Caring for a dog is much more than just feeding it daily. One of the saddest things in the world is a neglected animal – especially a doting dog. Dogs love and need bundles of attention and tender loving care. Their whole day revolves around when they can expect some love and attention from you, their owner. Basically, your dog gives you a lifetime of unconditional love, friendship, and loyalty. In return for all of his/her love and affection he/she counts on you to provide all his/her necessities such as food, water, a safe shelter, exercise, veterinary care and much more.

A good place to start when caring for your appreciative pooch is with identification tags. Outfit your pooch with a collar and ID tag that includes all your vital contact information such as your name, address, and an easily reachable telephone number. No matter how careful of an owner you are, there’s always a chance your lovely companion may become lost at some point. A collar and ID tag will greatly increases the chance that you and your pet will be happily united again.

After you have collared and ID tagged your dog, you should think about vaccination. It’s extremely important to follow local laws for licensing your dog and vaccinating him/her for rabies – not only for your pooch but for your own well being too. A great place to look for information is your local animal shelter or humane society. These agencies can give you information regarding legal requirements, and where to have you passionate pooch vaccinated. Not only does your doggie need vaccinating, it also needs regular check-ups with a veterinarian. A dog is just like you or I, it needs regular check-ups with his/her doctor to ensure the proper health of your pet. If you do not have a veterinarian, ask your local animal shelter or your loving pet-owning friend for a referral and check out the provided information on choosing a veterinarian.

Once you have found a veterinarian both you and your dog love, then it’s important to think about spaying or neutering your dog. This always makes me think of Bob Barker and his passion for spreading the importance of spaying and neutering through word of mouth on the hit game show The Price is Right. Dogs that have this routine and minor surgery tend to live longer, be healthier, and have fewer behavioral problems such as biting, running away, and general aggression. By spaying or neutering your dog, you are also doing your part to reduce the disheartening problem of pet overpopulation.

Now that we have addressed your pets’ medical needs, you should think about proper nutrition. It is vitally important to give your pooch a balanced diet with constant and consistent access to fresh clean water. Your veterinarian can give you information about the proper type of food, and the amount that will keep your companion healthy and happy. He or she can also give you information on how often to feed your dog, because various breeds require different amounts of food.

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