Have you always dreamed of having an amazing dog? However, sometimes this is not the result. No matter which dog you end up with, you now have to learn how to care for your pup.

Be wary when it comes to flea treatments. A lot of these medications have ingredients that can be harmful to children and can cause cancer. Talk to your vet to learn about flea treatments that are safer and more family friendly, and always keep flea medication out of reach of children.

TIP! Make your home safe for your dog. Before you bring a new dog home, make sure the whole area is safe.

Avoid letting your dog walk without a leash outside of your property, regardless of how well he behaves. A wild animal may get his attention and cause him to run off, or he may have a bad situation with others and their dogs. As the owner, you will be held responsible for any damages your dog causes.

Don’t make you dog eat something they don’t want to eat. For instance, don’t force it to eat a treat that it appears to hate. Learn about your dog’s various likes and dislikes when you first bring it home.

Find out what is going on that is causing your dog to act out. Ignoring it for a while can make it harder to correct later and you don’t know what may happen if you don’t. Not only will it be difficult to curb the bad behavior, he can pose physical harm to you or someone you love.

TIP! If you decide to take your dog with you on a trip, take a photo of him on your phone. This will help in the rare situation that you get separated from your dog.

Keep your dogâ”s nails trimmed. If they get too long and start to curl, the result could be painful injuries to the nail beds and your dog’s paws. It is easy to purchase a pair of clippers and attend to these yourself. If you are worried about doing this, simply take him to a groomer – it doesn’t cost very much to get his nails trimmed.

Speak with a vet as soon as possible if you are adopting a dog. Dogs from pounds are exposed to more illnesses than others. Make sure the new puppy gets their required shots before going home.

Avoid leaving your pup outside all day. Yes, people do this too often, but dogs require interactions with people and other dogs for their well-being. Your dog may be lonely if it is just him. You need to bring your dog inside the house when it is inclement weather outside.

TIP! Try not to buy low quality food for your dog. The cheaper dog foods have tons of additives and preservatives which aren’t the best for your dog.

Even if you seek a pure bred animal, you should not overlook the pound. A lot of dog owners leave their dogs in the city pound when they can’t look after their dog anymore. Call the shelter to find out which dogs they have available. You can save the life of a dog this way.

If your dog seems lonely or seems to have separation anxiety, leave the radio or a CD on when you leave the house. The noise will keep him company and make him feel a little more secure. This is a good way to keep your dog from feeling lonely.

There is a lot of great advice here, so don’t pass it by. Use it every day and your dog will soon be your dream dog. Make that dog a happy one that loves you unconditionally.