General
Dog Care
Before You Bring Your Dog Home
You will need food, water and food bowls, leash, collar, training
crate, brush, comb, canine chew toys, dog house for the outside
and bedding
for the inside.
Feeding
Puppies 8 to 12 weeks old need four meals a day. Puppies three
to six months old need three meals a day. Puppies six months
to one year need two meals a day. When your dog is one year
old, one to two meals a day is usually enough, depending on
the energy level. .
For some dogs (such as larger ones or those prone to bloat),
it’s better to feed two smaller meals. Premium-quality
dry food provides
a well-balanced diet and may be mixed with water, broth or
some
canned food. Your dog may enjoy cottage cheese, cooked egg,
fruits and vegetables, but these additions should not total
more than 10 percent of your dog’s daily food intake.
Puppies should be fed
a high-quality brand-name puppy food
(avoid generic brands) two to four times a day. Please limit
“people food,” however, because it can cause puppies
to suffer vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and teeth problems
and may cause very picky eating habits, as well as obesity.
Have clean, fresh water available at all times (indoors and
out).
Wash food and water dishes frequently.
Housing
You will need to provide your pet with a warm, quiet place
to rest away, when indoors. And If your dog will be spending
a great deal of time outdoors, you will need to provide it
with shade, and plenty of cool water in hot weather and a
warm, dry, covered shelter when it’s cold or in rain.
A dog house, with bedding inside, raised off the floor,
is a necessity; and do wash the dog’s bedding often.
Exercise
Every dog needs daily exercise for mental and physical stimulation.
The proper amount depends on the breed type, age and health
status of your dog. Providing enough exercise will improve
your dog’s health and prevent household destruction and
other behavior problems common in
under-exercised dogs. Keep your dog on a leash when you are
outside, unless in a secured (fenced-in) area.
Spaying
& Neutering
Females should be spayed (ovaries and uterus removed) and
males neutered (testicles removed) by six months of age. Spaying
before
maturity significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer,
a common and frequently fatal disease of older female dogs.
Spaying also eliminates the risk of pyometra (an infected
uterus), a very serious problem in older females that requires
surgery and intensive
medical care. And spaying protects your female pet from having
unwanted litters.
Neutering males prevents testicular and prostate diseases,
some hernias
and certain types of aggression (which differ from protectiveness,
which
this surgery won’t affect).
Vaccinations
Vaccines protect animals and people from specific viral and
bacterial infections. They are not a treatment. If your pet
gets sick because he is
not properly vaccinated, the vaccination should be given after
your companion animal recovers.
Puppies should be vaccinated with a combination vaccine
(called a 5 in 1) at 2, 3 and 4 months of age and then once
annually.
This vaccine protects the puppy from distemper, hepatitis,
leptospirosi.
Grooming
You can help keep your dog clean and reduce shedding by brushing
her frequently. Check for fleas and ticks daily during warm
weather.
Most dogs don’t need to be bathed more than a few times
a year.
Before bathing, comb or cut out all mats from the coat.
Carefully rinse all soap out of the coat, or dirt will stick
to soap residue.
Make sure the collar is not too tight of loose; and must be
adjusted as
the dog grows, and use choke-chain for walking only,
and not to be left on in place of a collar.
Handling
Small dogs, sometimes referred to as “lap dogs”
are the easiest to handle.
The larger breeds, such as German Shepherd dogs, are usually
too large to lift. If you want to carry a puppy or small dog,
place one hand under the dog’s chest, with either your
forearm or other hand supporting the hind
legs and rump. Never attempt to lift or grab your puppy or
small dog by the forelegs, tail or back of the neck.
Licensing and Identification
Follow your community’s licensing regulations. When you
buy your license, be sure to attach it to your dog’s
collar. A dog license, ID tag, implanted microchip or tattoo
can help secure your dog’s return if he becomes lost.
Training
Training a well-behaved companion animal is a joy. But left
untrained,
your dog can cause nothing but trouble.
Teaching your dog the basics—“sit,” “stay,”
“come,” “down,” “heel,” “off”
and “leave it" will improve your relationship with
both your dog and
your neighbors. Start teaching puppies basic sit and stay
commands.
Use little bits of food as a lure and reward.
Puppies can be enrolled in obedience courses when your veterinarian
believes they are adequately vaccinated. Contact your local
humane
society or SPCA for training class recommendations.
Health
See a veterinarian if your dog is sick or injured. Take him
for a full
checkup, shots and a heartworm blood test every year.
Dental Health
Puppies replace their baby teeth with permanent teeth between
four and seven months of age. Clean their teeth with a dog
toothpaste or a baking-soda-and-water paste once or twice
a week.
Use a special doggy toothbrush, or a soft child's toothbrush,
or a gauze pad stretched over your finger.
Some dogs develop periodontal disease, a pocket of infection
between
the tooth and the gum. This painful condition can result in
tooth loss and
is a source of infection for the rest of the body.
Veterinarians can clean the teeth as a regular part of your
dog’s
health program.
Fleas and Ticks
Daily inspections of your dog for fleas and ticks during the
warm seasons are important. Use a flea comb to find and remove
fleas. There are
several new methods of flea and tick control.
Speak to your veterinarian about these and other options.
Heartworm
This parasite lives in the heart and is passed from dog to
dog by mosquitoes. Heartworm infections can be fatal. Your
dog should have a blood test for heartworm every spring, because
it is important to detect infections from the previous year.
A once-a-month pill given during mosquito season (which varies
in
different areas of the country) will protect your dog.
If you travel south with your pet during the winter, your
dog should be
on the preventive medicine during the trip. In some warmer
regions, veterinarians recommend preventive heartworm medication
throughout the year.
Medicines and Poisons
Consult a veterinarian about using any over-the-counter or
prescription medication. Do not give your dog chocolate
or grapes-raisins.
Make sure your dog does not have access to rat poison
or other rodenticides. Call your veterinarian or know the
telephone number of
your local 24 hour pet emergency hospital.
Cleaning Up
Keep your dog on a leash when you are outside, unless in a
secured (fenced-in) area. If your dog defecates on a neighbor’s
lawn,
the sidewalk or any other public place, please clean it up.
****
NOTE: If you have to crate or
chain your dog as a means of
confinement, then dog ownership is not for you. Dogs are pack
animals, and should never be deprived of socialization, be
chained,
or left in crates. Many states have laws prohibiting chaining
animals.
Failure to provide basic care for your pet, as required by
law, can result
in prosecution for animal cruelty and neglect.
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