7 Ways to Properly Look After Your Dog

Whether you’ve had one before or are getting one for the first time, you’ll need to know exactly how to look after your dog. As obvious as that is, it’s often something that quite a few people overlook. At least, that’s when it comes to doing it properly.

You’ll already know you’ll have to groom and exercise them regularly, but you could overlook more than a few things. If you want to be a responsible pet owner, you’ll need to make sure everything’s taken care of. That means putting the effort into looking after your dog properly.

Thankfully, this is far from complicated. By focusing on seven particular areas, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. If you want to look after your pet the right way, it’s worth diving into them.

Look After Your Dog: 7 Ways To Do It Properly

1. Have An Emergency Plan

As unfortunate as it is, emergencies can often come up. These can happen either to you or your dog, as well as anyone else in the family. Make sure there’s a plan in place for when this happens. If it happens to your dog, then getting them medical treatment is vital.

You’ll even need a plan in place for your dog if an emergency situation comes up for you and you’re not able to care for them for a while. By putting this together, you should be prepared for any eventuality, no matter how unlikely it might be.

2. Have A First Aid Kit

Speaking of emergencies, a first aid kit should be an important part of this. You could already have one of these for you and your family, so it’s worth making sure your dog is included in this. You can even DIY one of these yourself with the right supplies.

Think of anything that could happen to your dog, and have the essentials needed to look after them if they could get hurt. It’ll be especially helpful if you take them camping or hiking at any point, as help could be a while away.

3. Feed Them Properly

You’ll already know you’ll have to feed your dog, but you’ll have to make sure you’re doing it properly. Don’t just feed them enough every day, but make sure they’re getting the proper foods. It could be worth doing a bit of research into this before you get a dog.

This ultimate guide to cold pressed dog food is a great place to start with this. With a little bit of time and effort, you’ll have a healthy and balanced diet for your dog. Make sure you’re not over- or under-feeding them when you’re doing this.

4. Touch Their Nose

When you’re trying to look after your dog properly, a few specific things could come to mind. Some could be relatively easily overlooked, however. One of the more notable of these is touching your dog’s nose regularly. There’s a specific reason for this.

Your dog’s nose should be wet to the touch. While this depends on the time of the year, there should always be some level of moisture with their nose. Since dogs sweat through their nose, it’ll be wetter during the summer months.

By touching their nose, you can make sure they’re not overheating. You can then take appropriate action if they are.

5. Brush Their Teeth

One of the more overlooked parts of looking after a dog is brushing their teeth. Their oral health matters just as much as yours does, so it’s worth looking after it. Make sure you brush their teeth at least a few times a day. It’ll keep their mouth as healthy as possible.

You’ll need a toothpaste made specifically for dogs to do this, as well as a proper dog toothbrush. It’s worth getting them used to this from as young an age as possible. Doing this makes sure you shouldn’t have a problem getting them used to having their teeth brushed, avoiding any issues when they’re older.

6. Have Regular Vet Visits

It’s common practice for people to get medical checkups at least once or twice a year. While these often seem like a chore, they make sure you’re as healthy as possible. You’ll need to do the same thing for your dog and take them to the vet at least once a year.

Even if they’re healthy, you should still get them checked out. It’ll make sure there aren’t any issues you’re not aware of. It can diagnose these problems early and make sure they don’t become anything serious. Naturally, it’s also worth taking them to the vet as soon as they show signs of any illnesses.

7. Play With Purpose

You’ll already know you should play with your dog, and it’s something you’ll want to do. That doesn’t mean you should do it in the first way that comes to mind. You should have a purpose for it, especially with young puppies. You’ll need to do specific things when you’re doing this.

That goes far beyond just touching their nose. You should also play with their feet, nails, and toes. While this might be surprising, it helps desensitize them from being touched in that way. It’s not something they’ll be used to, but you’ll need to do it to cut their nails regularly as they get older.

By having a specific purpose behind play time, you shouldn’t have a problem training them long-term.

Look After Your Dog: Wrapping Up

If you want to look after your dog, you’ll need to make sure you’ve everything taken care of. That doesn’t mean it’ll have to be a complicated process. Instead, it’s much simpler than you might’ve expected. All it takes is focusing on the right areas, and it’ll be quite easy.

Feeding them properly, having an emergency plan for when they need it, playing with purpose, and similar strategies and tips can all be recommended. With a little time and effort, you’ll have no problem making sure your dog is as happy and healthy as possible.