FAQ - Dog Care
Different dogs need different toys. What is important is that your dog has toys and that you play with your dog and his toys. Many dogs, especially younger dogs, need durable toys such as those made from hard rubber. Latex toys are the next most durable, followed by vinyl, and finally fabric. It’s best to supervise your dogs when they are with their toys until you are confident that they will not destroy and ingest them. This could cause a serious, expensive and potentially life-threatening problem. Never use “non-toys” as a toy. These “non-toys” are your hands, old shoes, old gloves, etc. This will only confuse your dog. Some of the best toys are the ones that make your dog think. Buster Cubes, food-stuffed Kongs, and Tricky Treat Balls, Stuff-a-Balls, and other toys that can be stuffed with food will give your dog hours of enjoyment.
The dog is of a species that instinctively keeps his or her sleeping and resting areas clean. An enclosed, safe, comfortable crate that your dog can nap in and escape to when he or she is scared or doesn’t want to interact with people any more is a safe haven for dogs. It is also a necessity for puppies who are not completely potty trained or when they can’t be supervised. Don’t make the crate a prison or a punishment area and your dog should willingly go into the crate at night and even throughout the day.
The answer to this question depends on what type of dog you have. Some dogs such as Huskies or Malamutes are seasonal shedders, although there is some continual shedding throughout the seasons. These coats are the most difficult to keep up with and twice a year the fur will come out in huge clumps. During that shedding period you must comb with a heavy-duty shedding comb daily. Dogs with short coats such as dachshunds or greyhounds do shed, but it is not so bothersome, as it is very short fur. However, these dogs do need to wear coats in colder weather, as they have not been bred to tolerate our cold winters. Medium-haired dogs such as the lab or the Golden Retriever, which has additional feathering around the legs, tail and face, would do well to be brushed every few days.
Many dogs, such as Cocker Spaniels and Schnauzers, need professional grooming. If they are groomed and cut short on a regular basis, the shedding and tangling can be minimized. Many groomers will even use a powerful air tool to get the undercoat thinned in some dogs such as Shepherds.
Remember, even dogs that do not shed, such as Poodles or Bichons, still need to be groomed. Brushing a dog distributes the oil throughout the dog’s coat, leaving it shiny and healthy-looking. Along with brushing and bathing your dog, frequent vacuuming, using lint brushes, and placing dog throw rugs where they are needed become part of the normal routine of most dog-owning households.
With any luck, an annual checkup, which may include vaccinations, heartworm testing and medication, will be all you need. Of course, many dogs have chronic ear or skin conditions, some have allergies, and there are also some emergency trips you may have to make if your dog gets injured or sick. Flea and tick medication may need to be applied and some dogs need to go to their veterinarian just to get their nails trimmed. Rabies vaccinations are required at least every other year and sometimes every year, depending on state law. This tag and certificate must be obtained through your veterinarian as well. You may want to consider pet insurance as a good investment.
If you are not sure how your dog will react when you leave, you should put your dog in his or her crate. If your dog is not house destructive in the room where he normally sleeps, such as the one where his dog bed is, you can keep him contained there while you are gone. Never leave your dog outside while you are away. Never tether him and leave - dogs have died getting caught in their own tether and have strangled themselves.
