So, you’re planning to get a dog, eh? Congratulations! You’re on your way to having one of the most satisfying, enjoyable moments of your life with your loyal friend and companion. But before you start picking out which cute pooch you’ll be taking home to meet your family, you have to keep in mind a few important things first. Having a dog as a pet involves more than buying a bag of dog food and a brand-new dog house. Acquiring a new canine is nearly as important as adopting a child. Dogs need constant love and attention, especially when they’re young. Buying the proper supplies can be as confusing as deciding what kind of dog to get in the first place. When you first walk into a pet store you will be bombarded by everything from designer clothes to dog food. The salesmen are rarely any help; their goal is to sell you everything you lay your eyes on, whether you need it or not. In reality there are really only a few basic things you need for your new pet. First and foremost, buy a book about your breed. Not all dogs are the same; different breeds have different personalities, quirks, habits, needs, etc. But at the same time, don’t think of the book as the end all and be all of how your dog is supposed to behave. Treat it as more of a guide. What you need next is a good collar, one that you can stick at least two fingers into between your dog’s skin and the collar itself. Also make sure you get a collar that allows plenty of room for growth. Some breeds grow very fast, so you want to make sure that you won’t be replacing the collar every 2nd week or so. Also, get a good training collar, the most popular of which are the choke chain and the German pinch collar. But don’t let the names scare you; these two training collars are the best for teaching your dog to heel and to walk on the end of a leash without jerking your arm out of the socket. The biggest thing to remember with both collars is to never use the collar as your dog’s everyday collar. I know some people who forget to replace the collar after training their dogs and end up having to cut the collar off because the dog grew so big the collar would no longer fit over its head. The other supplies needed are simple. Get a weighted water bowl and a food bowl. Dogs, especially puppies, seem to have a fondness for playing in their dinner as much as eating it. A well made crate or dog house, depending on whether your dog will sleep outside or inside. You will also need three leashes of different lengths, to be used for walking and training the dog. This is another thing you’ll need that dog book for. It will explain to you how to use these different leashes in training. Chew toys, chew toys, and more chew toys. Dogs, especially puppies, need to exercise their gums regularly, so get your new pet a wide selection of chew toys, unless you plan on replacing your furniture and your slippers on a regular basis. And finally, DOG FOOD! Despite what some animal rights groups would have you believe, dogs are carnivores. They eat meat. So check the ingredients first. If corn and other types of vegetables is the first ingredient listed, your dog won’t be eating what he really needs. Look for chicken or beef to be listed as the first ingredient.
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So, you’re planning to get a dog, eh? Congratulations! You’re on your way to having one of the most satisfying, enjoyable moments of your life with your loyal friend and companion. But before you start picking out which cute pooch you’ll be taking home to meet your family, you have to keep in mind a few important things first. Having a dog as a pet involves more than buying a bag of dog food and a brand-new dog house. Acquiring a new canine is nearly as important as adopting a child. Dogs need ...
Chiun Masters is a researcher and writer for http://www.capitaldogsupply.com, where you can get high-quality dog supplies at great prices. Visit us when you need dog supplies.
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