It’s been said that dogs are a man’s best friend. There is a great deal of truth in that. If you understand how to properly take care of your pet, you will find that the two of you can have a fantastic relationship. This article has some tips to follow if you want that great relationship.

If you decide to take your dog with you on a trip, take a photo of him on your phone. If he is ever separated from you, it will be easy to show people what he looks like or print out flyers with a recent picture showing that you are looking for him.

TIP! It costs a lot of money to own a dog. You will have to spend between $700 and $1000 a year to cover food and medical expenses.

Always make sure to keep any prescription medications away from your dog. The same holds true for over-the-counter meds. Getting into those pills could seriously impact your dog’s health and even cause death. If your dog does ingest some of your medication, get in touch with your veterinarian immediately.

Try hand signals in conjunction with verbal commands when training your dog. Your dog may have a better time understanding you when you use manual signals. Look at both options and see if one particular way works best.

You need to ask your vet to make sure the food you are feeding them is good. In some cases, your pet may not be able to consume certain food brands without becoming nauseous. Be careful when deciding what to feed your dog.

TIP! Avoid kisses and stick with hugs. While those sloppy kisses may be cute, be aware that your dog’s mouth is apt to be crawling with germs and bacteria.

Instead of feeding your dog meat bones, give him rawhide. Giving them actual bones may cause them to fall apart and become lodged in the digestive tract or oral cavity of your dog. Rawhide is a great treat you can use in lieu of real bones.

If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, he needs a dog house. If your dog happens to get his feet wet for a long period of time in cold temperatures, it can cause health complications. Your dog needs a space that is dry and provides him with adequate shelter.

Keep the nails on your dog trimmed. Your dog will be in pain if the nails begin curling. You can buy clippers in a pet store and do them yourself. If you lack the confidence to do this job on your own, a pet groomer will usually do it at a low cost.

TIP! Just as you need an annual physical exam, dogs do as well. Your dog can’t talk, it might be difficult to find out what is wrong if there is an issue.

Make sure your pet has time each day to stretch his legs and move around. In order to stay fit and sharp-minded, a dog needs to spend plenty of time being physically active and playing constructive games. Your dog will be happy with any kind of activity, even if it’s just going for a walk or throwing them a ball. This doesn’t just entertain and exercise your dog, it helps you form a bond.

If you have a dog that has problems with separation anxiety, or to be nice, you should leave music on when you’re going out of the house. That helps the dog feel like someone is around. It may help them conquer their anxiety while waiting for you to return.

Keep your dog mentally active along with providing him plenty of opportunity to get physical exercise. Teach him to get the newspaper and do other helpful things around the house. Many dogs were originally bred to work, and will get frustrated if you do not give them a job to do.

Female Dog

Watch if your female dog is in heat if you do not want her pregnant. Males can pick up the scent of a female dog in heat, and this can even happen from several miles away. As well as possibly causing a fight amongst male dogs in the area, she might actually get pregnant.

Dogs are great companions. The more you know about them, the more fulfilling your relationship is going to be. Now you know much more about having a happy, healthy dog. You can get that furry best friend that you’ve always wanted.