Becoming a pet owner will add a lot of joy and fulfilment to your life, but it may also raise a lot of questions.
We have gathered 5 commonly asked questions by pet owners or people who aspire to own a pet one day.
1. Is a yearly examination really necessary for my fur baby?
Yes, having a yearly check-up for your fur baby is necessary. It will need annual vaccinations, and it will give the veterinarian a chance to check your dog out. If your fur baby is in the beginning stages of any illnesses, it gives your vet a chance to catch it. This will increase the likelihood of a positive outcome and potentially save you a lot of money from having to treat an advanced condition.
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2. What do you do when your pup behaves well or badly?
When you catch your pup doing something you want them to continue doing, giving them lots of praise is key. You could even provide them with a treat to reinforce the behaviour further.
When your pup is behaving badly, you can do a few things to help correct the behaviour.
- Start training. Expecting your pup to know what is acceptable behaviour and what isn’t is unrealistic. Your dog has no idea that they are misbehaving in your eyes. Training them is a great first place to start. You can take them to a training class or even find online how to train a pup.
- Lots of exercises. Tiring out your pup is necessary. Having a lot of pent-up energy from not getting enough exercise is a recipe for bad behaviour.
- Be consistent. If you train your pup, exercise daily, and reward good behaviour consistently, you are sure to see results, but you can’t do those things sporadically and expect your pup to pick them up.
3. Is year-round prevention of heartworm, fleas, and ticks needed?
Yes, keeping your dog safe from heartworms, fleas, and ticks year-round is absolutely necessary. It may seem like it is not that important in the colder months, but it is. You never know what can happen even during cold weather, and you don’t want to put your dog at risk when it can be so easily prevented. Another thing to consider is that the prevention treatments are much cheaper and more convenient than dealing with heartworms, flea infestation, or an illness from a tick.
Keeping your dog protected year-round will save you a lot of money and potential heartbreak if your dog ends up really sick from a tick or heartworm.
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4. When should I groom and bathe my dog?
There is an assortment of factors that will determine how often you need to bathe your dog and perform various grooming needs. Some things to consider are the breed of your dog, their coat type, do they have any skin conditions and the age of your dog.
Something else to consider is if someone in your house has allergies, it might be necessary to groom or bathe your dog more frequently.
Finding a grooming schedule is important to keep your dogs coat, skin, and overall well-being in good shape.
A few grooming tasks to consider are:
- Brushing. How often you brush your dog will be dependent on the breed of dog you have, but generally, a good brush once a week is a solid place to start. You may need to increase brushing to several times a week or even daily.
- Teeth. Once a day doesn’t matter the breed. You can also give your dog dental toys a couple of times a week to help with plaque buildup and bad breath.
- Bathing. Generally, veterinarians recommend bathing your dog every three months, but every dog is different, so the answer to that greatly depends on factors such as coat length, allergies, activity level, and so on. You don’t want to interfere with your dog’s natural oil production, which could lead to a skin condition. Check out Petparents’ “how often should you bathe your dog”.
- Nails. Regular walking will help to keep your pups’ nails filed but giving them a trim every 3 to 8 weeks will help to keep them in good shape.
- The laundry procedure. Pet hair can clump up in the washing machine or drainage system if you don’t take some precautions before washing clothes. Pet hair clumps from your furry friend’s grooming sessions can cause your washing machine or drain system to clog. Your laundry will be protected from clothing damage, dust and droplets will be scrubbed, wrinkles will be reduced, and you will also be able to remove pet hair.
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5. Is there anything they like to play with or toys they like?
Playing and chewing are natural behaviours of pups, and thankfully there are a ton of toys on the market to choose from. You can distract your pet from chewing or biting anything they shouldn’t, and it’s a good way to improve their emotional wellbeing. Playing with your pet can help calm both anxious and sensitive pups down. Finding the right toy for your pet is highly individual. Some dogs like to chew more than others, and some others want to fetch or play tug of war.
Finding your dog’s playing style is a great way to bond and get to know your fur baby. When choosing a toy, be sure to consider the material and the cleaning task caused by it. A few toys you may find your dog likes are:
- Balls and frisbees
- Plush toys
- Ropes for tug of war or chewing
- Squeaky toys
- Treat dispensing toys
- Water toys
- Puzzles
Conclusion
Pet ownership comes with a lot of responsibility. Their needs need to be met on a regular basis, including feeding, cleaning up after them, and loving them. When you learn from the basis, you will realize that having a pet can bring you great joy and can fill your life with love. Hope this article helped you answer some questions and took some of the guesswork out of owning a pet.
