Your Long Term Dog Care Responsibilities

No matter where you got your pet, you now have a new face in your life. But remember, you have to keep your long term dog care as your first priority. This means that today and every day that you own that animal, you need to provide it with the best care that you possibly could. It is a responsibility that is just as important as taking care of a child. Here are some things that you will need to provide over the dog's lifespan.

Allow your new pet to get acquainted with the family. This means you may have to train him to follow your rules as well as allow him to learn where his place is within your life. He may be a little confused at the beginning, but through some patience from you, he will be just fine. A new, learning period should be expected.

Food is essential for every living creature and dogs are no different. But, just as you would your child, you need to provide a healthy diet to your pet. This means that he should have a well balanced diet full of the vitamins and minerals that he needs. Not only should you monitor what he eats, but you should also monitor the amount. Many animals are obese.

Health care is also a major player in your dog's life. You need to have him vaccinated, per your city or county's laws, as necessary. Beyond this, you will need to provide for him regular visits to the vet, usually yearly. You will need to properly handle illnesses should he contract them, aches and pains and other health related problems as well.

Keep him clean too. Pets need you to help them to groom. While cats will usually handle this on their own, dogs need humans to handle it. You need to regularly bathe your pet, trim his nails and keep his teeth clean. Again, it is just like taking care of a child here. You may want to have a professional handle this job for you.

Keep him safe. There are many things out there that will lure him away from your caring eye. These things are dangerous and can be very detrimental to your pet. You should always insure your pet is safe from running into the street, from bothering the neighbors and from other hazards such as poisons, sharp or dangerous objects and even the kid's toys.

Although you thought it would be easy to care for your pet, and you may have been right, you will need to continuously monitor what he is doing, what he needs and insure he is well taken care of. Many times, this is one of the most rewarding of jobs as your animal is going to be loyal to you for all of its life. No matter what, failing to provide these services to your pet can get you into trouble as well as hurt you when your pet becomes ill or gets hurt. Simply do all you can to provide good, long term dog care to your pet and everyone will be rewarded