Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Health Tips For Your Furry Friend

By Garrett McMahan


Your dog relies on you for just about everything from proper nutrition to enjoying lots of love. To keep your pet as healthy and happy as possible, consider the following helpful and healthful tips.

While we don't hesitate to take our pets to the vet when they are hurt or ill, it's just as important to schedule that yearly check-up. Your veterinarian will do a thorough exam and run some routine tests to ensure that your dog is in tip-top shape. It's often during these annual visits that the doctor can find problems early on before they are really causing your pet discomfort.

Another important part of dog care is ensuring that all vaccinations are up to date. Usually rabies is required for a dog license, and your dog also needs to have a vaccine to prevent distemper and kennel cough. The latter is technically known as Bordetella and it is a respiratory infection that is similar to whooping cough or Pertussis. There are also extra vaccines that might be helpful, such as a shot to prevent Lyme disease. You also want to think about getting on a schedule with some type of heartworm medication and perhaps flea and tick medicines or treatment.

While we humans typically bathe every day, dogs definitely should not be bathed more than once per week. In fact once or twice each month is probably ok. However, for many breeds, daily brushing is extremely important, so consider making this a part of your evening cuddle time. Grooming, which includes trimming fur or hair as well as cleaning the ears and trimming toenails, also should be scheduled regularly. All of this helps keep the dog's coat and skin as healthy as possible.

One pet care element that often gets pushed by the wayside is dog training. However, this is crucial for several reasons. First of all, if your dog does not obey commands, it can put them in serious danger. They might run out into the street or run toward an aggressive dog or wild animals. In addition, thousands of dogs end up in shelters every year simply because of behavior issues. With proper training, these dogs can be taught how to behave and families can avoid issues such as scratching, barking, running away, jumping and many other irksome behaviors.

Training doesn't have be difficult or expensive, it just requires a little bit of time and patience. Consider opting for a program such as The Dog's Way, which is a dog training DVD program with 12 step-by-step lessons, as well as reminder cards and a training workbook. This dog training aid addresses dozens of common behavior issues and after a few weeks, your dog will be able to walk loosely on a leash, sit and stay when you command, understand boundaries and much more. With The Dog's Way, you can address behavior such as unwanted barking, over exuberance and jumping when guests arrive and having your pet come whenever he or she is called.




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