New To The Dog World?

Dogs make the best companions and can bring so much joy to you and your family. If you are looking to adopt a dog, please check out these helpful tips for new dog owners:

• Make Sure Your Dog Gets Enough Exercise: Dogs need exercise to burn calories, stimulate their minds, and stay healthy. Individual exercise needs vary based on breed or breed mix, sex, age and level of health. Exercise also tends to help dogs avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors. Supervised fun and games will satisfy many of your pet’s instinctual urges to dig, herd, chew, retrieve and chase. From the ASPCA.
• Make Sure Your Dog Can Be Found If Lost: Every pet should always wear a collar that sports an identification tag with your name, telephone number and address. It is a fact of life that dogs can sometimes get out of their houses or yards, and may need a little help getting back home. If your dog’s got some sort of identification, it will greatly increase the chances that he will be returned safely to you.
  Source: DogTime
• Regular Vet Visits: Preventive care is important because a vet can help detect and sometimes prevent a disease or life-threatening illness from reaching an advanced stage, saving you and your pet from needless suffering and a larger financial burden.  Take your dog to the vet for a full check-up, vaccines, and a heartworm test every year. At the annual exam, your vet will also take a fecal sample to check for intestinal parasites, and give a deworming medication if necessary. Your vet should also prescribe you a heartworm prevention medication that is generally administered by mouth once a month. Source: FidosFavorites

Check FidosFavorites for the ultimate guide to basic dog care!