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How do I care for a dog?
By Peter Simmons of Password Publishing
Puppies are adorable to most people. The problem is that many people may think they'd love to have a puppy, whether for themselves or 'for the kids', but many are inexperienced and may not know anything about caring for a canine, or even how to look after a puppy. Basic needs
A puppy [and a grown dog] needs a few basics to be happy and healthy, and these are generally required by law in the UK; you are required to provide a warm place to sleep, adequate nutritious food, fresh water, and exercise, failure to provide any of these basic requirements can lead to you being prosecuted. The result can be a fine and/or banning from keeping a dog for however long the court decides. What type of dog?
Before actually getting a puppy, or grown dog, you must first decide what type of dog will suit you best. There are many breeds around, and they are quite different in many rspects; they can vary in how much exercise they need, the amount and type of food they need, and in such things as coat shedding, or moulting. Some dogs, despite having thick coats, don't shed hairs, but instead become increasingly matted and dirty without daily grooming. German Shepherds and other shepherds such as Belgian are like this, with a double coat, thick wooly inner and longer, finer outer. Others, such as the poodle, don't shed or moult at all, but their hair keeps growing and therefore has to be clipped regularly; without it they would become like walking hedgerows, and eventually be unable to walk. They have to be clipped before the hair becomes too long, or the clippers can't get through it. Bear this in mind as it can cost money unless you do it yourself. Otherdogs shed small hairs constantly, and you must be aware of this as you will need to regularly vacuum them up. Exercise
Some breeds of dog need a lot of exercise, others very little, so if you are a fit, active person who goes for long walks, you will naturally want a dog who benefits from this and positively loves long walks. If you have health issues, or are just not very active, you won't want a dog who needs to walk [and run] five miles a day. Greyhounds, despite the assumption of many people that they are racing dogs and therefore need lots of exercie, need very little. Their running is in short bursts, and they have no stamina for marathons, so a quiet, sedate walk is usually sufficient, with an occasional burst of astonishingly graceful full-on flight! As greyhounds are mostly bred for racing, they are past their prime at three years old and many are just killed as a result of being surplus to the requirements of the racing fraternity, and of no further use to their owner. They are strangled, shot or beaten to death. To avoid this happening, there are many greyhound rescue organisations, and, although not pups, they make an excellent pet as they are calm and quiet, never bark, and sleep a lot. They like to have their own sofa to lie on. Greyhound rescues will advise on the dog you like; whether they are used to children, whether they tolerate cats [if you or your neighbours have cats, be warned, a small furry animals is close enough to what they have been trained to chase and kill to pose a possible danger]. Rescued dogs
Dogs of all breeds can and do end up in rescue centres for a variety of reasons: death of the owner; owners lost interest once the puppy stage was over; lost or abandoned. As good as the people are who run the rescue centres, they are still only temporarily caring for the dogs, and will be the first to admit that it's not ideal. They are desperate for their dogs to find a loving home, so do please consider this as a first choice, especially if you aren't so keen on a puppy who may chew things up and mess in the house until trained. As well as all the dog rescue centres which have all kinds of dogs, there are rescue centres for pedigree breeds, often run or assisted by breeders of that breed. So you can get a breed of your choice still, and the donation you make to the centre will be less than you'd pay for a pedigree puppy. Diet
Dogs are omnivores rather than full on carnivores like felines, so need a mixed diet including plenty of meat plus vegetables and fruit. My dogs love the stalks of cabbage and other green veg especially and think of them as a treat. They also love grapes, apples and oranges, although some may like one fruit and not another; dogs are all individuals. Be sure to give them as wide a diet as possible, trusting them to know what's good for them. They also need bones, which can be got from a buthers at no cost, match the size of bone to the size of your dog, a terrier, although they may try, won't be able to cope with the thigh bone of a cow! Whereas an Irish Wolfhound will crunch it up with no trouble. All dogs love pasta, and this can form a basic part of their diet, but be sure to check if they are wheat intolerant first as many dogs are and this will mean you must avoid all wheat products. If your dog is bringing up their food often, or their faeses are runny, this could be the reason. Healthcare and vets
Apart from diet and exercise, you will also need to have your puppy vaccinated. Most breeders have this done before letting a puppy go, and all rescue centres do it before rehoming a dog. But check just in case, and if there's any doubt, have them re-vaccinated just in case. If you have ever seen a dog with parvo virus, you would know why vaccination is so vital, it's a horrible way to die, and they almost certainly will. Distemper is another nasty disease that's best avoided. Once the full course of vaccines is completed, you won't need to repeat some of them again; despite the pressure to vaccinate annually, this is believed by many to be a 'nice little earner' on the part of vets and especially the drug comnpanies which manufacture the vaccines. In fact, constant vaccinating can harm a dog as it is challenging their immune system unnecessarily. We only have one lot of vaccinations as children, so why are dogs any different? If taking your dog abroad, you will need to get a rabies vaccine, but this is the only extra you will need. There is much more information on all aspects of dog ownership on my website www.my-new-dog.co.uk, more than a short article here can give. There are also links to all the breed specific rescue centres, dog welfare charities and much else. What is important is that you think long and carefully before getting a dog, don't rush into it and then regret it later. Too many dogs end up in rescue centres because the humans weren't knowledgeable enough or prepared for the dog they were getting, and once the novelty wore off, they lost interest. The slogan 'a dog is for life, not just for Christmas' is very apt, but apples equally all year round, a dog is for life, unless you are prepared to give them full commitment for however long that is, don't think of getting a dog. They aren't a fashion accessory or statement, they aren't a macho symbol or weapon, they aren't a posing aid for the inadequate. They are people in their own right, with their own needs, desires and personality, they deserve respect and love, and will return it a hundred fold. |
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/web/site/home/home.asp
| http://www.germanshepherdrescue.co.uk/pet-dog-slaughter-RSPCA-style.html
| http://www.kerrygreyhounds.co.uk/
| http://www.trophypetfoods.co.uk/free_samples.asp
| http://www.gbpetsitters.co.uk/
| http://hhttp://www.apdt.co.uk/
| http://www.alllaughingdogs.co.uk/
| http://www.nationalpetregister.org/dir/dog-clubs-organisations.htm
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Great intel loaded with sound advise. Most people don't stop to realize that their children will be laying their pets to rest. 17 is old age for a lot of pets.
Love them for the great companion that they are.
Frederick
I thought I knew all there is to know about dogs, but the info about different types of hair, plus the gem about greyhounds - wow! Amazing intel.
Great information here. I have some neighbors who get a new puppy nearly every year for the last 5 or 6 years. Within a year it's gone. They aren't fostering them, they just can't seem to commit to anything. I think they need to consider things more carefully!
We all need to learn Dog First Aid. First aid for dogs, just like first aid for humans, is an effective combination of knowledge, supplies and skills, put into action for the benefit of your four-legged friend. http://www.dog-first-aid-101.com/
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