TIP! Choose the correct flea medicine for your dog. A lot of the ones on the market have ingredients that are 1000 times more potent than what is considered safe by the EPA and it may be a cancer risk for children.

There’s more to dog care than providing your pet with food and simple affection. Your dog needs love and care all day. How can you learn what it is that your dog really needs? The following article is filled with helpful tips you can use to care for your dog and train it properly.

TIP! In addition to verbal commands, employ a variety of hand signals when training your dog. Hand signals can really help your dog.

Keep your medications out of paw’s reach. Your dog could have a heart attack or a seizure if it swallows some pills. If your pet does manage to ingest some medicine, contact the vet right away.

TIP! When choosing a dog, make sure you consider your lifestyle. For example, someone that stays inside a lot would want a calm lap dog and not a hyper breed.

When the dog does something right, be sure to lavish praise on him or her. This communicates to your dog that he is doing just exactly what you want. In this way, your dog will learn that desired behavior brings praise.

TIP! If the dog is doing something right, like sitting before he is leashed, lavish him with praise and affection. You need the dog to realize that he or she has done something you like.

If you are not sure of how much to feed your dog each day, talk to your vet about it. The amounts on the label might not apply in your dog’s situation. Check with you vet to find out about the feeding guidelines for your particular dog.

Dog Foods

TIP! A foster home is something you can provide for a dog that needs it. Shelters are full of animals who need a loving home, and there’s not room to hold all of them.

Don’t get your dog food based on how cheap it is. The cheaper dog foods have tons of additives and preservatives which aren’t the best for your dog. You should contact an animal advocacy group or a consumer awareness program to get some recommendations for quality dog foods. Your dog will be much better off.

TIP! If you have one dog that seems lonely or is by himself often, consider another dog. Dogs naturally travel in packs and like to have fellow canines around.

Rawhide treats are better for your dog than real meat bones. Real bones can break into pieces that can then become dangerous due to how sharp and small they can be. It has been shown that rawhide bones are safe and great for their teeth, so be sure to not give your dog that ham bone next time.

TIP! Your dog needs to have mental stimulation as well as ways to become physically active too. Teach your dog to retrieve the newspaper or perform chores in your home.

When you get a new dog, schedule a visit with a vet. Make the appointment when you buy your dog. This allows the vet to look him over and schedule the necessary vaccines. Talk with a vet about your dog being spayed or neutered. There are lots of homeless dogs and you don’t want to make the problem worse.

TIP! If your dog is in heat, be careful if you want her to not end up pregnant. Male dogs can smell her scent from up to five miles.

By taking time to educate yourself on dog behavior, you are more likely to succeed in raising an excellent pet. This will let you keep your dog happy and healthy for years to come. If you were in his position, wouldn’t you like your owner to invest time into learning about you?