Essential Dog Care Guidelines Which Will Make You And Your Dog Happy!

Dog Care GuidelinesChoosing a pet means you have accepted the responsibility of that animal.

Whether you have some dogs as a pet for years or if you are a new dog owner, you need to learn basics of dog care which are often overlooked by many, but they are very essential for your dog to enjoy a long and healthy life.

Essential dog care guidelines:

Dog food: Many dog owners feel that giving food which satisfies the dog hunger is enough. But, the truth is that apart from giving sufficient food, there is a necessity to provide high nutrient value food.

Providing nutrient rich food will make your dog strong and avoids the weakness of the bones and joint related problems.

Many owners provide colorful food to their dogs thinking that the dog will be attracted to the food. But by adding artificial colors, you are spoiling your dog’s health. Using these colors can lead to some allergies and infections.

Raw meat alone will not be sufficient to reach the nutrient values of your dog. Other than meat, your dog need specially formulated food (dry food) that covers the nutrients values of your dog regardless of age and activity.

Grooming: Includes brushing the coat, cutting the nails, bathing the dog, checking for parasites on the skin and brushing its teeth [Dog Grooming].

  • Brushing the coat: Some species of dogs do not require much brushing as the fur grown on the skin is less and no fur balls are formed. But some species like poodles need regular brushing and cutting of the fur as they grow long fur. When going for a fur cut, it’s better to consult a professional about the style.
  • Cutting the nails: Clippers are used to cut the nails, without hurting the dog. The nails are to be clipped every six months, if not your dog may hurt itself or a stranger also. Note: Always have blood clotting powder beside you- this will help the blood to clot when some accident takes place while removing the nails of the dog.
  • Bathing your dog: If your dog belongs to poodle species, it’s better to bathe your dog once in a week and if your dog does not have much fur, it’s better to bathe it twice in a month. Bathing too frequently will evaporate the natural oils of the dog’s skin and make its skin dry.
  • Parasites: Dogs are always playful. They run around sticking dust particles and some infections. While grooming, you can check for parasites. They can be recognized by rash on the skin or the part which is attacked by parasites will turn the skin red. Medication such as powder or gel based ointments will cure this.
  • Brushing the teeth: The main idea of brushing dog’s teeth is to keep its teeth and gums strong in the later age of its life. All you need is a tooth brush and a paste which is separately prepared for dogs. Note: brushing with human tooth paste is dangerous to the dog.

Health: Regular health check ups are very important in dog care such as

  • Blood tests
  • Dental check ups
  • Ear check ups

The blood test will let you know any imbalances in the hormones of the dog or presence of any external parasites which are prone to disturb the health of the dog. Recognizing any such symptoms will cut down the risk of getting prone to dangerous diseases.

Dental check ups may not show drastic changes for the dog at its very young age, but when the dog grows older, the dog may develop many teeth and gum diseases. So, regular dental check ups will cut down the risk of tooth decay problems.

Parasites’ favorite place on your dog skin is under the ear. They accumulate under the ear flap and enter into the ear. Once the parasites enter into the dog’s ear, they will make your dog deaf. So, have regular check ups in the ear to avoid this. Note: The organs inside the ear should always be in pale pink color. If the color is changed, then some thing is wrong with your dog ear.

Vaccinations: Some vaccinations start from the age of 7 weeks and continue till 5 years of age. It means vaccinations play an important role in dog’s health. Consult your vet regularly to have an idea about vaccinations. They should be vaccinated to protect from highly contagious diseases.

Note: Maintain a small card and tick the vaccinations completed. This will be very helpful to have an idea on vaccinations.

These necessary and important dog careguidelines will surely help you in maintaining a healthy dog.

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