Providing Your Pup With Absolutely Everything They Need
It’s really not hard to see why dogs are one of the most popular pets around the world. Dogs are faithful companions.
Author:Paolo ReynaReviewer:James PierceMay 27, 202317.1K Shares357.3K Views
It’s really not hard to see why dogs are one of the most popular pets around the world. Dogs are faithful companions. They will show you unconditional love and affection. They look forward to seeing your and spending time with you. They are funny and can provide ongoing entertainment. But it’s important to remember that you’re not the only one who needs to benefit from your relationship with your pooch. They are going to be entirely dependent on you for the entire duration of their life. You’re going to have to provide them with all of the love, care, attention and anything else they need. This can include a lot of acts of service and material investments too. To make sure that your dog enjoys the best quality of life possible, here are some of the things that you need to focus on providing them with!
Insurance
First, let’s focus on one of the most important investments that you need to make for your dog, which is also one of the investments that a lot of people neglect. This is insurance. Sure, it’s not a legal requirement to have insurance for your pet, but you do need to make sure that your pooch is fully covered on the most comprehensive policy that you can get your hands on. Pet insurance allows you to claim back the costs of any care that your dog may need throughout the course of the policy. For larger costs, the insurance company may pay for treatment up front. Hopefully, your dog won’t need any major veterinary care in their lifetime, but it’s much better to be safe than sorry. You’d be surprised how costly surgery, medicine and other treatments can be and nobody can guarantee what treatments your dog may or may not need down the line. Having insurance will mean that you can always afford what your pet needs and it can prevent you from having to make the tough decision of putting your pet to sleep because you’re unable to afford treatment that could save or help them.
Ongoing Veterinary Care
Pets will also need more routine veterinary care. This generally isn’t covered by insurance policies - as it’s part and parcel of the responsibility of having a dog - so you need to make sure you know what your policy covers and what you will need to fork out for yourself. Some examples of routine veterinary care for dogs includes worming, flea treatments and general health checks. When your dog is a puppy, they will need some start vaccinations and they may need boosters over the years. As a young dog, your pet may need spaying or neutering too. It’s generally best to discuss your dog’s needs with your vet, so they can highlight anything that is essential for their wellbeing.
Specific Veterinary Care
Some dogs will need specific care for their health and wellbeing that others don’t. If you are getting a puppy, you never know what health complaints your dog may have as they grow older. If you are adopting a dog, you may be able to find out information on their unique needs from the adoption centre to guide your care of them. Some examples of niche care that a dog may need could be back problems which require back braces for dogsand gentle petting. It could be that your dog has a sensitivity or allergies, so you may need to provide them with specialist dog foods. The list of potential adaptations you may need to make to your dog’s routine and your lifestyle is endless, so make sure that you know your dog’s specific, individual needs. Your vet can often help with this.
Grooming
Next up, grooming. Not all pets require routine grooming. Some dogs naturally shed, malting their fur and growing new fur. These breeds will only need to be washed if they begin to smell or if they get themselves into a mess, such as jumping in muddy puddles or oil. Other breeds, however, will need professional grooming worked into their routine. These tend to be dog breeds that have long or curly hair that doesn’t malt and can begin to matt and lock up easily. Examples include Bichon Frises, Poodles, Labradoodles, Lhasa Apsos and more. Look into grooming requirements before getting any dog, as this can help you to determine whether you can keep up with the cost and time investment involved. Grooming can be a significant monthly expenditure if your dog needs to get every couple of weeks or once a month.
Food
There are countless different types of dog food out there on the market. Of course, you need to shop within your budget, but if you are able to spend a little more, it’s generally best to invest in the more quality dog foods. Some dog foods are unfortunately filled with low quality meat and filler ingredients to bulk up each pouch or tray. Others will be high quality, with meats of a grade that humans could eat, and packed with complementary, healthy ingredients, such as rice, pasta or vegetables. If you’re unsure which food will be best for your dog, consult your vet. You can also do some research on food content and determine which is the best quality for your dog. You should also remember that different dogs have different preferences, so you may need to go through a process of trial and error with different types of food (wet food, kibble or a combination of the two), as well as different flavours (chicken, beef, turkey, etc). You will eventually find one that your dog loves. Remember that different dogs will require different amounts of food too. Generally speaking, the larger or more active the dog, the more they will require to fuel them throughout the day.
Walks
Every dog requires walking, so you need to make sure that this is something that you can accommodate. Look into the requirements of the breed you’re interested in before choosing a dog. Some dogs are fine with a twenty minute stroll around the park. Some will need hours upon hours of exercise each and every day. All too many people make the mistake of choosing a breed of dog they want based on their looks, but you really need to remember that different dogs have been bred for different purposes, so have different traits and characteristics, as well as needs and requirements, based on this. If you barely go out and aren’t able to walk a lot, there’s no point getting a working dog like a Border Collie or an Australian Cattle Dog, which needs huge amounts of exercise to exert the huge amounts of energy they have. The only way that this could work is if you had a lot of secure land for the dog to explore independently. If you are out and about all of the time and want your dog to be with you, keeping up, you don’t want to choose a small companion dog whose main enjoyment is lounging around on someone’s lap. You will need a breed that will keep up. When walking your dog, you do need to make sure that they are safe and secure. A harness, collar and lead are essential .The collar can have a tag with your number and address on, just in case your dog becomes lost. The harness is the safest and most comfortable way to attach a lead to your dog, so they can’t run away or run into harm. Stretchy leads tend to be the best option, as they allow your dog to roam, without them being completely loose and off lead.
Toys
Dogs love to play. Different dogs like different types of toys, but one thing is for certain - most dogs will love some sort of toy. Try a range of options to find the type that your dog will like best. Some like soft toys and teddies. Some like chew toys. Some like toys that dispense treats, such as games where they have to figure out how to get the treats out, or balls that dispense treats as they’re rolled along. Just make sure that any toys you give your dog are designed for dogs and are dog friendly. This will help to keep play as safe as possible.
Treats
Speaking of treats, it’s good to have a range of treats on hand for your dog too. They can help with training or they can simply be a special treat for your dog to enjoy. Like food, it’s a good idea to try out a few different options to determine which your dog likes best. Make sure to read the instructions on any treats you get, as this will give you guidelines on how many your dog can have a day. You don’t want your dog to grow overweight, so a treat here and there can complement a healthy diet and main meals.
These are just a few starter points when it comes to making sure that your dog gets the things that they need in life. Hopefully, they’ll get your dog ownership started out on the right foot!
Paolo Reyna
Author
James Pierce
Reviewer
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