Dog Care Guide

Dog Care Guide to Keeping Your Pet Dog.

Selecting Your Dog

If you are looking to purchase a pet dog you will need to think carefully about the type of dog that you would like as a pet. There are three types of dog that you can choose from and they are either pedigree, mixed breed or a rescue dog all of which have their own unique characteristics. The advantages of buying a pedigree dog are that you will know what you will get from your dog as it is well bred. Before you decide to purchase a dog you should firstly research the breed of dog that you are interested in as you may find that the hereditary behaviour of your choosen dog may not suit your lifestyle, for example you may find that your chosen dog is naturally a working breed meaning that they require lots of exercise which may not be possible for you to fulfill as the owner of the dog.

The second type of dog that you can select would be a mixed breed where the characteristics of the dog are not as clear cut as a pedigree dog. This means that you will find it hard to indentify the dogs natural traits early in its life however as the dog becomes older this will become much easier. It may also be hard to tell how large the dog you have brought will grow too however you will always find that the dog will have great character and live for a long time due to their wider gene pool compared to pedigree dogs.

The third choice you can select from is a rescue dog and with many rescue centres located throughout the United Kingdom it is a great oppourtunity for you to give the dog a completely new life, improving not only the dogs life but also improving yours with the companionship that a dog can offer you. A factor that you should also take into consideration when picking a dog from a rescue home is that some of the dogs may have been treated badly and therefore have some behavioural problems, however do not let this be a reason for you being put off by taking a rescue dog as the relationship you have with the dog can be greatly rewarding.

Dog Feeding

When you are considering what food will be best suited for your pet dog there are two categories to choose from firstly there is fresh food and secondly you can choose prepared petfoods. If you decide that you would like to feed your dog using the fresh food option then you need to take into account what products you are going to feed your pet dog to ensure that it gains all of the necessary nutrients and vitamins from the ingredients you use. To do this it is simply not enough to feed your dog meat as this will not be healthy for your dog. Although meat is a great source of protein you should also include brains, skin, gut and gut contents to help vary your dogs diet whilst providing the necessary vitamins it needs. To aid your dogs diet you can also use supplementation in your dogs food as this will provide the vitamins and nutrients your dog needs to remain healthy.

The second type of diet for your dog is to use prepared petfood. Unlike preparing your own fresh food this ensures that your dog is gaining all of the essential vitamins and nutrients as premade petfood can ensure a guarenteed correctly balanced diet for your pet dog at any age of its life span. The age of your dog is reflected in what vitamins it will need as a puppy will have different nutritional requirments than a dog in it old age and premade pet dog food provides the best possible diet for your dog whatever its age. Not only is premade pet food the best way to ensure a balanced healthy diet it is also much more convenient and time consuming than having to prepare the food yourself.

Dog Equipment

There is a range of equipment needed to look after your pet dog correctly and in the following section we will look at what items are needed for you as a dog owner to ensure the best possible lifestyle for your pet dog. One of the first items that you should purchase is a dog collar as this will help to identify your dog. Another important item for you to purchse is a dog bed in order for your dog to have an area to sleep. The location in which you place the dog basket should be in a warm area of the house so that it is comfortable and at a reasonable temperature for your dog to stay warm. Another item that can be useful to you as a dog owner is a dog blanket. The dog blanket enables you to train your dog to sit on the blanket wherever it is placed which is a great help if you are travelling or visiting someones house. When purchasing a dog blanket it is best to buy one made of polyester fur fabric as this will help to provide enough warmth for your dog and prevent your dog from chewing the blanket as much as it would if you brought a woolen blanket.

Dog Training

If you are looking at eradicating any behavioural problems that your dog may have you will need to train your pet so that it learns to understand the differencr between good and bad behaviour. Dogs can be trained effectively if you reward them for good behaviour an example of this would be to give your dog a small treat for good behaviour or performing a task correctly. The treat should be administered immediately after your dog has completed a task correctly as this will help to create a link with good behaviour and a reward. To accompany the treat you should also give the dog verbal praise in recognition of the dog completing the task correctly, the reward for your dog should be a small food snack. To ensure that your dog can learn new tasks and behave well as soon as possible it is important that you reward each task every time it is completed as this will re-inforce the behaviour for your dog. You should also keep up the need for rewarding your dog to insure that the tasks are not forgotten and you must reward your dog although not as frequently as when you first try to show your dog a new task.

General Dog Care

In order to help prevent disease within your pet dog it is essential that you vaccinate your dog so that it helps to promote the immune system and develop the natural antibodies to prevent the dog from catching any harmful diseases. It is best to get your dog vaccinated as early as possible as this will give the best possible chance of stopping any infections to your pet dog.

More Dog Information

If you would like to discover any more information on caring for your dog then please come and visit us at Prestwood Petzone where our staff will be pleased to advise you on choosing the most suitable dog for you, plus answer any queries you may have. For a detailed map and directions on how to find Prestwood Petzone please click How to find us.

Suggested Shopping List For Your Dog

Dog Basket
Vitamins
Food
Food Dish
Toys
Dog Collar
Dog Lead
Dog Blanket

The information contained in this dog care guide is intended to provide basic guidance only and is no substitute for a good book. Recommended titles can be displayed to you upon your visit to Prestwood Petzone by any of our staff members. Please contact us if you would like further information regarding any of the books or products that we stock. You can contact us by phone, e-mail or letter. You can find all of our contact details by clicking Contact Us.

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