Dogs have been called "Man’s best friend" for good reason. They love you unconditionally and are always glad to see you. With such devotion, shouldn’t you show the same care for your dog? The best way to do this is by taking good care of your pet. Caring for you dog consists of getting him regular checkups, grooming, feeding, and companionship. To make sure you are giving your friend the best you can give continue reading.

Regular Checkups

Taking your dog to his annual checkup is one of the most important things you can do for your pet. If you have a new puppy, he should have his first set of shots by the time he is eight weeks old with booster shots again at six months. Annual visits to the vet include:

• Screening for heartworms and getting heartworm medication
• Rabies shot
• Distemper shot
• Parvovirus shot for puppies
• Protection against Bordetella or kennel cough if your dog is around other dogs

In between visits, you should take your dog to the vet if your dog shows any of the following signs of illness:

• Excessive whimpering – as if in pain
• Fluctuation in weight
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Seizures
• Drinking excessive amounts of water

If your dog has any of these signs, it could indicate that your dog is sick and you should have him checked out as soon as possible.

Grooming

Keeping your dog clean and well groomed is important for your dog’s health, but is especially important if your dog lives in your home. With grooming, you have two options – you can do the grooming yourself or pay a professional groomer.

Grooming your dog yourself has its obvious benefits of saving you the time of transporting your dog to and from the groomer and of course, saving the cost of paying the groomer. The drawback is that if your dog is difficult to handle or not well trained, grooming could be quite an experience.

If you don’t feel like tackling the grooming yourself, take the time to check out the groomers in your area finding out who gives the best service, treats the dogs well, and does the best job. It takes more time and money using a professional groomer but you have the benefit of having a trained professional doing the grooming for you.

Feeding

If you have a puppy between six to eight weeks old, feed him three to four times a day. Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs so you need to choose a puppy food that provides the appropriate balance of nutrients your puppy needs.

Once your puppy is eight to nine months old, you can limit the feeding to one time per day. Be sure that you don’t over feed your dog. Obesity in dogs causes the same problems as obesity in humans and you are putting your dog at risk for arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. When your dog is one year old, you can switch to adult food but be sure it is a good quality food with plenty of nutrients. Larger breed dogs don’t reach maturity until they are two years old so you need to keep them on puppy food until that time.

Of course, regular checkups, grooming, and proper feeding of your dog are important but don’t forget love and friendship. Above all things this is what your dog wants the most – your time.

Jason Ladock

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