|
Tips for your pet Dog
Breed Dog care Foods
Training
Having a Dog in today's world is a joyful and fulfilling experience.
They not only help in relieving stress but are eager to do so too!!
Dogs are wonderful and amazing pets, they can bring happiness and
security to our families. They love humans and can understand their
moods by their facial expressions, voice and posture. They will give
their lives for their masters. They will spend a lifetime working
hard for us and love it. They can be gentle with small puppies and
children, and strong with anyone or anything threatening your
family. They can communicate their needs and desires to us. Besides
all that, they are beautiful to look at and wonderful to cuddle
with.
Choosing a Dog
Choosing the right dog is very important as it will be a part of
your family and will stay with you for a long time. Different breeds
of dogs have different temperaments, exercise and hygiene needs.
Deciding the most suitable will depend on purpose (security or
in-house), space available, attention that can be given, monthly
budget and your own lifestyle. Some breeds are swimmers, some
hunters, some herders and some work dogs. Learning about the breeds
will help you find a dog to fit into your lifestyle.
All puppies require a lot of attention and supervision. They will
chew on everything and ease themselves everywhere. They are unable
to protect themselves from other animals. Consider the type of dog
will fit in best with your family first, when you bring him home, be
prepared for several months of training and attention to make him
into a welcome part of the family. Then you can enjoy your dog for
years to come.
A long thick coat may keep a dog warm in cold climates, and make him
miserable in warm areas. Some dogs have an undercoat. Long thick
coats may require frequent care, do you have the time to invest?
Their hair may shed all over your furniture and carpet, how is this
going to make you feel? Some breeds have ears, eyes, or even
wrinkles that require special care to keep the dog healthy.
Breed
It may be interesting to note that only a few breeds were originally
developed to be pets. Most dogs were originally bred to be hunters,
herders, guards, or some other job which might be at odds with what
you expect from a pet. Your dog can be a purebred or a mixed breed.
They come in all sizes, long and short hair. Mixed breeds are even
less predictable, but if you know what breeds are in the dog you
will have a better idea of what he will be like. Also, if you know
the parents, they are a good indicator of what the dog will grow up
to be like
Care
When the new puppy comes home, he will need a lot of attention for
the first few months. If you want your dog to be happy, if you want
your dog to be around for a long time to come, you need to worry
about his health. He can't be happy and energetic and ready for fun
if he doesn't feel taken care of.
Bathing
The main thing to remember is that dogs' skin is more delicate than
humans. It is much more prone to drying out when you wash it. Human
based shampoos are formulated to remove all the oils. You need to
get one formulated for dogs that will remove dirt but not the
essential oils for the coat. Dogs that are frequently bathed may
require some supplements (such as Linatone or vegetable oil) to keep
their skin and coat healthy. A condition called impetigo may result
from not rinsing all the soap out. Other general problems, such as
fleas that prefer dried-out skin, may occur.
Hot Weather Tips
A dog's normal body temperature is 101.5 to 102.2 degrees. A dog can
withstand a body temperature of 107-108 degrees for only a very
short time before suffering irreparable brain damage or even death.
Heat Stress Treatment
In heatstroke cases, high fever must be reduced rapidly to save the
dog's life and prevent brain damage. If heatstroke occurs, you
should do the following:
-
Gradually immerse the dog in cool water if possible, or spray
the dog with cool water from a garden hose.
-
Apply ice packs to the dog's head and neck. Take the dog to a
veterinarian as soon as possible. Heat exhaustion or heat cramps
must also be treated by a veterinarian.
Heat Stress Preventative Measures:
1.
Never leave a dog in a closed car or unventilated enclosure for any
length of time.
2.
Kennels should have adequate ventilation to provide good air
circulation in the summer.
3.
When dogs are outside, some type of shade should be available at all
times.
4.
Always keep fresh water available.
5.
Avoid excessive exercise of dogs during hot weather.
6.
Hot sidewalks and pavement can burn your dog's paws.
Bedding
You should give your dog its own bed. Try folded up towels for young
puppies. There are a variety of beds for the fully grown dog -- try
any of them. Be careful with cedar-filled beds. There are reports
that cedar reacts with urine to produce poisonous fumes. You should
not let your dog sleep on the bed with you, instead insist that it
sleep on the floor next to the bed.
Recommended Vaccination Schedule
6-8 Weeks:
Physical examination
First DHLPPC (Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza,
Parvo virus, & Corona virus)
Deworming
10-12 Weeks:
Physical examination
Second DHLPPC
Deworming
Kennel Cough Vaccination
14-16 Weeks:
Physical examination
Third DHLPPC
Rabies Vaccination
Annually:
Physical examination
DHLPPC Booster
Kennel Cough Booster
Rabies Booster
Deworming
Foods:
There are many dog food formulations out there, ranging from
inexpensive grocery-brands to expensive premium food. You should
find out what suits your dog best: while many dogs have done just
fine on dog chow, others do much better with other foods.
The theory behind the more expensive foods is that they are more
digestible and contain less "bulk" and "fill." Hence, your dog will
eat less in volume (and thus the extra cost of the food is somewhat
offset) and excrete small and firm stools. You may need to
experiment to find out how your dog does on different brands. Dogs
vary in their individual reactions.
Many dogs appreciate vegetables. In particular if your dog is fond
of munching on the grass, you can often alleviate this by feeding
vegetables to your dog. Stick with fresh, raw foods: carrots,
broccoli and cauliflower stems, apple cores, etc are popular. Stay
away from potatoes and onions.
Feeding your dog "people food," i.e., table scraps and such is a
poor idea. First, you may encourage your dog to make a pest of
itself when you are eating. Second, feeding a dog table scraps is
likely to result in an overweight dog. Third, if your dog develops
the habit of gulping down any food it can get, it may seriously
poison or distress itself someday.
Feeding
Food should be fed once or twice a day. Put the food down and take
it up again after ten to twenty minutes regardless of whether your
dog has finished eating it. This discourages "picky eating" and lets
you be certain of exactly how much food your dog is eating.
Frequently, a problem is first indicated when your dog's feeding
goes off, so scheduled feeding like this (rather than free feeding)
will tip you off to potential problems right away.
The larger or younger your dog is, the better multiple daily
feedings are; simply divide up each day's portion into individual
feedings. Fresh water should always be available and changed at
least once a day.
Food Dishes
In general you want to get ceramic or metal food dishes. Plastic
food dishes acquire microscopic scratches in which bacteria
flourishes. You should wash the food dishes frequently, just as you
do your own. Always supply fresh water with each meal. If your dog
has long hound ears, you should get the cone-shaped high dishes that
help keep the ears out of the food and water. Otherwise, any dish
will do fine for your dog. There are lots of cute dog dishes out
there.
Training
There are multiple meanings to the term "training." It's important
to understand them when deciding what you need to do with your dog.
Behavior training:
This is the kind of training in which a dog is taught to be a "good
citizen." Typically this includes housetraining, good behavior
around other people and dogs, reasonable leash manners and other
small things that make a dog a much more pleasant companion. A
well-behaved dog attracts no special notice from the public (aside
from amazing some with their good manners).
Obedience training:
is generally teaching the dog how to perform specific activities.
This can include traditional "obedience" exercises such as heeling.
The emphasis here is on prompt and precise performance. While there
can be many overall benefits to such training, the training is
usually for the training's sake and not necessarily to improve the
dog's behavior. Dogs that have been obedience trained will perform
specific tasks when their owners ask them to do so.
Activity training:
Refers to training for specific activities -- this includes hunting,
herding, Search and Rescue, lure coursing -- any of a myriad number
of activities designed to showcase the abilities of the dog and his
handler, particularly in activities for which the dog has been bred
to do. These days, such activity also includes "sports" such as
frisbee, flyball, agility and so on.
Note:
The information provided in this page is for your general
information only. Kindly consult a veterinary doctor before taking
any action.
|
