Owning a dog is a lot of fun. They are your furry best friend, but you also need to consider their health and wellbeing. This goes beyond just making sure that they are physically well by treating any injuries, but also that they lead a happy dog life. With that in mind, here are some useful tips for keeping your dog healthy and happy.
Fleas
Fleas are a major irritant for a dog. They constantly bite the poor thing there is always the chance that a bite could get infected, too. They can also jump off the dog and start to bite other family members. Unfortunately though, they just one of those things you need to deal with if you have a dog. That is why you need to de-flea your dog regularly. When it comes to fleas, there are a variety of ways that you can protect your pet from these pests.
Do some research to find the best flea collars for dogs, talk to your veterinarian about the oral flea and tick treatments, or look into specific powders or shampoos you can apply each month. If you make it part of your regular monthly routine, you should have a happy flea-less dog.
Vaccinations
Just like humans, dogs also need to get their vaccinations. This will help to prevent serious illnesses in your dog and can be administered by your vet. Usually, your dog will have most of their vaccinations when they are a puppy, but there are times throughout a dog’s life when they might need to get some vaccinations. Your vet will be able to advise you on which vaccinations to get and when they need to be administered, so visit them if you are unsure.
Register with a Vet
Speaking of the vet, you should register your dog with one. This is important because if something bad were to happen to your dog and it needed treatment, then you want to have someone you can go directly without any delay. Having to stop and think about where you are going to take your dog could mean the difference between whether it lives or dies. Your vet can provide a variety of services from treating a sick or injured dog to offering advice on maintaining its health. If you aren’t currently registered with a local vet, then you should do so as soon as possible.
Worms
Similar to fleas, worms are not good for your dog. They can cause serious illnesses for your dog, and it is better for you to preemptively deal with them than wait for symptoms to appear. This is because your dog might present with mild or no symptoms at all for a long time and by which they might have a severe infestation of worms. You can purchase specially made products from pet stores to treat worms, or you can visit your vet for further advice. A good way to help prevent worms is to try and make sure your dog isn’t eating anything unusual during your walks. Try to stop your dog from eating dead animals, feces or other things in the environment, and you should be able to prevent it from getting worms.
Pill Treats
If your dog does get ill for some reason or they need to take tablets for another reason (de-worming ones perhaps), and you are struggling to get them to eat them easily then you might want to consider pill treats. These clever little things are a treat with space for a tablet in the middle. This way your dog will get the medication that they need, and you can work it into their usual treat schedule (being well behaved during walks etc.). They sell them at a lot of places including online retailer VetIQ and are worth picking up for any dog owner.
Microchipping
You don’t want to lose your dog. This is a nightmare scenario for anyone who owns a dog. This is where microchipping becomes so important. You shouldn’t rely solely on having a dog tag with your address or phone number on. You should get your dog microchipped. This way you will always know where they are and if they do get lost, then you can follow the signal to find them. This will work as great piece of mind for dog owners and mean that a dog doesn’t need to go through all the stress of being lost.
Brush Their Teeth
A lot of dog owners neglect the fact that they need to brush their dog’s teeth. It might not be fun for an owner or the dog, but if you start doing it when the dog is a puppy or at least young, then it will be easier as they grow up. You need to brush a dog’s teeth for the same reason you would brush your own teeth, to avoid plaque, bacteria, tooth decay and gum disease. You can give your dog teeth cleaning dog sticks that will help to keep their mouths healthy, but it won’t replace a good brushing.
Feed the Correct Amount
Different sized dogs and different breeds will need to eat different amounts and potentially different food. You will need to check what kind of food and the recommended portions for your dog’s breed and size. If you do this incorrectly, then you might end up starving your dog or cause it be overweight. There is tendency for dog owners to keep giving their dog’s food because they never seem to be full. The problem with this is that dogs are genetically designed to not get full from eating, so if you start to think in this way, then you will overfeed your dog.
Training
A poorly behaved dog is bad for the owner and the dog, too. Your dog will lead a healthier, better life if they have been trained properly. You will be able to trust them while going for a walk and they will always return to you when you call their name. You can take them to specialist classes, use a book for guidance or follow online tutorials, but you need to make sure that you train your dog properly. A poorly trained dog can get into fights with other dogs, run across busy roads or get lost more easily. Training your dog doesn’t mean that they will lose their personality, instead, it means that they will be better behaved and will be a better pet.
