It costs a lot to own a dog. Each dog needs quality food, medical care and general supplies. It can cost you around $1000 each year. A sick dog could cost you tens of thousands! Look into doggie health insurance!
Take your dog to the vet at least one time a year for checkups. Because your dog is unable to speak, you may not know for sure when your dog feels sick or has an injury. A yearly checkup will help you find any problems before they become huge issues.
Talk to your vet about appropriate nutrition for your canine. Dog food packages provide guidelines, but they can be wrong for your particular pet and lead to obesity. Your vet will give you personalized advice.
Become acquainted with dog food labels and avoid buying based solely on cost. Over the course of the dogs life he will be much healthier if you stick to high quality food with plenty of nutritional value. While this may mean paying higher prices for a premium brand, you can be assured your dog is getting the proper nutrients from wholesome sources.
Give your pooch rawhide bones instead of those from real meat. Real bones can chip and fragments may become lodged in their mouths or digestive tract. In contrast, rawhide has health benefits for your pet.
Do not buy cheap food items for your dog in an effort to save money. Later on, it will help that you’ve fed your dog quality and nutritious food. Though this may cost you a bit more, you can rest easily knowing that the dog is eating properly.
If you are considering a dog but aren’t sure, why not trying providing a good foster home for a dog? Many homeless dogs are waiting for a home in shelters, where overcrowding is a major problem. Besides helping you figure out if full-time ownership is right for you, fostering will also do a great deal for the cause of abandoned animals as a whole.
Make sure that your dog is not kept outside your home all day long. Dogs need to interact with people or with other animals. Only having one dog can cause him to get lonely. In addition to the socializing need, you should not leave a dog to fend for himself in heavy rainstorms or very cold weather. Bring the dog indoors until the inclement weather passes.
When it comes to buying food for your dog, don’t skimp by buying the cheap stuff. In the long run, it is beneficial to be feeding your dog high quality, nutritious food. While this could mean paying more for higher-end brands, your dog’s proper health will be guaranteed through eating healthfully.
If you’ve got just one dog and he doesn’t seem all that happy or is left alone a lot, think about getting him a friend. Dogs naturally travel in packs and like to have fellow canines around. Match them carefully by energy levels and temperament so that they can enjoy themselves.