Anyone can go out and get a dog and bring him home. However, if you wish to properly care for your dog, you must know what you’re doing. Pay attention to the following helpful advice so that you can make sure your dog has everything it needs in order to live and long and healthy life.
Never give your dog milk! It’s not necessary for his body and he doesn’t have the proper enzymes to digest it anyway. Feeding your dog cow’s milk can lead to chronic diarrhea and leave him with an upset stomach, among other health problems. Stick with plain old water for a healthy and hydrated dog.
Talk to the veterinarian about the proper amount of food for your dog. Though some folks feed whatever the package recommends, those guidelines are not always appropriate and can lead to overfeeding. Speak with a vet about your dog’s needs and what they should have.
Make sure you have the correct dog supplies. Before bringing your dog home for the first time, be sure that you are equipped with the right supplies. Every dog needs a good sized food and water bowl, a collar and leash, toys, and a comfy place to sleep. Also, remember to purchase an identification tag immediately.
When it comes to feeding your dog, make sure that you are using a reputable brand that contains enough nutrition. This is important because there are dog foods that contain an undesirable amount of filler in the food. You want to be sure that your dog is getting the amount of nutrients that it needs in order for it to be healthy.
Use an olive oil spray to keep your dog’s dish sparkling clean. Particularly if you feed him canned food, it can quickly cake-up and dry on the inside of the bowl, making it hard to wash later. As a bonus, the olive oil will help to keep his coat shiny too.
When snacking, you might allow your dog to have a bite or two of your food. There are certain human foods that should not be fed to a dog. Dogs are not able to tolerate grapes, chocolate and anything with caffeine, for instance. They can make you dog seriously ill or even cause death if enough is ingested.
Many dogs enjoy things like fruits and vegetables, rice, eggs and cottage cheese. There is nothing wrong with letting them have these things, but they should not make up the bulk of their diets. You should feed them dog food, and implement these items around 10 percent of the time.
Clean your dog’s water and food bowls regularly. Just like you won’t eat or drink from dirty bowls, your dog won’t either. Clean the bowls once a day, and then add new food and water.
Dogs love people food, but that doesn’t mean it is good for them. Many foods, such as chocolate, onions or garlic, aren’t good for dogs and can cause stomach upset or poisoning. Check out lists online to find out which foods are okay and which are big no-nos to feed dogs.
Make sure your dog has a comfortable time while eating. Older dogs can have trouble bending down to eat food or drink water from a bowl that’s placed on the floor. An eating table offers a solution by raising the food and water to a level where the dog can access it without using its joints.
Your dog loves you unconditionally, and you want to make sure you provide the most for him. Therefore, it’s imperative that you utilize the information you’ve been given so that you can work towards taking good care of your pet. Your pet deserves proper care, and you can now provide that to him.
