Love Your Dog

These pages deal with the many ways you can love and care for your dog, including dog training, dog health, dog nutrition and many other aspects of dog care.

Dog training is an important part of proper dog care. This is something you can quite easily achieve yourself, although if you do not know where to start you should consider attending a dog training school where you will be put on the right track and meet other responsible dog owners with whom to share your passion.

Obedient and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs.

Dog training does much more than just create an obedient, willing companion. Training your dog properly strengthens the bond that already exists between dog and handler.

In addition to making the dog a good member of the community, obedience training is a great way to fulfill some of the dog's own needs, including the need for exercise, the security that comes with knowing what is expected of it, a feeling of accomplishment and a good working relationship with its handler. Dog training gives the dog an important job to do, and an important goal to reach.

The issue of dog health is well covered in the articles on this site. Owners should learn how to recognize that their pet is in pain because dogs do not complain as we do. Dogs that are in pain will likely indicate that they are suffering by giving you clues as to where the area of discomfort is. For example, a dog that has abdominal pain will continually glance toward their belly, bite or lick the area, and will not want to leave his/her bed. The dog may stand hunched over, or take the ‘prayer position' which is when a dog gets down on it's forelegs with the hind legs still standing, because of the pain in her abdomen area.

Treatments to help with your dogs health range from acupuncture to a variety of home remedies, and advice on recognizing allergies, the causes of overweight and the symptoms of the many afflictions that can affect dogs, large and small.

I am a great believer that the best way to keep your dog (and yourself) healthy is exercise. It not only keeps your pet fit and healthy but also helps strengthen the bond between owner and dog. Regular exercise is particularly important for dogs that tend to overweight. It is hard for me to believe but I am told that some dogs actually have to be persuaded to go for their walks. A dog who is a member of a family with young children is lucky. Children love to play with dogs and the dogs love it. Their play tires them both out and is a delight to watch. A great avenue to maximise dog health.

One of my articles deals with toys for dogs. The author correctly states that activity dog toys help to keep domestic dogs fit and, in addition to a healthy diet, help to keep our pet dogs, in good shape, burning off calories that would otherwise be unused. Used wisely activity toys will also help to strengthen a dog's muscles, which along with diet, reinforces good bone structure.

The need to lead your dog in its exercise routine is highlighted in an article which points out that, ironically, city dogs often get more exercise than their country cousins. One owner commented that when they lived in a big house with a yard, their pet would just hang out, doing nothing. Since they moved to the city they walk 4 or 5 times a day, visit the dog park 3 times a week and their pet is much happier, stimulated - and even thinner!

Other articles deal with practices such as the folly of chaining dogs, leaving dogs outside when you leave the house, taking your dog with you camping and on trips generally and preparing your pet for an addition to the family. A number of articles cover the personalities and temperaments of a variety of different breeds of dogs, from pitbulls, pomeranians, pugs and poodles to chihuahuas, Jack Russells, shitzus, dachshunds, pekinese, terriers and many more.

But, whether your pet is a show dog or a cross makes no difference to your and your family's love for it. It is an integral part of your family with the same array of physical and emotional needs as the all family members, and the same potential for adding richness to your everyday lives