Monday, September 3, 2007

Feeding And Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Feeding And Keeping Your Dog Healthy

A healthy puppy should be clear-eyed, somewhat roly-poly, loose-skinned, free from any skin trouble, hungry for its meals, and lively. It should not be timid or shy.


If the puppy seems warm or sleepy most of the time, ask one of your parents to take its temperature. A dog’s temperature normally is between 38 and 39 degrees Celsius. If its temperature rises above 39 degrees, call your veterinarian.


When you buy your puppy, ask what shots it has received and when it got them. If it has not received shots to prevent distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, and rabies. take it immediately to a veterinarian to have them. Then get yearly boosters.You should also find out whether your puppy has been wormed. Most puppies have worms at some time.


For the first few days, you should feed your puppy the same diet as the owners did. If you wish to change the diet, do so gradually. Each day, feed a little of the new food mixed with the old.


Puppies 6 to 10 weeks old maybe fed 4 times a day. From 10 weeks to 6 months, 3 times a day should be enough. After 6 months, twice daily will serve. And after 1 year, once a day—plus a biscuit for breakfast—is ample.


Meat should be the main part of your dog’s diet. Fresh, canned, or frozen beef or horsemeat are good choices. It is not necessary to cook the meat, but it should be served at room temperature. With the meat, mix a dog meal or kibbled biscuit soaked in hot water, soup, or milk. You can get the meal or biscuit in the supermarket, feed store, or pet shop. Puppies need vitamins and minerals, and your veterinarian can give you vitamin tablets that your dog will enjoy chewing.


Other foods you may safely give your dog are well-cooked chicken, lamb, beef hearts, liver, and leafy vegetables. Hard biscuits of the right size for the dog’s mouth and dog candy will be appreciated too. A little cooked rice or dry toast may help the dog in illness or when it is recovering.


A puppy loses its baby teeth when it is between 4 and 5 months. It will be grateful for beef hide or rawhide strips to chew. You can buy them at supermarkets and pet shops. These strips are also very helpful in keeping the puppy from chewing your shoes and the furniture. Pet shops and markets also carry special hard marrow bones that help in teething and in keeping the new teeth clean and healthy.


Leave a bowl of water so that your dog can have a drink at any time—but remove the supply of water at 5 or 6 PM when you're housebreaking a puppy. This will help the puppy go through the night without mistake.

Caring For Your Dog

Caring For Your Dog

Dogs are social animals that have worked with humans for thousands of years. They have played an important role in various different cultures. Dogs are highly valued for their intelligence and loyalty, and it is important to train and care for them properly.


Despite the importance of dogs, owners may find that there are many challenges in training and caring for them. While many people want to own a dog, few know how to train them properly. A dog which is not disciplined will not bring happiness to its owners. Too many people allow their dogs to develop bad habits


You want to make sure you purchase quality food for your dog, even if its a bit expensive. Cheap dog food won't give your dog the healthy look it should have. You want your dog to have a shiny coat and bright eyes. Dogs are much like their owners, and will behave in many of the same ways.


Dogs are like small children, and should be treated as such. Dogs should not be left alone for long periods of time, as they are prone to getting into trouble. When dogs are left alone at home, they need to have a designated area with boundaries. Leave chew toys and other things that will keep them occupied.


When your dog behaves properly, you should always praise and reward him. This teaches him that good behavior leads to rewards, while bad behavior does not. When you do this, you will find that your dog behaves properly on a regular basis. When your dog doesn't behave properly, you should also discipline him, so that he understands the difference between right and wrong behavior.


There is a difference between discipline and abuse. There are some dog owners that don't understand this, and hit or kick their dogs in order to train them. This is abuse, and is not an effective way to train your dog, and may even cause your dog to attack you. You want your dog to respect you, not fear you.


A good way to discipline your dog without hitting him is to spray water on him and give him a verbal warning. This will get the message across in a non-abusive way. How you train your dog is very important. You want a dog which you can take out for a walk without worrying about him bothering others. You want a dog that will listen to your commands.