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We Are Their Guardians When man domesticated dogs, he accepted the responsibility to properly meet the physical and emotional needs formerly met by their natural pack. Each family has its unique rules, but basically the dog should not cause your home to be unsafe (aggressiveness or unpredictable behavior) or unsanitary. All dogs should be trained for their own safety as well as the safety of their owners. Walking your dog should be a pleasant and peaceful experience, not a frustrating "drag" through the neighborhood. Good training can be accomplished on your own or with the help of a professional. There are many types of trainers. Dogs deserve the positive, reinforcing type of training. Striking or intimidating a dog can teach them to be distrustful of you and other humans. All dogs respond better to praise than punishment. Any trainer you hire to help you should love and respect dogs and understand their abilities. Food and grooming are other basic needs. When choosing a food, remember that the same is true for dogs as for humans. You are what you eat. Things to consider avoiding are artificial colors, by-products, ingredients that could irritate allergies (beef, wheat, preservatives, corn, soy), and food products that are irritating or toxic to dogs (chocolate, dairy). I generally suggest that my grooming clients stay with their vets and the pet stores for their dog food. The companies that make premium dog food seem to concentrate best on quality of ingredients and nutrition. In our 21 years of grooming, boarding and training, we have seen the skin and coats of over 300,000 dogs on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. We have seen remarkable changes in the overall condition of thousands of dogs, specifically the skin and coat, when the quality of the food is improved. Many of the less expensive foods have preservatives or fillers that can cause skin, and other problems and your dog may have to eat a larger quantity in order to get enough nutrients. Most pet stores have persons trained to assist you in selection of the best food for your dog. Most higher quality foods have a money-back guarantee. Be sure to change the dog's food gradually (over a week to 10 days) and give the new food time to get into the dog's system (3 to 6 weeks). Remember that many dogs don't like change much and may balk. Don't immediately jump in with snacks (bad idea anyway) or human food and then wonder why he won't eat much of the new food. Grooming is necessary for the comfort and appearance of the dog and to assure that the dog is acceptable in the house. Regular grooming can uncover changes like lumps, warts and ear or skin problems that may need to be seen by your veterinarian. Most dogs need a bath, nail clipping and ear cleaning every one to three months. A lot depends on your dog's lifestyle, breed and environment. My short-haired dogs have to be bathed every 3-4 weeks in order to stay odor free. Every dog is an individual. A dog will devote his heart to you. Its up to you to make sure you are a well informed guardian so that you can be the most deserving recipient of your dog's greatest gift - unconditional love. Caroline & Bruce Mauk, Nationally Certified Master Groomers at Adorable Dogs Pet Motel, 28540 Bermont Road, Punta Gorda, (941) 637-9888. RETURN |
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