IndexFeeding a DogCaring for a Dog's HealthGrooming a DogExercising, Socializing, and Playing with Your DogTreating Your Dog with Respect and LoveWorks CitedFeeding a DogFeed your dog with high-quality dog ​​food. Read the label of a potential food. The first two ingredients should be some type of meat, not a meat byproduct or grain. This will help you know that the food is full of good proteins, not just fillers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Ask your vet for food recommendations. Your vet may be able to direct you towards a suitable food for your puppy and may also give you advice on how much to feed him. 2 Feed your dog on a regular schedule. It is recommended to feed your dog twice a day. Find out the correct amount you should give your dog each day, which is usually found on the dog food package, and divide that amount in half. Feed your dog the first half in the morning and the second half in the evening. A stable eating routine can also help you with house training. Dogs usually need to go to the bathroom 20-30 minutes after eating.3 Avoid giving your dog excessive amounts of treats or people food. This can lead to weight gain or health problems for your pet. Stick to the rule of only giving your dog treats when you are training him. Remember, this can be difficult to follow, especially if your puppy looks at you with puppy eyes. However, hold your ground! Don't feed your dog food that's bad for you. There are many foods that are not only harmful to your dog but can be dangerous to his health. Don't give your dog chocolate, avocado, bread dough, raisins, grapes, onions or xylitol, which is a non-caloric sweetener. Give your dog water. Food isn't the only thing your dog needs to survive. Water is equally, if not more, important. Give your dog free access to water at all times. This doesn't mean you have to give him access to water when that's not feasible, such as when you're in the car, but if it's possible you should provide him with a bowl of clean drinking water. Caring for a Dog's Health Make sure you have a good and trustworthy veterinarian. A good way to choose a veterinarian is to see if he answers your questions in a timely and knowledgeable manner and to see how he interacts with your pet. You will need to take your dog in for regular checkups, so if your vet is too busy you may want to look for a new one. Feel free to change vets even after taking your dog to one. Remember, you should also know about an emergency vet that is open 24 hours a day and on weekends. Get your dog vaccinated. Your vet will advise you which diseases are common in the area and therefore which diseases you need to vaccinate against. Typically, vaccinations are updated with regular booster shots, which can be annual or triennial, depending on the disease. Most US states require you to vaccinate your dog against rabies. While this is not a legal requirement, it is a good idea to protect your pet (and you) from this deadly disease. Consider equipping your dog with an identification chip. This is a small microchip that is injected under the skin above the shoulder blades. Each chip has a unique number recorded in a database with your contact details. In the event that the pet is lost or stolen, the chip is a means of associating you with the dog and proving ownership. Use preventative treatments regularlyagainst parasites. It is important to treat regularly with basic deworming against roundworms. The exact frequency depends on your pet's lifestyle. An indoor dog is at less risk of contracting worms than a hunting dog and this will influence your vet's advice on how often to deworm. A low-risk dog may only need roundworm treatment two or three times a year, while a high-risk dog may need monthly treatments. Also consider other risks such as heartworm. Also use preventative flea treatments, and if you live in a tick-affected area, use a product that also kills ticks. 5 Consider detoxifying your dog. This reduces the risk of some health disorders, such as breast cancer (if castration is performed before the second season) and pyometra (pus in the uterus) in females, and aggression and prostate disease in males. It's also the responsible thing to do, as it reduces the problem of accidental breeding and overpopulation of pets. Keep in mind that desexed dogs are actually at increased risk for certain health problems. For example, your desexed dog may be at greater risk for certain types of cancer and thyroid problems, as well as heart problems. Consider this carefully. 6 Get pet health insurance. If you have trouble affording the cost of veterinary care, get a pet insurance policy. In exchange for a monthly premium, if the pet is sick or injured, the insurance company will cover most costs up to a certain limit. The exact nature of the policies and the amount they cover varies widely. Do your homework. Decide how much you can afford each month's premium and investigate several companies to see what level of coverage they will provide. Grooming a Dog Brush your dog. The frequency of brushing varies greatly, depending on the type of dog you have and how much it sheds. Brushing your dog regularly will help reduce shedding and give you a chance to assess the state of your dog's body. Your goal is to keep the coat in good condition and knot-free. For this you may need a comb and brush combination, to avoid knots and untangles. If your dog sheds a lot, pet stores and Walmart sell shed control shampoos. Bathe shedding dogs once a week until the shedding subsides. Keep your dog's coat clean. Dirty fur can lead to secondary skin infections, so be prepared to wash your dog with a mild shampoo if he is very dirty. Most dogs don't need bathing more than once a month or so, but this varies widely depending on breed and activities. Keep in mind that your dog's fur may grow and will need to be trimmed by a groomer. If the hair grows too long it can irritate the dog between the fingers or prevent him from seeing properly. Additionally, your dog is likely to brush debris, such as sticks and grass, into his fur, causing him discomfort. 3 Keep your dog's nails trimmed. It may be difficult to trim your dog's nails, but it is important to keep their paws healthy. Go slow and steady, making sure to keep the cuts away from the quick, inside part of the nail that is still alive. Trimming the quick part could make your dog very, very resistant to nail clipping in the future. Train your dog to associate nail clipping with good things. Give your pup a treat after the cut or take him along on a trip to the park. Whatever you do, make sure you stay positive while cutting, no matter how difficult it is to cutyour puppy's nails. Exercising, socializing and playing with your dog Provide your dog with plenty of exercise. Provide the right amount of exercise for the type of dog you have. A small dog might do better playing fetch or ball to tire him out, while a Labrador needs to go on nice long walks, for at least 30 – 45 minutes twice a day to burn off his energy. You may have a dog that actually requires a lot of exercise and never gets tired, for example terriers are often able to run all day without getting tired. Getting plenty of exercise helps burn off excess energy which, if left untreated, could cause behavioral problems, such as excessive chewing, digging or barking. Be sure to walk your dog. Your dog should go on at least two short walks or one BIG walk per day. The length of these walks varies depending on the type of dog you have. No one wants their dog to run away. If you have a yard and allow your dog to be outside alone, make sure you have a fence in your yard so he can't escape. Make sure it is high enough that your dog cannot jump over the fence.2Stimulate your dog's mind with reward-based training. Just like people, dogs can get bored. To lead a happy life, dogs need mental stimulation. This stimulation can come in the form of obedience training. It is important to teach your dog to sit, stay and come when called. Most dogs enjoy the individual attention of a training session, and these sessions help the dog bond with you. If you use reward-based training, where only correct behavior is rewarded and no punishment is used, the training experience will be a very happy and positive one for your puppy. Train for about 10 to 20 minutes twice a day, depending on your dog's ability to concentrate. Always try to end each session on a positive note. Give your dog a reward every time he obeys your command. You can use small treats (remembering not to overfeed your dog) or you can simply shower him with love when he does something correctly. The choice of reward depends on what motivates your specific dog. Socialize your dog. Dogs must be well socialized to become well-adjusted adults. Starting at a few weeks of age, introduce your puppy to as many different people, sights, sounds and smells as possible. What he encounters up to 18 weeks of age (when the socialization window closes) he will consider largely normal and will not be afraid in the future. If you got the dog as an adult, still introduce him to different experiences. Be careful not to overwhelm the dog or scare him if he is not comfortable. This requires patient treatment whereby you introduce the dog to the frightening object, but at a sufficient distance so as not to alarm him. Reward calm behavior and, over time, bring the object closer, rewarding him as you go, so that he begins to build a positive association with the object.4 Allow the dog to play and display behaviors that are normal for the breed. For example, scent hounds, such as Bassets and Bloodhounds, love to follow scent. Be sure to give your dog time to smell his environment. You might even want to turn it into a game where you leave a scent trail and he follows it. Treat your dog with respect and love Register your dog and place tags on his collar. This will help ensure that your dog gets home if he gets lost or becomes separated from you. Different states have different laws regarding dog ownership. Your local animal shelter or vet is a good place to ask for one.