Growing up with a pet is not the same thing as being the adult responsible for it. If you’re in the market for a dog, you need to know some stuff. In this article, we will share some excellent tips for proper dog care.

When you take your dog on vacation with you, get a snapshot of them for your phone. You’ll be prepared to take effective action in case your pet gets lost. You can use your recent photo to illustrate just what your dog looks like as well as to print up flyers, if necessary.

Take your dog to the vet regularly. This may seem like an added expense that you don’t need, but when you take your dog to the veterinarian, he can screen your dog for diseases and make sure he is in the best of health. This of course prevents problems down the road.

If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, he or she may eventually come in contact with a skunk. If he gets sprayed, mix together one teaspoon of dish-washing detergent, a fourth a cup of baking soda and a quart of hydrogen peroxide solution (but make sure it is no more than three percent). Apply the mixture to your dog’s coat and allow it to sit for five minutes. Wash your dog off well afterward.

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Take care to keep your dog cool while traveling during the summer by car. Even with your air-conditioning on, the dog may become over-heated in his pet carrier. A simple and low-cost countermeasure is freezing a few gallon jugs of water and placing them near him where he can curl up and cool off.

Take the time to train your dog on a leash. Your dog should walk beside you, not lag behind or run ahead, and should obey the command “heel.” That way, your dog is safe and the walks are better for you as well. Even if you practice a loose leash walk, it’s still important for your pet to know this command.

Let your dog know that you care about him. Most of the time you are paying attention to the very bad things they do and overlooking the good. That could mean trouble later with your dog. You should mostly focus on praising and petting your dog when you notice a good behavior. Your dog will probably show proper behavior more if this is done.

Be clear with your pet during training. The word “no” does not explain anything to your dog, other than that you are unhappy with something. Instead, explain which behavior you do want to see. For example, if your dog jumps on the furniture, tell him to get down instead of just saying the word no.

Hopefully the information provided here has given you some useful tips on taking care of your dog. If you simply apply the techniques in a thoughtful way, you are bound to succeed. Simply take things one step at a time and re-read this article if you are unsure of anything.