Home | Pets | Dogs
So, you’re planning to get a dog, eh? Congratulations! You’re on your way to having one of the most satisfying, enjoyable moments of your life with your loyal friend and companion. But before you start picking out which cute pooch you’ll be taking home to meet your family, you have to keep in mind a few important things first. Buying a new dog is more than simply finding the cutest puppy in the store and buying a bag of dog food. Acquiring a new canine is nearly as important as adopting a child. Dogs need constant love and attention, especially when they’re young. Buying the proper supplies can be as confusing as deciding what kind of dog to get in the first place. When you first walk into a pet store you will be bombarded by everything from designer clothes to dog food. It’s not going to be any use talking to the salesmen; their goal is to sell you everything you lay your eyes on, whether you need it or not. There are only a few essential things you should get for your new pet. My suggestion is first and foremost, get a good book and learn about your dog’s breed and its characteristics. All breeds are very different and have different needs and personality quirks. But don’t think of the book as the ultimate authority on your dog. The book is there simply to give you guidance. What you need next is a good collar, one that you can stick at least two fingers into between your dog’s skin and the collar itself. Also make sure you get a collar that allows plenty of room for growth. Some dog breeds can grow very fast in just two or three weeks, and you don’t want to be replacing the collar every two weeks during your puppy’s first year. Also, get a good training collar, such as a German pinch collar or a choke chain. Nevermind the scary names; these two collars work great at training your dog to behave properly at the end of a leash without jerking your arm out of the socket. The biggest thing to remember with both collars is to never use the collar as your dog’s everyday collar. I know some people who forget to replace the collar after training their dogs and end up having to cut the collar off because the dog grew so big the collar would no longer fit over its head. The other supplies needed are simple. Get a weighted water bowl and a food bowl. Puppies love to play with and in their food, so it helps to have weighted bowls to avoid having them tipped over. A well made crate or dog house, depending on whether your dog will sleep outside or inside. You will also need three leashes of different lengths, to be used for walking and training the dog. The book you get will explain how the different sized leashes are used in training. Don’t forget the chew toys! Dogs, especially puppies, need to exercise their gums regularly, so get your new pet a wide selection of chew toys, unless you plan on replacing your furniture and your slippers on a regular basis. Of course, we can’t forget the dog food! Despite what some animal rights groups would have you believe, dogs are carnivores. They eat meat. So it’s recommended to check the ingredients. If corn and other types of vegetables is the first ingredient listed, your dog won’t be eating what he really needs. Look for chicken or beef to be listed as the first ingredient.
Article Source: http://www.SponsorDirectory.com/Free-Content
Chiun Masters is a researcher and writer for www.capitaldogsupply.com, where you can get high-quality dog supplies at great prices. Visit us when you need dog supplies.
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated