A Dog is a wonderful pet to own. It will bring your family closer together. It will get you out of the house for some needed exercise and fresh air. You will love coming home to that happy, wagging, tail. But if you are thinking about buying a dog for your family, there are some things you need to know. Even if you already have a dog, you may not have picked up on these common problems. Here are four things to watch out for when owning a dog.
Socialising
It has been said that cats are autistic, and dogs have ADHD. What this means is cats are unsociable, and dogs have short attention spans. But, dogs are like people. They have different personalities. Different likes and dislikes. You may find your dog is as unsociable as a cat. He will bark and chase after strangers or other dogs. The key to stopping this is good training at an early age. You have to make sure that your dog is happy around others of his kind. Also, do try and get him to interact with lots of different types of people when he is a puppy. Get rid of those barking bad habits at the start.
Swimmer’s Tail
Dogs are peculiar creatures. They do not always understand when they are tired. Instead, they wait for another to tell them it is time to stop playing. If your dog likes swimming you will find he will happily dive in and out of the water as often as you throw the ball. They will never grow tired of this game. When you get home, you may notice your dog can no longer wag its tail in joy. This is due to the fact it has been using it as a rudder in the water. It is completely temporary, and your dog will soon be back to normal. But it points to a serious problem. Many vets worry about owners not exercising their pets enough. But with dogs, it is easy to over exercise them. Particularly, if they always seem raring to go.
Fleas and Worm
Many owners often see fleas and worms as something all dogs will eventually get. They do not realise that these problems are easily avoidable. If you use a preemptive medicine like Drontal Plus, your dog will never get little beasties. It is possible to have a dog that is free from fleas and worms for its entire life. Here is an extra tip. After a walk, check your dog for any black dots on its skin. This could be a tick. They are easy to get rid of as long as you know they are there.
Hot And Cold Weather
Finally, we always think of dogs as safe from extreme weather. They are animals. They have big furry coats. This should keep them safe from the cold. But if your dog is constantly left in the rain it can contract a serious illness. You need to be aware of this.
Again, something your dog may not always realise is how hot it is outside. They will not tell you if the ground is too hot on their paws. You have to check for this yourself. A final thought. If you are moving to a different climate, get advice from your vet before relocating your pet.
