Dog Care Basics

While dogs give unconditional love, loyalty and friendship to their owners, we are responsible for their proper care, food and water, shelter, safety, regular veterinary care and exercise.

Here are some tips to take good care of your dogs:

• Collar your dog and attach an ID to it with the dog's name, your name, address, and telephone number. These tags are a great help when a dog gets lost to take him safely back to his home.
• Legal requirements for adopting the dog and obtaining tags are quite essential. Get your dogs vaccinated against rabies and other diseases at the correct time.
• A valid-license and a rabies and ID tag does not mean that you can let your dog roam freely anywhere. Once off your property, the dog must always be on leash.
• Proper shelter for a dog may include a fence yard and a doghouse for large and active dogs. However, most dogs crave for companionship and do not like to be alone for long periods of time outside the home. The family should spend some time with him too.
• Regular veterinarian check-ups will keep your dog healthy.
• If you do not want to breed the dog, get it neutered, which is just a routine surgery. It helps your dog to live longer, be healthier and have fewer behavior problems.
• A nutritionally balanced diet with constant access to fresh water is as good for your dog, as it is for you.
• Trained dogs behave better and share greater bonding with their owners. Use positive reinforcement training techniques to train the dog.
• Walk your dog twice a day to exercise your dog and keep him physically fit. However, the level of exercise depends on the breed and age of the dog.
• Be as loyal and faithful to your canine as you expect him to be to you. Any persistent behavior problems should be brought to the notice of your veterinarian.