How to Care for A Dog

You might think it is easy to take care of a dog. But it isn't. Dogs are a lot of work, especially if you care for them properly. I am no expert in dog care but I do have some hands on experience with dogs as we have had several and I must say our dogs have always been well behaved and a joy to be around. I've loved dogs since I was a little girl and all these years later I still love having a dog (or two) around.

........................................TIPS ON HOW TO CARE FOR A DOG.....................................................

How to care for a dog #1 - LOVE.. You really need to love that puppy. You need to expect that there will be a few problems when you bring the puppy home. Imagine, he's been taken away from his mother and siblings for the first time in his short little life; he's in a new environment with new sounds and noises and he really doesn't know what is expected of him. So, even the discipline needs to be done with love. Your new puppy wants to make you happy and he will love you unconditionally!

How to care for a dog #2 - BE CONSISTENT.. That means with everything. You should feed your puppy at the same times every day and remember their tummies are small. A puppy should be fed 3 or 4 times a day and the feedings should decrease as the dog matures... Your training periods should be at the same time every day...and for heavens sake if you don't want your dog on the sofa then no means no everytime he tries to get on the sofa not just some of the time.

How to care for a dog #3 - TRAINING.. This is very important. Your puppy has no clue as to how you want him to behave. He's a puppy and all he knows is what he has been doing with his litter mates. Pick the same time every day and work on the basics. You know sit, come, stay and heel. These are the most important and your puppy will work hard to please you. Be firm when you are training. Don't over work your puppy when you first start you might only spend 5 or 10 minutes with him and then gradually increase the time, but never overdo you want him to enjoy this time not hate it.

How to care for a dog #4 - EXERCISE... Now this is fun time but it is also very important. This will keep your dog physically fit and mentally sound. This makes for a happy dog. The amount of exercise depends on the breed of dog. Now we have German Wirehaired Pointers and they need lots of exercise. We run them twice a day for at least an hour. They can't tell time but somehow they know when it is time to go for their run because they go sit by the door.

How to care for a dog #5 - GROOMING... Dogs need brushing and bathing, nail clipping and teeth brushing. Yup, teeth brushing! Again, how often will depend on the breed of dog. If you start getting into the habit of brushing and start when the dog is young you can both enjoy the experience. Generally speaking bathing is only needed a few times a year unless your dog has rolled in something that smells so bad you want to gag or if and when that skunk gets them. Yes, both my dogs have been skunked. As for the nail clipping, we take our dogs to the vet and have it done however there are good products on the market for home use and if your dog is patient and doesn't mind having his feet touched you can do this yourself. Now for the teeth brushing. I will say this again, start this right away and let him get use to the brush in his mouth. This is good teeth maintenance for your dog and his teeth are very important to him.

These are a few tips on how to care for a dog and I hope they are helpful to you. We love our dogs and try to take very good care of them. The time spent with training is well worth the effort and it will make your dog a joy to be around.