Starting 2008 Off Right
It's a new year and many of us have made resolutions to lose weight, get fit, stop this or that. How about your best friend? Does he need to lose a few pounds? Is he overdue for a visit to the vet? Have those nails been getting longer and longer? Do those ears need cleaning?
What about an obedience class? Or maybe just starting to take a long walk two or three times a week with your four-legged friend? You know the exercise would be good for both of you. Every minute you invest in your friendship with your dog is repaid many times over in the bond that develops between you. Is there some activity that you've always thought might be fun to try with your dog? Now is the perfect time to look into it and get started. Many pet stores like PetSmart, PetCo and others offer classes. Your local kennel club also offers classes for obedience, rally and agility, as well as handling classes for conformation.
There are dozens of sports and activities you can do with your dog. Get off that sofa — you and your dog! It's a new year. Time to make some changes! You'll both feel good about yourselves and about spending quality time with each other.
If your dog needs his shots or a check-up, now's the time to make a vet appointment. If he has any nagging health problems get them checked out. You want to make sure your friend is with you for many years to come.
Spend some time grooming your dog. Maybe he deserves a special day at the groomer's to really get him started in the right direction for the new year? Some dogs, like terriers with "broken coats" may need stripping a couple of times a year. Take your dog to a groomer or ask someone to show you how to do it yourself. Other dogs need a little strategic clipping. Again, unless you know how to do this yourself, see a good groomer. It's not hard to learn how to do this, but you would have to invest in clippers. It may be easier to regularly use a good groomer. Don't forget about regular brushing at home though. That's something we can all do.
Don't forget your dog's nails and ears either. Long nails make life more difficult for your dog and can scratch you by accident. Try to start getting your dog used to having his nails trimmed when he's a puppy. If he's already older, be patient as you trim a little off each nail. You don't have to cut a lot off. Most people make the mistake of trying to cut off too much at one time and make the nail bleed. Just a tiny trim fairly frequently is all you need to do.
Keep cleaning those ears, too, especially if you have long-eared dogs. It's very easy for infections to get started in the ears of flop-eared dogs. You can pick up a good bottle of ear cleaner either from your vet or from your local pet supply store.
At the very least you should resolve that your dog should learn to sit and to walk calmly on a leash this year. It's not hard to teach and the more you work with your dog, the better behaved he will be and the more you'll enjoy spending time together.
Do buy a good general book on dog care such as Dogs: The Ultimate Care Guide: Good Health, Loving Care, Maximum Longevity, by Matthew Hoffman. That's just one suggestion (the top seller on Amazon). There are other good books on health and training, including The AKC Complete Dog Book and Dr. Alfonso's book The Nature of Dog Healing. Buy several books and see what appeals to you.
Make sure your dog has identification. A collar and ID tag are good. Make sure you can put two fingers between the collar and your dog's neck. The ID tag should include your name, address, and telephone number. Consider microchipping your pet, too.
