If you’re looking for dog care information, you’ve come to the right place!
There are so many things to think about when you are looking after a dog, it can be quite confusing, especially if you’re new to dog ownership. But even experienced dog owners need to keep up to date with new recommendations as they come out.
So, what areas of dog care do we need to think about? This article will concentrate on how to care for a grown up dog. This is different in a few important ways from puppy care.
Dog Care Information
We’ll start with looking after your dog’s furry coat. How often should you brush or comb your dog? And how often should they have a bath?
It all depends on the type of coat your dog has, and how dirty their fur gets. For breeds with short, dense fur, such as Dalmatians or Old English Bulldogges, the best option is brushing with a short-bristled brush 2 to 3 times a week.
This will remove any loose hairs and surface dirt. If you see a patch of mud just in one area, you can clean that one spot with a wet cotton cloth, and brush afterwards. No need for a full bath!
If you have a breed with slightly longer hair, like a Golden Retriever, then you need to use a comb rather than a brush, unless you have a brush with long bristles. Combing the coat will again remove loose hairs, and keep your dog looking smart!
It also removes any bits from within the coat, such as small bits of wood, plants, and insects (depending where the dog has been running!) About 3 to 4 times a week is needed, depending on the dog’s lifestyle. Be careful not to dig into the dog’s skin with the comb.
If your dog has a big, shaggy coat, like a Newfoundland or a Caucasian Shepherd dog, then you need to up the game a little. These long, shaggy coats protect the dogs from cold, and are needed if the dog is living or working outside in cold climates.
But if the dog is more of a family pet, spending a lot of time indoors, this thick layer of insulation is not needed to such a degree. In this case, we recommend the Furminator dog grooming tool. This is very effective for cleaning and grooming long-haired dog breeds.
You should really put together a DOG GROOMING KIT for your dog, so that you have everything to hand suitable for your breed!
Bathing your dog. This is something that some owners tend to do too often, especially short-coated breeds. A dog’s coat carries oils that help to protect the animal’s skin, and prevent things from sticking to the dog so easily. Unless your dog is particularly muddy or dirty, it’s usually not necessary to give them a full bath more than once a month.
In most cases, at other times, you can “spot clean” your dog with a damp cotton cloth, without any soap nor shampoo. Just water. But when you DO bath your dog, it’s best to use dedicated DOG products, not human soaps.
Dog Training comes under the heading of Dog Care Information, because a well-trained dog will generally be happier and will be much more fun to have around.
When a dog knows some basic rules to please its owner, it will feel more secure. But dog training isn’t always easy. Some breeds pick things up faster then other breeds, and then there are the breeds that understand what you want, but will resist, just to see what happens!
For most people, going along to dog obedience classes will be enough. Sometimes one-on-one training with a dog expert will be needed,and result in better training, although it’s more expensive.
One training aid we really like is the Pet Trainer dog training collar. This can make a buzz sound when you use the remote control, and helps to educate your dog, especially when the animal is not on the leash. It can also give a small low-current electrical shock to the dog if needed, but most people find the buzzer works well enough.
A place to sleep.
Every dog needs it’s own bed. Period. A dog needs to have a little space of it’s own where it can snooze during the day, and sleep at night. Sure, sometimes we let or furry friends sleep on our beds or on our sofas, but that should be the exception. A dog needs to know where it’s own space is, otherwise it will regard a particular sofa or a certain bed as it’s own property. If you don’t mind your dog dominating you in this way, OK, but I don’t believe it is a healthy relationship.
What sort of bed? It really doesn’t matter too much, but there are a couple of things to watch out for. First, it must be BIG enough. It’s amazing how even large dog breeds can curl themselves up into a little ball – it looks cute, but it’s NOT how a dog will typically sleep.
Especially when they snooze during the day. So look at how much room your dog takes up when he’s stretched out. You might be surprised!
Then get a bed that is big enough. Second, make sure that the bed is positioned in a corner that is away from drafts, and is reasonably quiet and away from household traffic. Then your dog can relax undisturbed, and get the sleep it needs!
When it come to toys for dogs, the choice is overwhelming. But we can simplify things a bit for you. Basically, dogs have a need to chew on something, to carry something, and at times to chase something, depending on the breed. So once you know what your dog breed was intended to do, you will have a better idea of how to keep it amused!
Dogs bred for retrieving will always be happy carrying something, and if they don’t have a toy, they will carry whatever they can find, whether it’s one of your shoes or an old tennis ball! A lot of people will use a tennis ball for their dog to fetch, but it’s not ideal as the coating on the ball gets very slobbery. Better to get a proper dog-ball, which has a smooth surface, which doesn’t collect as much doggy drool.
Dog Care Information
When it comes to Dog Care Information, probably the most important part is how to exercise your dog. We all know that taking your dog for a walk is the standard way of getting some basic exercise. And, for a starter, it’s OK. But dogs need more. Most breeds will want to have a bit of a run, to stretch their legs and fulfill their in-bred need to RUN.
Obviously, there are big differences between breeds here. Breeds with shorter legs and brachycephalic (“squashed-nose) faces only need minimal running, as they find it harder to breath if they exercise for long. On the other hand, breeds like the Dalmatian and the Border Collie could run for hours if they needed to.
So, the most important thing is to check on your dog’s breed history, and see what they were bred to do. If you have a “running” breed, why not think about running with your dog, or even taking up the new sport of Canicross? So much fun, and a lot of exercise that your dog will LOVE.
Dog Care Information also includes knowing where your dog is at all times, even when they wander off unexpectedly.
How can you do that?
The best way is with a dog GPS tracker. We have looked at several, and for us there is ONE choice that is head-and-shoulders above the others. Check our review page all about the best Dog tracker to see how they work, and which one we recommend!
We hope this page about dog care information is useful. If you think we have forgotten something, please let us know!
