Caring For A Dog
Dogs are loyal, great company and great fun - but their food, toys and supplies, and veterinary care can get expensive! It costs at least $700 per year to care for a dog. When you go on a trip, you have to think about who will care for your dog. And as busy as you get, you must spend at least four hours every day taking care of, training, and hanging out with your canine friend.
Please support your local animal shelter and adopt a dog! The dogs and puppies waiting for homes need you! DON'T buy a puppy from a pet store or breeder! People who breed animals are adding to the numbers of animals already out there waiting for homes. When you buy an animal, you say it's OK to think of animals as "merchandise" - but they are really living, breathing creatures who should be treated with respect. Just look at all the dogs and puppies waiting for homes in the Washington, DC area, http://www.washhumane.org, http://www.metropets.org.
Dogs want to be with you every moment of the day. And most dogs like those moments to be filled with games and action! If you like to go for long walks, hike in the woods, play frisbee or ball, and teach tricks, then a dog might be a good companion for you. (If you prefer to play computer games in your spare time, think twice before adopting a dog!) Dogs need at least two hours of active exercise every single day - rain or shine, heat or cold. Puppies need to be constantly supervised while they learn the rules of the house. Puppies will have accidents and chew on your things if left unattended!
Dogs need two meals a day, and puppies need four to six meals a day, depending on their age. Dogs and puppies need 4 to 10 bathroom breaks every day, depending on their age! Puppies need to be taken outside even in the middle of the night. That's a lot of responsibility! Dogs and puppies also need a safe place to stay when no one can watch them. That means a training "crate" or an area of the kitchen with a baby-gate to keep the dog or pup confined.
Dogs need to be taught the rules of the house, and that means training every day. Think about how many things a dog needs to learn - not to jump on people, the kitchen counter, the dinner table - how to use the bathroom outside, to chew on his own toys and nothing else, not to bark at everything that goes by the house, whether or not it's OK to get on the furniture. Plus, a dog should learn how to sit, lie down, and come when asked. All these rules and training need WORK before the dog or puppy will learn them!
If you have a yard, you will need to clean up all the poop at LEAST twice every week. No one likes a yard full of poop, especially your neighbors. Check your dog's collar to be sure it isn't too tight or too loose (you should be able to fit three fingers easily under the collar). Brush your dog's fur to remove the loose stuff, and check for ticks several times a week.
Check your dog's toe-nails to see if they need a trim (your veterinarian can show you how to do this). If your dog is getting dirty, a bath once a month is OK. If you have a poodle, Lhas apso or similar type of dog, whose hair grows all the time, you probably need to visit the groomer every 6-8 weeks. (This can cost around $100 per visit!!) Remember to keep your dog up to date on monthly heartworm medication and flea and tick control - fleas, ticks and heartworms can make your dog very sick, and all three can be prevented with products you can get from a veterinarian.
An annual trip to the veterinarian will make sure your dog is in tip-top shape! The vet will give vaccinations (shots), test your dog for heartworms, and check your dog all over for any problems. In most states you are required by law to keep your dog vaccinated against rabies, so be sure to visit the vet every year
