Whether you’ve just got a new puppy, rescued a dog from a shelter or have taken over the care of a dog from a friend or family member, you want your pet to be happy and healthy. When it comes to caring for your new pet, there are several things that you can do to make sure that their life’s an enjoyable one. While dogs are certainly very different in their personalities and needs, there are a few things that any dog will usually benefit from.
Get to Know Your Dog:
First of all, get to know your new dog well. Spend a lot of time with them and figure out their personal likes and dislikes. Do they enjoy the food that you’re giving them? Are they tired and happy after walks, or should you try and walk for a little bit longer? What games do they get the most excited about? Where do they enjoy sleeping? Have you noticed any problems that they may be having, such as separation anxiety? Do they play with the toys you’ve given them?
Provide Adequate Shelter:
By nature, dogs need somewhere to go and a shelter where they feel safe. Some owners provide this in the form of a crate, which is left open throughout the day for the dog to go in and out of as they please. Although crates might not look very friendly, they can actually be a great way to provide your dog with a cosy den just for them; put a blanket on top of the crate and comfortable beanbag inside and this might be an appealing option with your dog. It’s important to let the dog take her time when crate training and never force her into the crate, especially if she is new to it. Crate training will also make it easier if you ever need to crate the dog in the future for safety reasons, such as when travelling.
Provide a Clean, Dry Bed:
Most dogs love to roll in the mud and get dirty but that doesn’t mean that they enjoy having a stinky, dirty bed! Provide a clean, dry place to rest and sleep for your dog and wash it often. Ideally, you should wash any bed cushion coverings or dog blankets around once a week and get rid of any hairs that could potentially be a breeding ground for fleas. Even if you de-flea your dog on a regular basis, a dirty bed can definitely attract fleas and cause an infestation problem that neither you nor your dog will want.
Make Sure They Have Access to Clean Water:
Regardless of mealtimes, make sure that your dog has access to clean, fresh water all the time. If your dog tends to drink a lot then make sure that you take this into account; your dog might need to have multiple water bowls stationed throughout the house if they are left alone for any amount of time, or invest in an automatic water fountain that will refill your dog’s bowl once it is empty. Dogs especially need to stay hydrated during the summer; you might find it useful to put some ice cubes in your dog’s water bowl or make him a doggy popsicle to make sure that he doesn’t overheat in the warm weather.
Feed the Right Diet:
Get to know your dog so that you can determine the right diet to give him. A raw food diet is becoming increasingly popular with dog lovers since it can have many benefits when compared to kibble and traditional dog food.
What is raw dog food? Raw dog food diets attempt to go back to basics and feed the dog the kind of foods that they would hunt for themselves in the wild; because of this, a raw dog food diet tends to have much higher protein levels and lower levels of carbs and sugar. If you are considering switching your dog over to a raw diet, Bella and Duke have a wide range of resources to get you started, and their pre-prepared raw dog food trays are easy to feed while making sure that your dog has the right amount of each nutrient.
Plenty of Exercises:
Last but not least, make sure that your dog is getting the right amount of exercise for their breed, weight, and temperament. Determine whether or not your dog is getting the right amount of exercise by observing how she acts after a walk. If she’s still running up to you with her ball and wants to play fetch for longer, more walks might be needed to help her burn off all that energy. On the other hand, if she’s falling asleep for hours as soon as you get home, you might have overdone it with the walk.
A healthy dog is a happy dog, so keep these tips in mind to make sure that your new dog is happier than ever with you.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.
