Caring for your dog involves a number of things that range from providing a home to budgeting for your dog’s needs. Owning a dog means accepting responsibility for your dog and caring for it to the best of your ability.

You will need to budget for food, toys, veterinary costs and any other costs you might incur. Your dog needs exercise and stimulation to keep its body and mind healthy. This will provide you with a great opportunity to bond with your dog and you could even get a workout too! Dogs need regular grooming which can be divided into four areas:

Bathing

Your dog will need to be bathed and this helps preserve its shiny coat but take care when selecting shampoos as the wrong products could result in a rash or even in permanent skin problems. You should give your dog a bath at least once a month.

Brushing

Brushing your dog regularly will help preserve its coat by removing dead hair and spreading its natural oil (sebum) giving its coat a lovely shine. Daily brushing is ideal, but make sure that you at least stick to the minimum of once a week.

Coat Trimming

Not all breeds of dogs will require trimming, but in general your dog’s coat should be trimmed every 4 – 6 week.

Nail Care

The easiest way to trim your dog’s nails is to exercise it until you can’t hear its nails tapping on the ground. If the nails become too long, the quick, this is the fleshy tissue on the inside of the nail, will grow out to help nourish the longer nail. It is recommended that you get your vet to trim your dog’s nails when need be, but with enough exercise a trip to the vet won’t be necessary.