How to take care of your dog

The question is obvious: How do you keep a dog? How do you care for him? The answer isn't so simple. Exercise , good nutrition, cleanliness, and grooming supplies: dogs need many things. And if we neglect them, sooner or later we'll have to pay the price: we'll have wasted their extraordinary companionship and all the benefits they provide. The first thing a dog always needs is exercise. How many times a day and in what quantities depends greatly on the breed . But in general, exercise should be done at least three times a day. This also allows the dog to relieve himself , relax by playing outdoors, and avoid gaining weight. Keeping a dog well means always considering his physical and psychological state. Just like with humans. If, for example, a dog gains weight quickly, something is wrong: either we're not giving him enough exercise, or he's been given the wrong diet . If the dog is listless, wags his tail little, and doesn't want to play, it means he's depressed. What's missing?

Index of topics

How to keep a dog at home

A dog must be kept indoors according to certain key principles . He must have his own space, without becoming overbearing. For example, if possible, avoid letting him sleep in your bedroom or, worse, directly on your bed. His space must be warm in the winter, cool and ventilated in the summer. And it must be well-lit, well-ventilated, and clean, especially if the dog lives indoors and not outdoors.

Exercise

Dogs are naturally gifted with great stamina and are inclined to cover long distances. Inactivity can cause certain breeds to gain weight, and the dog also suffers emotionally. Furthermore, a lack of exercise can also cause heart and circulatory problems . Dogs with a large enough yard can exercise without involving their owner, but for most, the most important exercise is a daily walk with their owner. The length of time required depends on the dog's species and size ; if the animal is left off-leash, a very long walk won't be necessary: a dog that constantly moves around a person will cover three times as much distance as the person. But if you keep your dog on a leash , remember that it's the dog that walks with you, not the other way around. It's not necessary to establish exactly how far your dog should walk each day, but it's important to remember that even the smallest breeds need a daily walk of at least a kilometer; larger breeds will need a longer distance. As your dog gets older, a long walk isn't necessary, but regular exercise is still necessary.

Cleaning the coat

For long-haired breeds , brushing is essential to untangle the coat and remove dead hair. It should be done with long strokes of the brush, following the hair to the tip, without lingering too long on tangles and knots, which will give way under the comb. Long-haired dogs should be brushed daily from puppyhood , so that brushing becomes a regular part of their daily routine. For short-haired dogs , periodic brushing is sufficient. Cleaning the coat prevents excess shedding and the formation of knots, keeps the coat shiny, and reduces the amount of hair on furniture and carpets . Combing is also one of the regular, almost daily tasks required for long-haired dogs. For clipping, the best solution is to entrust it to a professional: if you have a semi-long-haired dog, it's best not to have it clipped in the summer, as its fur insulates dogs from both heat and cold.

The kennel

Dogs, like cats, also love to sleep in their own beds or in baskets. So, find them a quiet place to put their bed, which you should disinfect periodically to prevent fleas and ticks.

The bathroom

Dogs should also be bathed periodically, depending on their needs and breed : for example, the Scottish Terrier, which often has dirty skin due to dandruff, needs a bath every two or three weeks. Grooming should precede bathing to prevent further tangles. Use a shampoo designed for dogs , or even children's shampoo: some soaps are harmful to their skin. Alcohol-based shampoos that leave no rinsing, or cleaning powders such as cedar shavings, which you simply brush, are quite useful for superficial cleaning, but they won't be enough if the dog is very dirty. When you're ready for a bath, get someone to help you and place the dog in the tub. Use the shower and wet the back and sides with slightly warm water. Shampoo these areas first and then the head, avoiding shaking the dog. Then rinse thoroughly, starting from the head and working toward the back. During the summer, a quick run outside is enough to dry the fur, while in the winter, use a towel and keep the dog warm to prevent him from catching a cold . You can also use a hair dryer, but be careful, as the noise could scare him. Always keep the hair dryer at a safe distance from the animal. There are also dog grooming salons, where the main grooming tasks—bathing, brushing, and combing—are performed by specially trained personnel.

The bowls

Bowls can be found in pet stores and come in various types: plastic ones, which are very inexpensive but are often chewed and scratched; terracotta or steel ones, which are easy to clean but often so light that they end up being more of a toy than a food container. Breeds with long , floppy ears require a tall, narrow bowl to prevent their ears from getting caught in the food, which can cause unpleasant dermatitis. For breeds with soft palates, the bowl should be slightly raised to prevent them from choking on their food.

Eye cleansing

Your dog's eyes should be cleaned whenever mucus builds up. Moisten a cotton ball with a little warm water and gently wipe it over one eye, then the other. If you need to administer medication, gently open the dog 's eye and, after soaking a gauze pad in the liquid, squeeze it over the eye.

Ear cleaning

Excess earwax can be removed with warm cod liver oil or Vaseline: apply the cleanser with a dropper and massage the base of the ear. If any earwax has leaked out, clean it with a cotton swab, being careful not to insert it too deeply. Earwax cleaning doesn't need to be done constantly: earwax also acts as a protective barrier against irritation.

Nail cutting

A dog's nails grow like hair , so they need to be trimmed regularly. If dewclaws haven't been removed, they'll need to be trimmed frequently, because unlike nails, they can't wear down as they grow. The only thing you need to be careful about is cutting into the dog's flesh.

Vaccinations

If the dog is born indoors, it is naturally immunized for the first two months of its life. After that, to prevent distemper , it must be taken to a veterinarian and vaccinated: immunity is 97% guaranteed. Before vaccination, the dog must be given a dewormer, and it must also be ensured that the animal is in good health. The vaccine must be renewed every two years for dogs that live alone; other dogs, however, are revaccinated naturally because they are exposed to the virus. Rabies vaccination is mandatory in many countries and is administered with pasteurized virus. In Italy, it is not mandatory, but is recommended by the Ministry of Health.