Many new dog owners often have questions regarding the proper care of their new canine friend. Not everyone has a vet on call 24 hours a day so it can sometimes be difficult to find the right answers right when you need them. In this article we’re going to take a look at a few of the frequently asked health questions new dog owners have asked and need to know.
One of the most popular questions asked by dog owners is how often should they take their dog to the vet? Typically a dog should have a yearly check up and an update on all his or her vaccinations. This is different for puppies. Puppies require more vaccinations and booster shots so they should definitely go more than once a year, but as they grow and get older you can reduce it down to one time a year. Dogs age more quickly than humans, so as a dog gets up in age you will probably need to take him to the doctor two or three times a year at that particular point in your dog’s life.
Another frequently asked question deals with the issue of neutering your pup. The simple and short answer to this question is that if you plan on using your dog to breed then you obviously should avoid that procedure. However, if you are not planning to use your dog for breeding purposes it may be a good idea to have him neutered. There are quite a few health benefits involved in having your dog neutered, such as less aggressive behavior. This procedure also greatly reduces your dog’s chance of having testicular cancer.
A lot of new pet owners ask about how to recognize when their dog is getting ill. It really pays off to know your dog well and his personality and behavioral patterns as this will be a main indicator in determining whether or not your pooch is sick. Pay close attention and watch for changes in his behavior, his eating and drinking habits, and his sleep pattern. If your dog seems to be urinating a lot more than usual that is a pretty strong sign something isn’t right. So is vomiting and sudden weight loss. Watch and notice for any limping, or maybe even a vocal indicator such as a whimper.
One question that gets asked a lot is about getting your dog to stop eating the lawn. Many dogs when they are let out to use the bathroom have a bad habit of eating grass. There are many suggested theories as to why this is, but none are conclusive as to why dog’s do this. The only thing that is known for sure is that when a dog munches on some grass he usually throws it back up. One of the best ways to keep your dog from doing this is to get some specially made grass that you place on your dog’s dog food that is supposed to help your dog stop eating the grass outside.
There are many more questions that new dog owners ask that just won’t fit into the body of this article. These are just a few tips and pointers to help you make sure you are taking care of your dog correctly and are helping you to help your new friend adjust to his new home. It can be easy to get overwhelmed at first when learning how to care for a pet, but in due time it will become natural to you, so don’t sweat a thing. Just hang in there and enjoy your dog!
