DOG CARE PLAN

Dogs can sometimes be plenty of work. We all love our dogs, however being confident that they will obtain the most from their lives takes a great deal more thought than one might consider to begin with. Continuing to keep your dog well and correctly fed, observing its wellness, as well as continuing to keep him or her physically and mentally active are a few of the fundamental things we must take into account when planing to look after our four-legged friends. 

FEEDING YOUR DOG

It’s vital that your pet dog is fed quality food that provides the correct balance of nutrition applicable to its specific period of life (you will notice that there are distinct foods designed for large, small, puppy, adult dogs, etc.). 

Dogs are inclined to overeat and to bloat, therefore it is recommended to give food to your dog two times a day and never an excessive amount at one time. Additionally it is crucial to always keep clean fresh drinking water available for your dog at all times. 

The giving of bones to your dog from time to time is ideal for their dental health, so long as the meat is of a high quality, the bone is large enough to prevent it being swallowed whole by the dog, and that it is raw. Never on ant account give your dog a cooked bone, as it is possible for them to break and splinter - causing intestinal damage or choking. Don’t overdo it on the bones either; ensure that, the normal food continues to be basis of your dog’s healthy diet. 

EXAMINATIONS AND VACCINATIONS 

It is essential that you have your dog vaccinated early on in its life for the health and well being of both your pet as well as those around him or her. Listed below are some of the more common health problems that will need a vaccination: 

• Canine parvovirus - an extremely infectious and potentially deadly viral gastroenteritis which induces vomiting and diarrhea 

• Canine distemper - an incredibly contagious health problem with symptoms which include conjunctivitis, convulsive seizures, and spinal cord damage. It should be noted that Canine distemper can also be transferred to humans, and even though this causes no symptoms or issues in humans, you could still act as a carrier to other pets. 

• Canine infectious hepatitis - a result of canine adenovirus, this is a severe liver infection that can cause fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing, jaundice, vomiting as well as death. 

• Canine cough - a disease caused by bacteria and a virus, resulting in a hacking and distressing cough. Even though it could be transferred to humans, it is really quite unlikely except in cases where the human has a weakened immune system. 

It’s equally important to give worm and flea-prevention drugs to your dog routinely, whilst keeping up regular appointments with the veterinarian - who is able to accurately keep track of your pooch’s health and wellbeing each and every phase of it's life. 

HOW YOU CAN KEEP YOUR DOG HAPPY

The training of your dog is an important component of continuing to keep them happy and nicely socialized. Continual training gives mental stimulation, as well as the physical stimulation he or she should get every day from exercise. 

Reward based training is recommended, simply because yelling at dogs every time they do something incorrectly can easily unintentionally strengthen unfavorable behaviors if it is misinterpreted as just providing them with attention. 

Include an organized training plan while they are young, and proceed with mental tasks as they grow older.

Feeding Your Dog?

There are different opinions about how often you should feed your dog. Most people agree that puppies should be fed 3-4 times per day, at least for about the first six months. As puppies get older they can be fed more like adult dogs. But, how often should you feed your adult dog? 

In the wild wolves and dogs generally eat once every 2-3 days. They may hunt and kill a large animal, such as a deer, and then feast on it. Actually, they gorge on it. Then they will lie around and sleep off their meal until they start to be hungry again. 

However, our dogs today don't generally eat according to that kind of schedule. Dogs have been living with humans for at least the last 15,000 years. They have been taking handouts from us and scavenging in our garbage piles for their food supply. Dogs today appreciate a more dependable schedule for their meals. 

Your dog's intestinal tract is not nearly as long as yours. That means that your dog can digest his food relatively quickly, depending on what you feed him. Some things will take longer to digest than others. 

Most vets recommend feeding your adult dog two meals a day. This is a good schedule for Toy dogs and other small dogs that may have their blood sugar levels become low if they don't have several small meals. It's also a good schedule for large, deep-chested breeds that can be prone to bloat (gas in the stomach which can twist the stomach and be deadly). Two small meals are generally considered better than one large meal for these dogs. 

There are, however, other options. Some people prefer to feed their dogs Free Choice -- food is available to their dogs at all times. The advantage of feeding this way is that dogs do not rush and gobble food down. Some dogs will overeat, however, but many dogs, when offered food at all times, will stop eating when they have had enough. 

If you do feed your dog regular meals you should decide how you will handle the meals. Some people use a Time-Limited feeding scheme. Food is available to your dog at each meal for a limited amount of time, say for 15 minutes. Your dog must eat his food in this time. If he doesn't then you pick the food bowl up and put it away. This is a good method to use for picky eaters since your dog learns that if he is too picky he won't get his food. Most dogs learn that they have to eat their food. 

You may also simply put your dog's food down at each meal and leave it there until your dog is finished eating, however long that may take. 

Some dogs do very well eating just one large meal per day. It will often depend on the dog and the kind of food being fed. If you have questions about how to feed your dog you should talk to your vet. Remember that the best guide to your dog's health is always his condition. If your dog is healthy and happy then you should let that be your guide

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Feeding-Your-Dog?&id=8155172

Feeding Your Dog And How Often

There are very many opinions out there about how often you are supposed to feed a dog. Many people agree that puppies are supposed to be fed at least 3-4 times each day, for the first six months of their lives. As they grow in age and size, they can be slowly integrated to feeding like adult dogs. However, the main mind boggler is how often you ought to feed your adult dog.

Out there in the wild, dogs generally eat once every three days or so. They may subdue and kill a large animal such as an antelope and then proceed to feast on it. They will then lie down and sleep till they feel hungry yet again.

They have been living together with human beings for a long while now and have already gotten used to eating multiple times per day. They scavenge our piles of garbage and from time to time, take handouts directly from our hands. Nowadays, they have come to appreciate how much a dependable meals schedule means for them.

The intestinal track of a dog is not quite as long as a humans. Consequentially, a dog digests its food fairly quickly depending on what you choose to feed him. Some foods are harder to digest and will take longer while others are easy to digest and will take relatively less time. Most vets will advise you to feed your dog twice a day. This is a good schedule for most type of dogs. It is also more preferable that a dog has two small meals rather than one large meal per day.

However, there exist other options. Some people may choose to feed their dogs freely so that food is made available to the dogs at any given time of the day. The main merit behind this way of feeding is that the dogs will not rush to gobble down food. It may result in some dogs overeating but many of the dogs, if offered food all the time, will only eat till they are full.

If you give your dog consistent meals, you should make a choice on how to handle and administer the meals. Some may opt to use a Time-Limited feeding scheme. In this scheme, you offer food to your dog at each meal for only a small amount of time like fifteen minutes or so.

Your dog must consume the food at the given time. If not, you pick up the dogs bowl and put it away. This can be a good method for ensuring that your dog eats. It is also very advisable for those dogs that are picky when it comes to eating their food.

You can also opt to put the dogs food out for each meal and leave it there until the dog has finished the food. It does not matter how long it will take the dog to eat the food so long as it will finish the food. Some dogs however eat best if fed once a day. Thus, it will mainly depend on what kind of dog you have and the kind of food that you are feeding it. If you have any more questions about feeding your dog, it would be best to ask your vet.

Sourcce:http://ezinearticles.com/?Feeding-Your-Dog-And-How-Often&id=8911994