block and a short stint of running around the back yard is not enough. The owner must get creative and play games such as fetch, Frisbee, free running (look for dog friendly parks) and even swimming.

You want your dog to look good and smell clean. Brushing your dog on a daily basis, giving it frequent baths and checking for fleas and ticks are all good ways to have a hygienic dog.
If you have a small dog or a lap dog, you can carry them with you in a small shoulder bag for quick and easy transportation. Your dog is able to accompany you wherever you go and will attract lots of attention for being so cute. Place your hand under the dog's ches and use your other hand or forearm to support its hind legs and bottom. Never pick up your dog by its front legs, tail or scruff of the neck. If you have a large dog, mostly it will be on a leash when you transport it but if you need to pick it up, lift your dog from underneath and support the chest and rear with your arms.

Your dog will want a cozy, warm and quiet resting place to call his own. Make sure there are no drafts and keep it off the floor. Using a training crate is a great idea and lining the crate with a blanket, towel or pillow will make it soft and your dog will enjoy sleeping inside. You can also buy a dog bed or create one out of a wooden box. Be certain to wash the bedding often to keep the doghouse clean. If your dog has access to the outdoors, your backyard or garden, make sure that there is sufficient shade to protect it from the hot summer sun and provide plenty of cool water to prevent overheating. Dogs aren't big fans of cold and rainy weather and it is imperative your dog has warm and dry shelter in these conditions.

Your state or local community will have regulations on how to license and identify your dog. Your dog should wear a collar with its name and your phone number on it in case it should get lost. Microchipping your dog is a good option and not very expensive. This procedure is relatively harmless and a microchip the size of a grain of rice will be implanted under your dog's skin. This microchip will contain all the information needed to help return your dog safely to you should it become lost.
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