5 Terrific Tips to Caring For A Dog

You deserve to be the best dog owner.

Educating yourself on dog care tips at all stages is essential in keeping perfect health.

Attention and needs differ as your fluffy crosses the various stages of experience. Considering also the purpose for owning the dog.

Proper care may call for a bit of expense, but it is nevertheless worthwhile. Moreover, you can make it an enjoyable and worthwhile endeavor.

Dog health and happiness lie in the little daily acts. Like humans, the overall well-being depends on making sure their food, exercise, water, treatment, and love abound. In addition, caring for your dog is rewarding if you do it properly.

Today’s reading unravels prodigious ways to keep "man's best friend" in perfect, purring condition.

Give Your Dog a Proper Diet

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Treat your dog as an individual. What works for your uncle's dog may not necessarily work for you. Consult a veterinarian to help you choose.

Consider an omnivorous diet that consists of a kibble diet mixed up with raw meat, vegetables, and fish. Ensure the diet is well-balanced and covers the dog's health condition. 

Where possible, consider supplements to fortify the diet.

For a raw meat diet, please consider the following:

• Practice impeccable hygiene standards to prevent diseases like salmonella and campylobacter.
• Consult your vet for a nutritionist diet. You will thus match the raw diet to medical conditions and stage of life.

Improve the dog's bowel movement by interspersing their diet with a raw grated carrot and cooked vegetables and pumpkin.

The amount of dog food consumed depends on its age, breed, and size. 

To know when it’s mealtime, firmly run your fingers against their side. You should see a defined waist and feel their ribs. Otherwise, it is time to eat.

Reinforce proper hydration by ensuring by always filling the dog’s water bowl.

Food According to Age

8-16 weeks

The diet changes should be small to avoid stomach upsets. Ask the previous pet owners what they've been feeding the dog, and then continue with this, adding new food incrementally until you get to your desired diet.

You will need commercial kibble appropriate for pups, diffused with cooked vegetables and meat. Feed them small meals regularly.

Avoid a raw diet since the dog's immune system cannot match a high bacterial load.

16+ weeks

The dog begins to have permanent teeth. They usually chew toys, among other things. Include raw meat bones gradually. One bone a week suffices – the meatier, the better.

Keep an eye for illnesses and allergies, and know what to avoid feeding them.

Give the pup two meals a day as it gets older.

Adult dogs: 18+ weeks

An adult dog needs to feed once or twice per day. Your vet will help you know when to switch from puppy-appropriate to adult-appropriate food.

Make sure your dog feeds on a diet that is complete and balanced. For example, the bones should be large, raw, and full of meat.

Don't overfeed.

Senior dogs: 24+ months

Keep a keen eye on health, which can be improved using diet. Find out if it loves the same meals, prefers frequent, smaller meals, or needs special nutrients. This depends on the breed etc.

Things To Avoid When Feeding

Unfitting bones 

Cooked bones can splinter, obstruct the intestines and cause internal damage. Avoid bones that are too small. The bone should fit whole into the dog's mouth.

Swallowing a whole bone can lead to constipation.

Occasionally treat your dog to tinned sardines, tuna, and salmon. Check out for fish bones to avoid choking.

Preservatives

They're bad for the dog's health. For example, sodium nitrite is approved for use in pet foods, but high doses can cause methemoglobin (a condition that reduces oxygen efficiency of the blood).

Pick human-grade meat and bones.

If you feel that your dog has consumed something poisonous, take your dog to a veterinarian.

Vaccination to Ward off Diseases

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Vaccination is crucial in preventing rabies. Here's an essential dog's vaccination schedule for core and non-core vaccines.

Dog vaccine	First puppy vaccination	First adult dog vaccination	Recommended booster
Rabies 1 & 3 yrs.	Single-dose x3	Single-dose	Annually
Distemper	3 Doses from 6–16 months	2 Doses, 3–4 weeks apart	Every 3 yrs.
Parvovirus	3 Doses from 6–16 months	2 Doses, 3–4 weeks apart	Every 3 yrs.
Parainfluenza	Given at 6 to 8 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 14 weeks.	1 Dose	At 1 yrs. And repeated every 3 yrs.
Canine Influenza	Initial dose at 6-8 weeks. Second dose at 2-4 weeks after that.	Two doses, 2-4 weeks apart.	Annually

Dogs Also Need Exercise

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Experiment and select the exercises from the list below that best suit your dog's abilities.

• On-leash walks provide a structured exercise that is enough for smaller dog breeds(flat-faced and short dogs like bulldogs and pugs).
• Off-leash walks allow your dog to go at his own pace while sniffing, running and playing.
• Exercising your dog's brain instead of its body will encourage your dog’s mental stimulation. Give your pooch puzzle toys or feed them from a puzzle dish.
• Encourage short, fast bursts of running. Ensure you listen to your dog when it starts slowing down.
• Train your dog. As pet parents, teach your dog a new trick or work on its recall. Obedience training is essential to behavior and lifestyle.

If you're off schedule, consider professional dog walkers who can give them the attention they need while you're at work. 

Dog Grooming

To groom your dog, start by cleaning its face, eyes, and ears. Use a damp cloth to wipe your dog's eyes to remove crust and dirt. This helps prevent infection.

Check for any swelling or reddening.

Wipe the flaps and folds of your dog's ears; also use gauze or cotton balls to remove excess wax build-up from the ears.

Check the nose: a healthy dog's nose should be moist.

Check out its kennel for fleas, and consult your local pet store for the appropriate pesticides to this end. It is also vital to trim the nails because they can make it difficult for your dog to walk if they grow so long. 

Don't Overlook Your Dog's Dental Care

Proper dental care prevents gum and periodontal diseases resulting from bacteria build-up.

AAHA suggests that toy breed dogs receive regular dental cleaning from one year of age, while bigger breeds should begin at two.

If you can't practice teeth brushing at home, take your dog to the veterinarian for a general dental check-up.  Some chew treats would also be fine.

Take Away

Animal welfare includes feeding it with a balanced diet, clean water, exercising it, and providing vaccination.

Visiting your pet's veterinarian for general and dental check-ups helps you notice infections beforehand. 

Nutrani Anti Tick Treats for Dogs - 120 count

At Doggysupps, we offer Nutrani, an anti-tick treat that is not only vets approved, but is tasty, wards off ticks and other parasites, and also reinforces behavorial conditioning.

We also provide other natural supplements to keep your dog healthy. Checkout our shop today for more information.

Featured Image: Unsplash by Marek Szturc