Preparing For Your First Pet Dog
Most people love animals and there is quite simply nothing better than welcoming a pet into a family home. However, a lot of people fail to do a little bit of research about their animal to find out the best way in order to cater to their needs. In this blog post, we will provide plenty of information for new dog owners.
Nutrition and exercise
One of the main areas people fail to acknowledge is the importance of proper nutrition. It is not as simple as going to the supermarket and picking the first bag of dog biscuits in site. Every animal has a different need; they need to be carried for properly, given the right food and the right amount of it, partaking in the correct amount of exercise and benefiting from the correct number of vitamins and nutrients.
What foods are best for a dog to eat? As is the case for most goods; buying the higher priced product does not necessarily ensure a better quality. This is true for dog food as well. The main indicator of a high-quality dog food is the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement, which should be found on the label. This statement represents the fact that the dog food in question provides a balanced and thorough nutrition.
It is also recommendable to try different dog food flavors in order to determine what one is best liked – humans don’t like every single food option available, so what is there to say that dogs do either?
When it comes to a dog’s nutrition, it is as important to be cautious regarding what not to give them as well as what to give them. There are in fact quite a few foods which should never be given to dogs because they are dangerous, these include some of the following; garlic, raisins, avocado, onion and chocolate.
Aside from what food a dog eats. their nutrition also revolves around the amount of exercise they partake in. A lot of people buy a dog with all the good intentions to take it for walks every day, but after a few days or weeks the novelty wears off and the pet barely sees the light of day. Dogs need their owner to participate in an active exercise with them – simply allowing a pet to run around the yard does not count as a form of exercise. Regular exercise contains a whole host of benefits for a dog; it will help to keep their weight maintained, reduce digestive problems and it will help to get rid of any behavioral issues such as barking or chewing.
Preparing yourself and your home
You also need to prepare your home and figure out the rules you are going to put in place. For example, if your dog is not going to be allowed in your bed or on the sofa, this is a rule you need to enforce from the beginning, and you need to stick with it. If you make exceptions, you will only confuse the dog and this leads to poor discipline.
You will also need to ensure your house is pet-proofed and that you have all of the equipment you need to maintain a clean home, which can now be a lot more difficult. You should get a pet hair vacuum, as it’s not always easy to clean with a traditional vacuum. Moreover, keeping your pet clean is key to keeping your home clean!
When to call in help
Everyone experiences some sort of difficulty when they first introduce a new dog to their home, from chewed up sofas to potty accidents. However, if you are noticing that such problems show no signs of going away, you may want to consider the services of a company providing professional dog training.
There are several key signs that now is the time to look for a company that offers dog training services. If you find that the basic things are a hassle with your dog, such as the fact that it ignores basic commands, then you may need a dog trainer to help you get started.
Aside from this, the main reason for investing in a dog trainer is because of behavioral problems, which can occur in many different ways. If you have a dog that is not house trained in the slightest, then you will probably need some assistance. Sometimes urine marking and submissive urination can be a sign of a medical condition, and, if it is, your dog trainer will help you get to the bottom of it.
If your dog is aggressive in any way, you need to find a dog training company. If your dog snaps, growls, barks, or bites and shows this aggression to you, other dogs, children, or any other people, then you need to find a dog trainer as soon as possible.
Finally, another sign that a dog trainer may be beneficial is if your dog is showing symptoms of separation anxiety such as nervous behaviour and whining whenever you send a signal that you are on your way out, i.e. when you pick up your front door keys.
Hopefully, you now feel more prepared for owning your first dog. If you follow the advice that has been presented above, you can be sure your pet has all of the food it needs and that you are prepared in terms of your home and approach to looking after your pet too.
I know one of my grandchildren will be getting a new pet this Christmas, this information will come in handy.
@tisonlyme143
no one could have prepared me for my first dog, wow she was so hard to train but now shes part of the family and I couldnt imagine life without her xx
It’s good to be an informed pet owner. Thanks for posting!