How do I take care of a dog?

Rosann Mccomb: Laura- if you type in the subject you want to learn about in the What are you looking for box you can search all Yahoo answers pertaining to dog care.You will get a ton of info that way.Just think of each topic you need info on and go through them.The first thing you will need is to supply a bed and food. To determine what food is best you will need to know how much exercise your dog will be getting for protein percentage.22-24% for average exercise if more active them 26% protein. Do not start out with a designer food.Try s good basic food like California Natural or Wellness.They are both mid range price wise and good foods.I would also use stainless steel bowls for food and water because plastic absorbs.If you dog will be spending much time home alone I would strongly suggest getting it a crate.keeps dogs safe and will help when visitors come over and provides a great escape for them.Look at different subjects in search box and if you need clarification c! ome back on and ask more....Show more

Shemeka Laker: The best way to start to take care of a dog is to determine a couple of things first. I made a couple of "mistakes" when I got my first dog. I adopted her as the last dog from a humane society tent outside a fast food restaurant. They told me she would stay small and my apartment had a 20 LB weight limit. She ended up quickly outgrowing that. She also shed so much that I was in tears trying to remove the never ending black hair from my carpet. She chewed everything, shoes, under ware, paper, tables, trash spread around the apartment, EVERYTHING and you know what, it was ALL MY FAULT! I was so unprepared for a puppy, and a dog, that I set myself up for disaster and it was of no fault of my dog.I have learned a lot since those early years. I think that you should first prepare for exactly what you can handle, and be very honest with it. Do you like to go running and be outside a lot? Get a higher energy dog. Do you h! ate barking? Get a dog that is less prone to bark. Do you like! to be lazy? Get a lower energy dog. Once you have established the personality, energy, size, grooming requirements etc... then you are ready to go find your match! Okay, that out of the way:I would suggest (no matter what the age of the dog) several different sensory toys. Tug of war toys, squeaky toys, soft snuggle toys, and balls. You may still have all of these and find your dog still likes to drag a stick in from outside! :-)The best "toys" I've ever invested in for every type of dog I've had are the chew toys. Hard raw hide kind of rolled sticks, pigs ears (I know, gross, but good for teeth). I make sure that the (Non smelly) chews are 2 per room. That way when they go to chew on something inappropriate, you can tell them OFF or a stern NO and give them the appropriate chew and then let them know how happy you are when they lay contently with their proper chew toy. For the smaller to medium breeds these usually last quite a while and will also keep them occupied and ! content for quite a while.You will need a crate, or a nice room enclosure with a nice comfortable bed for your dog. Some dogs get bored and will end up chewing up their bed. Some dogs will pee on it if not properly trained. Some will not lay on anything too cushiony and some love the cushion. It depends on the dog. My different breeds (all medium to small) have liked the beds that about 2 - 3 feet long, 2 feet wide, and the middle is about 2 inches thick. They have a cover that I can remove and run through the wash, but the pillow inside can be washed just as easily. I would not suggest a wicker basket bed for most breeds as I have noticed these tend to get torn up in time. I do have one large hard plastic basket that one pillow fits in.If your dog is going to be a larger breed, you may want to consider a food/ water stand to raise the food up a bit so that it is not such a strain for them to bend down to reach the food. Better for back, neck and digestion with these dogs. ! For smaller dogs, bowls on the floor are just fine. Metal or plastic, y! our call, I have both and both have worked perfectly.You need to get a good collar. I like a collar that I can run through the wash. This is usually a nylon type of structure. The leather ones tend to look old quickly, don't last as long and really keep the dirty smell of the dog.You'll need a leash, one that is not too long and not too short. One that you can keep good control of the dog. In this case, I do like leather with a chain. Once my dogs are a bit more trained I turn to them over to an expandable leash for more freedom to sniff and roam. I can still control when I need to, but they listen more to me than need to pull on the leash.Dog snacks are good for breaking up into tiny pieces for training and cookies are good for a reward.Now I will list the extras that you may get or consider:Flea treatmentDog ShampooAppropriate grooming supplies (brushes and combs)Clicker (very cheap) for clicker trainingMuzzleHarnessNail ClipperLong lead/ leash for trainingThermometerEar! cleaning fluid/ wipes (be careful, only what you can see, never deep!)Now: Budget a little a moth for a Vet. If you can put even just a little away to help with vet bills, this will really help! It sucks when your dog is sick and you have no money and can't take it to the vet. I have never done the dog insurance thing, but maybe it could be something you would consider. Accidents happen, and really weird ones. If there is anything definite about owning a dog, it's that you will be seeing the vet once to twice a year. Emergencies are expensive! Be prepared, because this will end up being the love of your life!The last: your time, patience and LOVE. Choose your dog wisely, take your time, even if you have to go back or be on a waiting list. It is worth the - 10 - 16 year companionship! Enjoy your new dog!...Show more

Toby Women: all dogs need exercise, training, grooming and vet carego to library and ask librarian to help you with books

Arnette Dominici: 1

Monty Sieloff: You may train any dog, or cat by using treats. But mak! e sure the word you are using, as in "sit" or "lay" only one person should try to teach the animal till it is comfortable with doing this command. If you have too many people trying to teach the dog, it may become confused. But what kind of tricks do you plan on teaching?? like i said, simple commands you can also work up to harder commands too. and try to do tricks often to keep the trick your dog has just learned fresh. anything is possible with some treats, because every dog and cat needs a motivation....Show more

Elli Esaw: A few good books you could borrow from the library...Dogs by Dr. Bruce FogleDogs for DummiesPuppies for Dummiesany other dog books you could find. It may help to read about lots of breeds and ask the people at the shelter about the certain dog you are looking at......Show more

Somer Distilo: feed it give it water do research about the pure bred or what the dog is a mix of. hope this helped enjoy your new dog