Dog care is typically more involved than new owners realize. You know you'll need to walk your new best friend, rain or shine, no matter how tired you might be. You know you'll need to feed and water your dog daily. It doesn't stop there, though. Dog care needs to be a regular part of your daily, weekly and monthly planning.
What to Feed, and How Often
The question of what to feed your dog is highly personal, and highly subjective. Some dog owners feed their dogs the most expensive, top-of-the-line dog food, or even cook for their dogs to ensure they're getting quality food. Others just grab whatever's on sale at the local grocery store.
Regardless of what you feed your dog, stick with the same thing. Don't switch foods every time you buy a new bag, as it can be bad for your dog's digestion. Feed your dog twice a day, and follow the feeding instructions on the bag for your dog's size. Don't leave food out all day for your dog to eat at his leisure, as it can lead to overeating and canine obesity.
Grooming
Dogs require regular grooming. It's a fact of life. At the very least, your dog should have the fur around his paw pads trimmed regularly, his sanitary region groomed for cleanliness, and his nails trimmed at least monthly. If your dog has a high-maintenance coat, you may need to brush him several times per week, or even daily.
If your dog is low-maintenance, you should still brush him weekly and handle his paws, ears and mouth regularly so she can become accustomed to it. Regular grooming can also be your first line of defense to noticing something out of the ordinary, such as a growth or a bald patch, that could indicate health problems.
Veterinarian Visits
At the very least, your dog needs an annual trip to the vet for an examination and required inoculations. While state law varies, your dog must have a rabies vaccination on a regularly scheduled timeframe, and other vaccinations are recommended to keep your dog healthy. If your dog participates in canine agility or other dog sports, you may want to consider a trip to the vet every six months just to ensure your dog's joints and hips stay healthy. This is also a good idea for older dogs that have suffered health problems, or larger breeds that have a tendency to develop hip ailments.
Walks and Exercise
Come rain or shine, your dog needs walks and exercise. A full-grown dog can go up to eight hours without a walk, although it's not healthy to limit exercise; dogs need to run and walk. Puppies may only be able to go two hours between walks. If you're not able to walk your dog frequently enough, take him to day care or hire a dog walker to ensure he has the opportunity to relieve himself and he gets enough exercise.
Most dogs need at least an hour or two of exercise per day; some dogs require an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening to be comfortable. If your dog doesn't get enough exercise, she'll find his own ways to entertain herself, which may include destroying your property and generally wreaking havoc.
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