There are a number of different pets available. A myriad of choices awaits, such as a cat, reptile, fish or even a small rodent. If you want unconditional love, turn to a dog. The following article offers great tips on how to take good care of your dog after bringing him home.

You will pay a lot to take care for your dog. Good quality dog food and medical care can cost between $700-1000 a year. Pet health insurance can help; although you will pay a monthly or yearly fee, you will often be covered if a big medical emergency occurs for your pet.

If you are going to taking your dog on vacation, take a pic of him on your phone. This ensures that, should he get lost, you have a current photo, ready for showing around or being used in flyers.

It can cost a lot to take care of a dog. High quality dog food, medical care, toys and treats can easily run close to $1,000 in a year. Emergency vet visits can cost a ton, so think about purchasing health insurance for your dog.

TIP! Owning a dog is quite a large financial commitment. Food and supplies can run you over one thousand dollars a year.

When choosing a dog, make sure you consider your lifestyle. For instance, if you are athletic, you might want an active dog, not a poodle. When you prefer to stay home, choose a small dog who doesn’t need much outdoor time. When you match your traits and the traits of your pet, you will both be happy.

When you get a new dog, schedule a vet visit for soon after you’ve brought him home. Make an appointment as early as possible. The veterinarian will do a full checkup and set a schedule for his vaccinations. Remember that there is a tremendous dog overpopulation problem, so you should have your dog spayed/neutered.

Whatever your vet recommends, do it. The dog may not be fond of the treatment or medication, but it’s for its health. Your vet will recommend things that are good for the health of your dog, so make sure that you follow his advice.

Make your home doggie-proof. It is important that you try to foresee any problems your dog might run into prior to bringing him home. Do not have any pills out in the open and put all supplies in cabinets. Some common house plants that are toxic to pets should be removed from your home.

TIP! Make sure that your home is safe for your dog. You need to look for hazards around your home that your dog might run into.

Always take your dog for his yearly check-up. If your dog is regularly checked out by its veterinarian, they’ll be able to catch things like diabetes or kidney problems before they grow into a major issue. Giving your dog an annual physical can prevent unnecessary suffering to the animal and unnecessary expenses later on.

You need to perform daily tick and flea inspections on your dog as spring and summer approaches. You can get a flea comb that will help with the removal of fleas on your dog. Fleas or ticks can be destroyed through numerous products on the market. Speak with your vet concerning these products and other options.

You must give careful thought to a decision to bring a dog into your life. There are a lot of things you have to think about instead of just falling in love with the first dog you see. Consider everything beforehand so that you know whether or not you can confidently manage it all.

While you can hug your dog, you should avoid kissing your dog. Kissing a dog might seem cute, but they have dirty mouths. Dogs tend to dig through garbage cans, drink out of toilets and explore the hind quarters of other animals. It’s an old wives tale that your dog’s mouth happens to be cleaner that a human being. It certainly isn’t the truth.

TIP! Hug your dog, but don’t kiss him. Dog kisses are very unsanitary.

When engaged in dog training, stick to the methods that use positive reinforcement. Rewards and praise helps dogs learn faster than violence and dominance. It’s just a much better solution for immediate results and for the long term relationship too. Be kind to your dog and you’ll see some great results.

Be careful with your dog in the summer. Dogs tend to get overheated easily. You need to have a place for them to get out of the sun in the summer months. Be sure that your pet always has cold and clean water to drink. Use some doggie sunscreen, too, since sun rays affect dogs.

You need to be firm with your dog. Dog owners often feel that it is no big deal to sneak foods to their pets or allow them to destroy certain toys. This is especially the case with a very cute dog! But, if you stay firm, you can avoid accidents. For instance, you might want to give your dog a few scraps after dinner, but it may cause the dog to feel entitled to the full plate.

Your dog can not tell you what is wrong, so just listen to his body language. If they seem hesitant upon meeting up with other dogs or people, don’t force interaction. This might result in another dog or a person being bit. By reading the body language of your dog, you can ensure that this does not happen.

TIP! Your dog cannot communicate through speech; therefore, you must learn its non-verbal language. Don’t force interaction with other pets or people if your dog is showing reluctance.

This article has primed you for bringing home a new dog. Keep learning about dogs and keep finding out as much as you can. You will enjoy your new hobby and gain a wealth of information that will benefit your pet.

I really hope you enjoyed our article. If you have a dog and would like advice learning about his or her character, we would strongly recommend that you look into the resource below which features a lot of information about dog training courses: