Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

How To Take Care Of A Pet Dog

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In deciding to have dogs, you should be able to absorb the fact that having pets means being more responsible. Caring for one’s self is far more different from care for another. If you got a pet to care for, you would realize that you should double your sense of obligation to make sure that your pet will be healthy and safe. Also, being well informed about all the things that concerns your pet is a must. As with dogs, here are some areas and some information that you should know in order to let your dog grow with a healthy and good development:

Health

Health is one major part of living things’ life that is dealt with utmost importance. And this also applies to dogs. To bring your dog’s life to its full quality and extent, you should concentrate on his health above all. Under the health category, there are subcategories that need focus. Here they are:

Diagnosis of illnesses

Giving your dog a regular checkup will give him early diagnosis of any medical illness he is having. For older dogs, arthritis can be an issue. Popular arthritis med is Etodolac 400 mg. If you see any change in your dog’s behavior, bring him to a vet immediately to know what exactly he is experiencing.

Physical exercise

Dogs need physical exercise to make their bones and joints stronger. This can also stop arthritis and can help the dog enjoy a healthy and energetic physical body for the longest time. This is also something that dogs can consider as play time.

Food

Feed your dog healthy foods. Giving your dog junk foods or neglecting to feed him will result to an unhealthy and weak dog. Ask the vet for the best food that suits your dog particularly. Different dog foods taste differently. So try different ones to know which one your dog likes the most.

Training

For pups, coaching will need to start as early as possible. For older dogs, coaching would be tougher. This is why you will need to train your dog as soon as you get him. The program done by dogs on their first weeks will mold their future. So if you teach him obedience and home training as soon as possible, you would encounter fewer difficulties when it comes to his behavior in the future. Read Secrets to Dog Training review to support you in dog coaching.

Play

Fun time is the best time for your dog to have leisure. Give him toys or stroll him around your local community. You can also play with him to develop his believe in to you. Dogs can be a really tender pet as soon as they trust you. They can be protective and loyal. So give your dog ample time for fun and bonding to show him that you care for him as well.

First Aid

You should really be well informed of the first aid techniques in case of emergency circumstances. You should also secure yourself a first aid kit to be stored at home so you would have the things that you would need to have in occasions of emergencies. First aid kit will need to consist of ointments for injuries and common treatment medicines such as aspirin for dogs, etc.

Caring for dogs is not hard as long as you do it wholeheartedly. Just give your dog enough attention and the rest will just come along.

Help! My Dog’s Claws Are Too Long

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Claws, or nails, are dead, horny structures on the ends of each of a dog’s toes. The special skin that makes them has a very rich blood supply, and the claws of some young dogs up to two years old have been recorded as growing as much as six inches per week. In older dogs, the claws may grow at half that rate.

Claws are very useful parts of a dog’s anatomy. They can help him to hold objects, will provide grip when he is moving and can even be used as weapons. Of the many nail disorders that may affect dogs, overlong claws and broken claws are the most common.

A dog’s claws grow all the time, and under normal circumstances they are constantly worn down through wear and tear. Overlong claws are caused by insufficient wear and tear, and dogs who are inactive because of age, illness or the laziness of their owners are most likely to suffer from them. The outer two claws on each paw and the dew claws are those that are most likely to be affected. Damage to the claws is often the result of digging or scrambling, and is more likely to occur if the claws are overlong.

Overlong claws will affect the way a dog walks, and will make his feet more prone to other injuries such as sprains. If left untreated, the claws may eventually grow around in a circle and bury themselves into the toe pads, causing severe pain.

If you think that your dog’s claws may be too long, ask your vet, a veterinary nurse or a professional dog-groomer to look at the claws for you. If they are too long, he or she will clip them. If your dog’s lifestyle means that this problem may recur, ask for a demonstration of how to clip your dog’s claws properly and safely yourself. Many owners are very reluctant to clip their dogs’ claws from the fear that they may make the claws bleed, or that they may hurt their dogs. However, there is no guarantee that a claw will not bleed even if your vet or a dog groomer clips them, as judging the correct length can be very difficult, especially if the claws are jet-black.

If you do cut a claw and it bleeds, you can stop the bleeding with a styptic pencil. Any pain associated with claw clipping is usually due to the use of blunt or inappropriate clippers, which
squeeze rather than cutting cleanly. Few dogs enjoy having their claws clipped, but those used to having their feet examined regularly as part of routine health-checks will normally tolerate the experience. However, some dogs resent the procedure so much that they have to be sedated.

With a broken claw, if the tip is hanging off but the claw is not bleeding and does not look raw, you may be able to clip it free. The toe may be painful, however, so you should muzzle your dog first and ask someone to restrain him properly for you. If the claw is badly damaged, and particularly if it looks raw or is bleeding, bandage the affected paw. This will stop the claw from moving, and will make your dog more comfortable until you can take him to your vet.

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