Are you thinking about getting a dog? Many people are overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility that comes with owning a dog. There are other people who are confused about how to train their dog correctly. Avoid this sad option, and learn how to raise a happy, healthy dog with these tips.

Do not feed your dog “people food”. This can make your dog not want to eat his dog food, and it will promote begging. Table scraps can be bad for his health as well, leading to obesity and digestive disorders. If you spend the time to train your dog to spend mealtimes well removed from the table, there won’t be any scrap-feeding temptations to worry about.

When training a dog, practice in the yard or your home. Training in busy areas with lots of people around should be avoided. People will only distract your dog, making it more difficult to train him.

Do not buy your dog a particular brand of food just because it is cheap. Generally, food that is less expensive is not as healthy for your pet due to preservatives and additives put into the food. Check with an animal advocacy group for a list of foods you should be feeding your dog. Your dog will appreciate your research.

Get a dog house if you have a dog that you leave outside, in case the weather gets bad. Exposure to extreme weather for long periods can cause health issues, particularly if the dog’s feet get wet. Keep your dog out of the wet weather and the wind by building a shelter that keeps them dry and gives them room.

It is important that your dog’s nails are not allowed to get too long. If they begin to curl under, you dog could experience quite a bit of pain. Buy some clippers and do the job yourself. If you aren’t comfortable with this, invest a little money and take your dog to the groomers.

When you get a new dog, set up an appointment for him at the vet. Immediately after bringing home the new dog, schedule a checkup with your veterinarian. The vet will provide a full health check and create a vaccination schedule. Ask your vet about neutering your dog. Shelters are filled with unwanted animals and not neutering your dog means you could be making this problem worse.

If you are considering a dog but aren’t sure, why not trying providing a good foster home for a dog? There are plenty of animals sitting in homeless shelters who desperately need a home due to over-crowding and limited shelter resources. Fostering will help you become adapted to the life of a pet owner, and you will be making a difference in the life of a dog at the same time!

Listen to your vet when he tells you how to administer medication or care. While a cone around the head is not a pleasant experience for your pet, it may be a necessary requirement for a short time. Your vet will recommend things that are good for the health of your dog, so make sure that you follow his advice.

If you want a pure bred dog, do not discount the pound as a place to find him. People who aren’t fully committed to dog ownership often abandon their animals at the pound. Make a phone call to local pounds and shelters and see what kinds of dogs are there. You may even save a poor dog’s life.

Demonstrate plenty of affection to your dog. It is easy to overlook the good behavior your dog shows while you concentrate on eliminating the bad. Your dog will develop more behavioral problems if you adopt this attitude. Instead, make sure you pet or praise your dog five times more often than you scold him. When you do this, you’ll see much better behavior from your dog.

If you’ve got just one dog and he doesn’t seem all that happy or is left alone a lot, think about getting him a friend. Dogs love to be social and hate to be alone. By choosing another dog that matches your pup’s energy level and temperament, you’ll ensure that your dogs will be great companions for each other.

You need to make sure if your female dog is not fixed and is in heat that she doesn’t come into contact with a male dog so she does not get pregnant. A male canine might sense her from a distance of five miles. There can be numerous problems, such as causing conflicts with neighbor’s dogs, and getting impregnated with puppies that you don’t know a lot about.

Proper identification can help ensure that your pet is returned to you if he becomes lost. Keep identification on your dog’s collar. This tag needs to contain all of your relevant contact details and the name of your dog. Additionally, you can put a micro-chip on your dog.

If your dog has to listen to many people, he may end up confused. Folks all do things differently, and it is important not to confuse the animal. Have a single person focus on training your dog, and have anyone else work to reinforce what the dog is learning. No matter what their opinions are, they should stick to the rules set by the trainer.

You want to ensure that all trace of pet accidents are removed when they occur within the home. Start with a professional quality cleaner, and follow that up with an odor remover you know will work. If your dog can still smell the spot he has marked, he will be likely to mark it again.

If you own a dog, you know that pet ownership comes with a lot of responsibility. Sometimes, a pet feels like your day job. You should now have the information you need to help you be the best pet owner possible. Soon, you will be worrying much less.