Things You Need to Know About having a Dog

Walk Your Dog

Going for walks is a great bonding opportunity for you and your furkid. Apart from bringing your dog outside to ease itself, it also allows the both of you to get some exercise together. Ensuring your dog gets adequate levels of exercise helps prevent problems such as destructive behaviour, and keeps your dog calm, relaxed and a joy to have around the home. Also remember to leash your dog, especially in public places.

Clean Up After Your Dog

Unfortunately, our dogs can’t pick up after themselves (don’t we all wish they could?). Picking up after your dog can prevent the transmission of diseases to other dogs, as well as ensure a clean and pleasant environment for everyone. There are many safe and eco-conscious ways to clean up after your dog, with a variety of biodegradable poo bags available on the market.

Train Your Dog

We recommend engaging a qualified dog trainer to help create meaningful avenues of communication with your dog. Getting a trainer eases the burden of trying to figure out how to train your dog, and reduces the amount of trial, error and even confusion on your part as well as that of your dog.

Groom Your Dog

Fido loves looking good too! Cleanliness, health and beauty often go hand in hand, and grooming can ensure your dog is maintained in tip-top condition. Through grooming, you can actually assess their physical health by searching their skin for ticks or unusual lumps. Other areas of physical health such as the state of their teeth, nails and ears can be maintained through grooming. Even the most basic grooming activity, brushing, can also continue to make them feel good because matted fur is very uncomfortable for animals.

Vaccinate Your Dog

There are many diseases that can plague our canine friends; hence, vaccinating them will give them a good shot at a long and healthy life. Thankfully, once a dog has received its first three shots, it only requires a booster once a year in order to maintain its immunity for the major canine diseases:

• Canine Parvovirus
• Canine Distemper
• Canine Hepatitis
• Kennel Cough (Parainfluenza, Bordetella)

You should also keep its heartworm and tick treatments up to date, and give it a de-worming tablet once every six months. Check with your vet before dispensing any medication.

Finally, Be Responsible..

We hope you find this list helpful towards understanding your role as a newly minted pawrent. Take care of your dog in the right way, and not only will your dog provide you with a lifetime of love, you will also guarantee that your dog becomes a good citizen of the world and will ultimately love its life!