In the same way as people have certain
essential needs to survive comfortably, so dogs have a similar set
of requirements. Dogs require many things of a similar nature but
making the top ten list in dog care includes food, a collar, an
identification tag, food bowls, a dog kennel or dog house, a dog
mat or bed, some toys, chews and bones to keep the teeth in good
condition and number ten without doubt is comfort food such as
treats.
Nourishing foods is essential for life and as a general rule,
whatever foodstuff your puppy began his life eating, let him
maintain eating the same kind of diet. If you choose to alter it
for some reason or other, do it as slowly as possible. One idea
would be to mix some of the old and new brands together to
facilitate the developing of his digestive system.
A collar is an essential in terms of walking your puppy to keep
him fit and healthy as well as for identification purposes. The
best kind to get for puppies is an adjustable puppy collar, since
the collar size increases slowly as your puppy grows. As far as
adult dogs are concerned, a buckle collar is the best in terms of
proper identification. It must be firm enough not to slip over the
dog’s head, but slack enough to place a few fingers through. You
don’t want to strangle your dog so strive for comfort but you
certainly don't want to lose him either.
One of the simplest ways of keeping your dog secure and to make
sure he is returned to you in the event he or she should go astray
is to have a dog tag attached to his collar. Of course, make sure
the identification tag includes your pets name and your
contactable information. An additional alternative that is
pricier, is to have your dog implanted with either a traceable
identification microchip or have him or her tattooed. This is an
easy procedure that can be undertaken by your veterinarian. Then
your dog’s information will be entered into a national registry
and in the event that he goes astray, he should be easy to trace
and have returned to you.
The ideal situation is for a dog to have two bowls, one that is
used for water and the other for food. At all times, fresh, clean
water should be provided and it is a good idea to use non-slip
bowls that have flat bottoms, otherwise the puppy or dog might tip
it over. The best choices are stainless steel bowls as they are
easier to clean and some exploratory puppies take pleasure in
sinking their teeth into bowls made out of plastic material.
Although not an essential requirement, many dog owners like to
keep their puppies in a kennel or indoor crate while they are
absent from home in order to assist in their training and so they
don’t have to be too concerned that the puppy will hurt itself
when left to its own devices. Remember, it is important that your
puppy doesn’t suffer overly restricted or cramped quarters and
their crate or kennel must be large enough to allow them freedom
of movement , enough to able to stand up, turn around and
comfortably lie down.
It is not really wise to put your dog out in the back garden all
of the time by himself but now and again is okay and many dogs
enjoy being able to be outside in the fresh air. Backyard time
calls for a good sized kennel. If you have a puppy, bare in mind
how large he will become when he reaches adulthood when designing
or buying a doghouse. On the other hand don’t make the doghouse
too big or the dog may have a trouble keeping warm through the
cold winter months.
Toys are a wonderful form of amusement for dogs and can make
outstanding playmates when you are not about. Dogs take pleasure
in noisy toys, and love to push and pull their toys in every
direction, so keep in mind that nothing is unbreakable as far as
an energetic, frisky puppy is concerned. Rubber toys such as
rubber balls are ideal playthings. Be sensible when buying toys
for your dog knowing that there is not anything that they cannot
tear into small piece that can come off in their teeth and finish
up being swallowed. In a worst case scenario the dog could require
surgical treatment or his abdomen needing to be pumped out. There
are instances where swallowing a part off of a dog toy has proved
lethal for the animal.
Chews are essential for your puppy when he is cutting new teeth
and needs to sink his teeth into something. If you don’t give chew
toys your puppy is likely to beginning eating your furnishings!
The safest for puppies are tough rubber toys. Fully developed dogs
are liable to get pleasure from chewing on a bone and some make a
sport out of it by burying them in the garden to excavate at
sometime in the future
