What is needed to care for a dog. Guide to caring for a dog in the first days How to care for a current dog

Dogs are recognized as beloved and sought-after pets. People get dogs for hunting, protection, or just for fun. The colossal variety of breeds helps each person and family choose the optimal breed, based on characteristics and temperament. When the dog crosses the threshold of the house, the new owners begin to become interested in caring for the dog.

There are a number of points in care that require emphasis:

Grooming;
Washing the dog;
Walking;
Vaccination.

It is necessary to properly care for your dog, regardless of breed and maintenance requirements. Some people think that small dogs require little care; this is a common misconception. Small dog breeds have a number of characteristics and weaknesses. For example, a Chihuahua exhibits an extremely weak stomach and gastrointestinal tract generally. For this reason, the pet requires special nutrition and weight control. In addition, Chihuahuas are prone to a number of infectious diseases because they are extremely curious.

It turns out that each dog breed has characteristics and unique differences. Let's take a closer look at the care points.

Grooming

You should take care of your dog's coat from a young age. Puppies are not prone to excessive shedding, but have sensitive and still thin skin. For the latter reason, it is not recommended to intensively comb puppies for fear of damaging the skin or causing irritation.

Even adult dogs have thin and delicate skin. The property depends on the characteristics of the breed. For example, a Chihuahua does not require regular brushing at all, much less a haircut.

look after chihuahua dog It’s not difficult, but the difficulties are hidden by nutrition, which requires strictness and adjustments. It is believed that the size of a dog is directly proportional to the hassle associated with keeping and caring for it. There is a rational grain in the statement. For example, the Caucasian Shepherd requires daily care behind long hair and undercoat. Caring for a massive pet will become difficult if the owner does not have the proper amount of free time.

Some people have seen how dogs care for puppies. The spectacle is wonderful and kind. Mothers carefully lick their babies and clean them up. Care also includes regular feeding. At the moment when several puppies tirelessly suck on their mother’s breast, the happy expression on the dog’s face is noticeable.

When a baby comes into a family, he wants to feel no less affection, care and love. Fortunately, people are aware of this and are trying to give as much love to their pet as possible.

It is necessary to care for the dog from the first days of its stay in a new environment. Care and affection will allow the animal to quickly get used to and relax in an unfamiliar environment.

Water procedures

Often dogs absolutely love to swim. Water procedures should be given special attention.

It happens that dog breeders are convinced that their dog needs to be washed regularly. This especially applies to owners of small lap dogs. This is a common misconception that has no basis. Dogs should not be washed frequently. Regardless of size and breed. Frequent washing has a negative effect on the animal's fur and skin.

You should bathe your dog no more than once a month. Selected breeds should only be washed when absolutely necessary. The restriction does not apply to paws that require daily washing in order to keep the home clean.

Let's note important points regarding bathing a dog:

If the dog has thick hair, the choice of shampoo is taken seriously. Modern pet stores offer a wide range of detergents for dogs; choose a reputable brand.
For washing it is possible to use laundry soap. After using it, dog hair has a characteristic smell, but the risk of skin irritation is minimized.
When visiting a body of water where swimming is prohibited, avoid bathing your pet. Swimming is prohibited in places where the water contains high amounts of harmful substances and waste. The effect of the poison on the animal’s body is fatal, mainly when ingested internally.
It is permissible to wash your dog without grooming products every day, no more than 5-6 minutes. The undercoat contains special fat secreted by the skin. The substance smells unpleasant, but the presence of secretion is necessary for the skin and fur of the animal; frequent washing has a negative effect on the condition of the fur.
There is no need to comb the dog after washing. You should wait until the skin is completely dry.

Simple rules will help you avoid difficulties associated with the condition of the coat.

Walking the dog

Grooming a large dog is time consuming. Large breeds dogs exhibit excellent muscles and a powerful skeleton. The colossal physical potential causes the desire and need for long walks. Competition will come from small dogs, which can only be taken out for 5-7 minutes.

It is recommended to walk large dogs in sparsely populated or deserted areas. In order for your pet to grow up well-mannered and strong, you will need to pay attention to its physical training. It is recommended to take your pet to special dog training areas. It is better to visit walking areas early in the morning or in the evening, at sunset. This is explained by the smaller number of people and dogs; not all animals react adequately to each other.

Before the first trip to the training complex, it is recommended to have an educational conversation with the dog. You need to walk down the street and see how the animal reacts to dogs passing by. If the slightest aggression is shown, the training together with other animals will have to be cancelled.

Before a full-fledged “going out into the world,” the dog must know at least the simplest commands and strictly obey the owner. The hierarchy remains marked in the pet's mind, otherwise a long training walk will be a shock for both: the owner and the animal.

Taking care of a small dog in terms of walking is much easier. Babies do not require long walks. For example, the Pekingese and Shih Tzu breeds are eager to go home after doing street chores. The explanation is simple. In the summer, dogs are hot, they are thirsty, so they rush home. In winter, the paws are cold. Long walks are possible only in spring and autumn, in the absence of strong winds.

Dog vaccination

Close attention is paid to vaccinations. Each animal is vaccinated on time. It is not recommended to neglect it; the risk of infection is extremely high. Particular caution applies to small and extremely curious dogs who want to try everything on the street and at home. Pets can become infected from any passing dog or feces.

Vaccinations are recommended at 2-3 months. Modern veterinary stations offer comprehensive vaccinations, instead of the usual three. It has certain advantages, but the result can be difficult for the animal’s body to tolerate. Small dogs may even lie down for a couple of days, experiencing weakness and malaise.

A pet deserves proper attention and care. Don't treat your dog like a toy Living being is able to love a family with heart and soul and selflessly stand up for defense if necessary.

If you decide to get a dog, then you probably understand that this is not a toy. And certainly not a temporary purchase. It is worth weighing the pros and cons in advance before going for 10-15 years life together with a shaggy, barking and toothy creature, ready at the first opportunity to empty your food supplies, bite off your neighbor’s eggs, make a couple of piles and cause bedlam in the house. These, of course, are only the most popular options and they are not relevant for all breeds, but it doesn’t hurt to prepare mentally. And so that this does not happen, so that your newly found friend lives good life, without suffering from the stupidity of the owner, this same owner (you) must know the basic rules of caring for and maintaining a dog. And if you already have a dog, then it is likely that you are not aware of some of the rules or are neglecting them. Let's talk about this.

Breed selection

Caring for the dog should begin from this moment, in a good way. Otherwise, some people see a husky and are eager to buy one, and then both suffer. The bottom line is that it is worth studying the characteristics of character and caring for them, comparing them with your capabilities. For especially lazy people, there are quite unpretentious and carbonated breeds: Shiba Inu, Dachshund, French Bulldog, Italian Greyhound and, of course, Pug. But all breeds still need care and standard procedures.

Food

In dogs, as you might guess, the digestive system does not work like in humans - an animal can easily get an upset stomach. The volume and schedule of meals should be constant - this is it. The required amount can be calculated by simple observation: if there is any left, reduce it; if you lick the bowl clean, increase it.

Which is better, food or natural food- the question is debatable. If you read the forums, it will become clear that both options have a right to life. It’s just that in the case of food, you need to choose expensive premium food and feed it that way. It contains all the necessary components, they are balanced and contain vitamins that are beneficial for the dog. If you can afford natural ingredients and have the time to do this, then this option is better, as it is a more natural type of food for the animal.

The diet should include approximately 50% meat, 10-15% cereals, 30%-40% dairy products and some vegetables. You should not give fatty foods, pork, bones, or sweets. Look at the reaction of the dog and its digestive system and find out the feeding habits of the selected breed. It is ideal to always have fresh herb “Vitamin Grass” in an accessible place, which is not only a source of vitamins, but also helps digestion and cleanses the gastrointestinal tract.

You don’t need to look for professional dog food in the market or grocery stores, and in specialized ones. Unfortunately, not all cities have them, but some, for example, deliver throughout Russia. And in this store you can find popular, proven professional nutrition, such as ROYAL CANIN, PURINA PRO PLAN, HILLS and the domestic “Vitaminka Grass” ( useful herbs V natural form containing vitamins and microelements). There you will also find other things necessary for your pet: toys, medicines and medicinal food, hygiene products and products, care accessories, feeding and even clothes if you follow the style of your four-legged friend.

Teeth cleaning

Teeth brushing is recommended depending on how dirty your teeth are. By the way, you need to get used to this process when you are still a puppy, otherwise it will be problematic later. Solid food, like food, promotes self-cleaning, but soft food like porridge quickly darkens the teeth, causing diseases. You can clean with special brushes and pastes or, as a last resort, a mixture baking soda and children's tooth powder. Remember that dogs love to chew on everything, especially small objects, plastic, and toys. This should not be allowed - buy specialized edible toys (by the way, this also helps keep your mouth clean)

Training

It’s not that difficult to teach a dog anything if you turn it into a game and reward it with treats at the right time. If special skills are needed, then, of course, it is better to send the dog to school. This is highly recommended if the dog is an aggressive or unpredictable breed. If you do this yourself, just don’t forget that you can’t shout or hit the dog. You can't call her by her nickname if you scold her - otherwise she will get used to it and will react to her name as a threat. To teach basic commands and make it clear what is good and what is bad, you can use a treat and a special sound device used at the same time. Subsequently, the sound will mean to the dog that he is doing everything right.

Walk

In general, dogs, like us, have both obvious and undiagnosed symptoms of diseases. There are hundreds of diseases, and your friend can become their victim. Therefore, it is completely normal to contact a veterinary clinic if you have any suspicions. There is a very good one in Moscow - with a full range of services for animals and dogs, in particular: cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, orthopedics and dentistry. The most important thing is professional doctors with many years of experience and degrees. Everything is like people have, they even have their own diagnostic laboratory. It works around the clock, and, if necessary, a veterinarian can come to your home. There you can get all the necessary vaccinations for your pet and get recommendations for caring for it. The site has many useful articles on the topic that will help a novice dog breeder.

Grooming

If the dog is domestic, the coat and undercoat require constant care, especially during the shedding period. Luckily for you, almost all dogs love being groomed. In this case, the dog only needs to be washed a couple of times a year or when dirty, but its paws - after every walk. You should not use human hygiene products - animals have different skin fat and pH balance from us. Remember also that ticks are frequent guests in dog fur - it’s easy to get rid of them, but not with the help of special collars, but by treating the fur with anti-tick agents.

Eat general rules keeping a dog, but some breeds require more careful care. Breeds suitable for apartments decorative dogs: pugs, poodles, laurelettes, chihuahuas, etc. Representatives are suitable for the home large breeds: Labradors, Dobermans, Huskies, etc. For example, spaniels or Spitz dogs should not be allowed on the sofa during heavy shedding and their fur should be brushed frequently. A miniature poodle should not be placed in an enclosure or pen, because this breed of dog is extremely active. You also need to take into account that many decorative breeds have poor health, and therefore are more susceptible to various infectious diseases.

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Proper care

Caring for your dog at home includes more than just grooming. It is necessary to organize a place for the animal away from direct drafts, temperature changes and high humidity. Pets also need a balanced diet, games and walks.

It is recommended to walk dogs on a leash twice a day. Small breeds walk three times. You should not walk your dog immediately after feeding. For representatives fighting breeds put on a muzzle. In winter, your pet should not be outside for more than 15 minutes.

Feeding

It is necessary that your pet’s diet include the following products:

raw meat and liver (cannot be given every day);
vegetables and herbs (carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, parsley, etc.);
fermented milk products (cottage cheese and kefir);
rice, buckwheat, oatmeal(you can add meat to them).

You need to feed your dog twice a day: after morning and evening walks. Determine the serving size based on the weight of the pet.

Sometimes you can give your pet dry food. It contains useful minerals and vitamins, but such food can cause addiction in the pet (he will get used to dry food and stop eating homemade food). The most famous brands: Pedigree, Chappi, Trapeza, Rogue (economy class), Canidae, Happy Dog, Royal Canin (premium class), Acana, Bosch (super-premium class).

Caring for your eyes and ears

Your pet's ears and eyes require attention. A healthy animal's eyes are always clean. Purulent discharge- a sign of an allergy or a symptom of an eye disease. In this case, you need to show the animal to a veterinarian.

While walking, dirt or pollen may enter the visual organs. In this case, you need to rinse your pet's eyes with tea leaves or water from the outer corner to the inner (nose).

The animal's ears also require care. Cleansing procedures should be carried out once a week. It is necessary to pluck the hairs inside the ear canal. If the ears are not too dirty, they are wiped with a swab dipped in vegetable oil.

Grooming

There are 4 groups of dogs based on the difficulty of grooming:

Group	Examples
Long-haired. Their coat needs to be combed regularly with a comb to prevent tangles from forming.	Labradors, Jack Russells, collies, Pekingese
Pets with medium length fur. It needs to be cut and plucked. To care for the fur of representatives of this group, a long-toothed comb is required.	Yorkshire Terrier, Cocker Spaniels and Poodles
Short-haired. 2 times a week you need to brush your dog with a brush with stiff bristles. It stimulates blood circulation and eliminates weakened hair	Dobermans, huskies
Dogs without hair. These are exotic breeds, so you need to consult the breeder about proper care for your pet's skin	Mexican Hairless, American Hairless Terrier

Experts advise using the following tools:

Tool	Application	Photo
Slicker	It allows you to fight the matting of the coat. But you can’t use it often, as your pet may go bald.
Pukhoderka	It should be used no more than 2 times a month, so it will not harm the animal. It is used together with a comb every day during the shedding period to comb out unnecessary hair.
Colt cutter	Removes mats on paws, behind ears and underarms

Dogs with hard hair (schnauzers, shorthaired pointers, foxes, terriers, etc.) need trimming (plucking out old hairs) and haircuts. Plucking is done twice a year according to an individual program. If you do not remove the old wool and do not cut such animals, they become unkempt.

Due to old hair that prevents new hair from growing, your pet experiences constant skin irritation and itching. Scratching and scratching can become infected, causing skin diseases.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the choice of brushes. The ends of the teeth should be blunt so as not to injure the pet's skin. The density and length of the teeth depends on the density and length of the animal's fur. The owner should have 2 types of brushes: with rare teethfor quick combing and frequent combing for more thorough combing.

To care for pets with hard hair, brushes with metal teeth are used, because their coat is very dense and thick.

Bathing

The frequency of this process depends on the pet's coat type. Dogs with long hair require frequent bathing; animals with short hair need to be bathed once a month. The water should correspond to the pet's body temperature.

It is necessary to dry pets with long hair with a hairdryer; for short-haired ones, it is enough to wipe them with a terry towel. It is also recommended to use shampoos from brands such as Espree, 8in1, Hebra Vitae, FitoElita and Artera.

Nail trimming and paw treatment

Your pet's nails need regular trimming. It is important not to touch the vessels in their cavities. Excess hair (tangles) on the paws is trimmed.

It is necessary to regularly inspect the paws for dirt. If your pet has walked on fresh asphalt, you need to lubricate its paws with vegetable oil, and then wash everything off with soapy water.

After a walk in winter period It is necessary to wash your pet's paws with warm water and soap. In summer it is enough to wipe them with a cloth. If the skin on the paw pads is cracked, you need to lubricate it with vegetable oil or a special cream.

Dental care

Puppies' baby teeth do not require special care. You can purchase rubber toys for jaw training. During the period of teeth change, you should not pull food out of the puppy’s mouth or play with it. You can brush your pet's teeth with a special powder (Beaphar Dental, Proden Plaqueoff) and wipe them with a soft cloth.

When a dog chews on a hard bone, his teeth are cleaned, so tartar does not form on them. If it was not possible to avoid the appearance of a stone, then you need to contact a veterinary clinic.

Sterilization

High levels of hormones in the absence of mating are the cause of aggressive behavior in dogs. Males mark territory and cause trouble. They become uncontrollable during walks, attack other dogs and chase bitches in heat. It's all about hormonal background. It is disrupted in animals that have an inferior sex life. Hormonal imbalance in a pet’s body leads to diseases of the reproductive system.

An important decision in this case for the animal owner is sterilization.

During this procedure, the uterus and ovaries are removed in females, and both testicles in males. During sterilization, sexual function is impaired; during castration, it is completely deprived.

This procedure has both positive and negative sides:

After surgery, you should not let your pet lick the stitches. You can’t get them wet; you need to wipe the healing area with an antiseptic. It is forbidden to feed the dog solid food or give him a lot of liquid.

Some experts say that the optimal age for spaying females is 6 months. Others say you need to wait for the first one.

Since time immemorial, the dog has been the most popular and beloved pet. These days there is a large number of various breeds dogs. When choosing a suitable four-legged friend, each person takes into account the size of the dog, its character and other indicators. Some people get a tiny Spitz, while others need a reliable watchdog, so the choice falls on the huge English Mastiff.

Dog in the house- this is always a big responsibility. Of course, no one cancels fun games on the street, participation in competitions and exhibitions, and hunting. However, the responsibility of caring for their pet falls primarily on the owner’s shoulders. Regardless of the characteristics of the breed, the animal requires daily comprehensive care. What activities does caring for a dog at home include?

Walk

Pets that most They live their lives within four walls and definitely need a daily walk. Duration of stay on fresh air mainly depends on the physical characteristics of the animal, that is, the larger the dog, the longer it needs to be walked, allowing it to use up its accumulated energy reserve. Small puppies are initially taken out for 10-15 minutes several times a day. Large adult dogs can be walked for more than an hour a day.

Inclement weather should not be a deterrent, because it good workout for immunity. It should be noted that a crowded area is not the best the best place for walking especially large dogs. If there is no other way out, then the dog must be muzzled and kept on a leash. It is recommended to combine a walk with training. On an open lawn, while playing with your pet, you can simultaneously teach him various commands. The frequency and timing of walks are, of course, directly related to the owner’s life schedule, but it is better that a certain time is allocated for them.

Feeding rules

Instead of natural products, your pet can be given premium dry food. High-quality and balanced food fully provides the animal with everything essential vitamins and microelements, however, its constant use as the main source of food can lead to allergies, which in dogs are often severe.

The dog is given water without restrictions. The animal must have constant access to clean drinking water.

How to care for a dog: maintaining hygiene

Grooming

You need to monitor the condition of your pet's coat from puppyhood. Small dogs are combed and bathed with care, since their skin is still quite sensitive and thin.

Dogs who live in a city apartment or private house shed almost all year round. This is due to temperature changes, because at home, unlike outside, the air is always warm and dry.

Depending on the type of wool, the frequency of the combing procedure depends. It is much easier to treat the hair of short-haired and smooth-haired dogs. Wool treatment is carried out 3-4 times a month, using a brush with hard natural bristles.

Cover care process long-haired dogs more labor intensive. Breeds such as Chow Chow, Briard, and St. Bernard require daily grooming using a comb or brush. The procedure allows you to clean the fur from dirt, remove the stratum corneum of the skin, remove lost hairs, and prevent fur from matting.

At the same time, combing improves the nutrition of the hair follicles, since at the same time the skin is massaged. Brushing the dog, using a special comb that has long, sparse and blunt teeth.

In those breeds that have a hard coat, as a rule, shedding is practically absent. Such dogs undergo trimming, that is, manual pinching, once every six months. Specialists give a certain shape to the coat, prescribed by the breed standard.

All pets react differently to bathing. Some perceive water procedures with delight, others look at the water with fear. However, the dog needs to be washed from time to time, especially if it was exposed to rain during a walk. Bath your pet in water whose temperature should not be lower than room temperature. The whole procedure takes about 10 minutes. You can buy some shampoo or conditioner at the pet store.

Before you start bathing your pet, you should check that there are no drafts in the room, since dogs are very sensitive to them.

Washing should not bring negative emotions to the animal. It is strictly forbidden to forcibly restrain a dog in the bathtub. It is important to calm an anxious animal and cheer it up by saying sweet words, and after water procedures reward with your favorite treat.

A dog with short hair is dried with a soft towel, and a long-haired dog is dried with a hairdryer. In order not to spoil the wool, the device is not turned on at maximum power.

Eye care

Proper hair maintenance is far from the only issue regarding dog care. It is also important to carefully monitor the condition of the animal's eyes. A healthy pet's eyes will never be cloudy. If traces of purulent exudate are visible around the edges of the eyes, this means that an infection has entered the dog’s body. This may also indicate an allergy. Whatever it is, the pet needs to be shown urgently veterinarian. If your dog often walks in areas where tall grass grows, she should wash out her eyeballs warm water or tea leaves. By rinsing, you can remove any pollen or plant seeds that accidentally get into your eyes.

Ear care

We must not forget about the ears. They need to be cleaned once a week. Pluck the hair inside the ears. If the ears are not very dirty, they are cleaned with a cotton swab, which is previously moistened in vegetable oil. Pet stores offer a wide range of various animal ear care products. They have a soft composition and are therefore suitable for daily use, which is extremely important for fold-eared breeds who are more susceptible to ear infections than others.

Dental care

Dog with bad teeth will not be able to chew food normally, which will certainly lead to digestive problems. To avoid the appearance of caries and tartar, the dog's teeth are regularly brushed using special tooth powder or paste. After polishing the teeth, wipe them with a soft cloth. It is useful for your pet to chew on bones and any solid food. This natural cleaning of plaque prevents the formation of cavities.

Nail care

Nails are trimmed at least once every two weeks. The operation must be carried out extremely carefully so as not to damage the blood vessel located in the cavity of the claw at the very base. Excess hair on the paws is trimmed to suit the dog's appearance. After each walk, the paws are inspected for various dirt and glass fragments.

If fresh asphalt, tar or other things stick to the dog’s paws Chemical substance, then they are cleaned of contamination by generously moistening them with vegetable oil or soap solution. In winter, roads are sprinkled with deicing agents that can corrode paw pads. Returning from a walk, thoroughly wash the paws with soapy water. During the summer Simply wipe your paws with a dry, clean cloth.

Keeping your dog healthy

Vaccination. Any domestic dog must be vaccinated against a group of diseases common in the area where it is kept. Specific information can be obtained by contacting a veterinary clinic immediately after the puppy has been purchased. Before sale, some puppies are vaccinated; the corresponding notes must be included in the documents received from the previous owner of the animal.
Sterilization and castration. If you do not plan to breed dogs, it is advisable to castrate males and sterilize females. It is necessary to deprive an animal of the ability to reproduce offspring when it reaches six months. It is not recommended to castrate male dogs older than one year, as the risk of serious complications increases.

A caring owner is aware of the importance of routine veterinary care. Without regular veterinary examinations, it is difficult to insure your dog against insidious diseases. A typical visit to the veterinary clinic includes: a visual examination of the animal, blood and urine tests, and a heartworm test. Besides, a specialist can recommend a number of additional tests that will help identify or prevent the development of a particular pathology.

Impeccable living conditions and care will increase your pet’s chances of life a hundredfold. long life no obvious problems. You need to pay close attention to the slightest changes in your pet’s behavior. Noticing that the dog became indifferent to his favorite toys, general apathy appeared, his appetite disappeared, and perhaps the animal got sick.

You should take his temperature by inserting the thermometer into anus. A healthy dog's body temperature should not exceed 39 degrees. A sudden rise in temperature indicates that the dog is sick.

However, some dangerous diseases occur at normal temperatures, so you should always focus on the dog’s behavior. Don’t be afraid to seem suspicious; it’s better to play it safe by showing healthy dog veterinarian rather than letting things take their course and then treating a whole bunch of complications.

The dog is one of the most popular and beloved types of pets. Currently there is a huge number various breeds dogs, from tiny pocket Chihuahuas to huge English mastiffs, and each person can choose the breed that best suits him in size, character, and individual preferences. However, the presence of a dog in the house involves not only fun games, hunting, participation in various competitions, etc., but also daily comprehensive care for the appearance and health of the pet. Regardless of the breed and size of your pet, caring for a dog always involves a certain set of activities:

caring for the coat (combing, cutting, bathing), claws, eyes, ears, oral cavity, that is, carrying out hygiene procedures;
ensuring a balanced diet;
walking the dog daily;
regular medical examination and.

In addition, all measures to care for a pet must be timely, otherwise they may not give the desired result. Let's take a closer look at each of the above points.

Dog hygiene

You need to start caring for your dog's coat from an early age. Puppies should be brushed and bathed more carefully, since during this period they still have very thin and sensitive skin. The process of molting in a dog that lives in an apartment or house occurs almost all year round due to temperature changes, because the room is always warm, unlike the street. The regularity of the combing process depends on the type of coat:

As for wool processing, it is much easier with short-haired and smooth-haired breeds. They should be cleaned 5-6 times a month with a stiff natural bristle brush.
Long-haired dogs require more labor-intensive care. Breeds such as collie, Japanese chin, mastiff require daily combing with a comb or brush, which removes dirt, dead skin, and lost hair from the coat, and prevents the coat from matting. At the same time, combing helps strengthen the hair, since during this procedure a kind of skin massage occurs. You need to comb your dog with a special comb with long, sparse and blunt teeth;
For a dog with coarse hair, the shedding process is practically not typical. These breeds need trimming (hand plucking) every six months. Trimming schemes are developed by specialists individually for each dog.

Dogs perceive water procedures differently. Some people love to bathe, and some are afraid of this process, but any dog needs to be bathed periodically, especially after a walk in rainy weather. You need to bathe your dog in water room temperature for 5-10 minutes, while you can use various special shampoos and conditioners. All windows should be closed before bathing, as dogs are very sensitive to drafts. The bathing process should bring only positive emotions to the dog. Under no circumstances should you use force to restrain your dog in the bathtub. During water procedures, the dog must be calmed down, spoken to gently, and after bathing, given its favorite food. After water procedures, it is enough to dry short-haired dogs with a soft towel, while long-haired dogs need to be dried with a hairdryer. This must be done very carefully so as not to frighten the pet or spoil its fur.

An important hygiene procedure is also caring for the animal’s claws. Experts recommend trimming nails about once a month, however, if the dog often walks on hard surfaces, then this procedure can be performed even less frequently. When cutting nails, you should gradually cut off the length, since you can damage the blood vessels and in the future the dog will be afraid of this procedure. To trim claws, you should use special nail clippers or nippers. Special attention should be paid to the side claws, since they practically do not grind down naturally. If they are not trimmed in time, they can grow into the skin, which will cause infectious diseases and lameness. While trimming nails, you should also inspect the paw pads for fungus or cuts. To prevent fungus, you need to trim the hair between your toes.

The most common eye problem in dogs is watery eyes and a buildup of white or dirty gray secretions in the corners. If you notice that your dog has wet hair under his eyes, then you need to rinse them with so-called silver water. You need to rinse with separate cotton swabs, moving towards the dog’s nose. To make such water, you need to put a silver object in clean, filtered water for a day. If mucus accumulates in the corners of the eyes, you should carefully remove it with cotton swabs, also passing it to the animal’s nose. If the procedures you performed within 5-6 days did not give the desired result, you should contact a veterinary clinic.

Regular cleaning of a dog's ears is a preventative measure for many diseases (for example, otitis media, ear mite). You should inspect and clean your dog's ears with an ear swab weekly. In this case, you can use special lotions that are sold in pet pharmacies, Vaseline or vegetable oil. If your pet is still scratching its ears or shaking its head, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

Hygiene oral cavity dogs are an important component of a pet's health. First of all, you can maintain your dog’s oral health with a balanced meat diet. In addition, chewing toys with antiseptic made of rubber or nylon are used to train teeth and maintain oral health. You can also brush your dog's teeth, but this is a very difficult task and must be done every day to be effective. You can also contact veterinary clinics, where specialists will clean your pet’s teeth with ultrasound and assess the general condition of the oral cavity.

Balanced diet for dogs

Plays an important role not only for the dog’s oral health, but also affects general condition health and appearance animal. must be appropriate for the age, activity and weight of the dog. It should never be combined with natural products. When forming a rational and balanced nutrition Special programs - calculators can help you proper diet, which can be found on the Internet and used for free. If you choose a dry type of food, it is very important that the dog drinks enough water. The quality of the feed also has great importance, because as a result the dog may experience gastrointestinal problems.

Dog walking

Dogs that live in apartments need to be walked daily. The duration of the walk mainly depends on physical potential pet, that is, what bigger dog, the longer she needs to be active outside in order to waste the accumulated energy. Little puppy To begin with, you need to take it out for 10-20 minutes several times a day. For adult dog The duration of the walk can be up to two hours a day. At the same time, you should not be afraid of bad weather, because this will only strengthen your dog’s immunity. It should be noted that it is better to walk especially large animals in sparsely populated places. If this is not possible, then the dog must have a muzzle. While walking, you can teach your dog various commands and play with it. The regularity and duration of walks, of course, will depend on the rhythm of your life, but it is advisable that they be carried out at the same time.

Medical examination and vaccination of dogs

In order to maintain your dog's health, it is necessary to visit veterinary clinics and conduct a medical examination of your pet. Certain prevention of occurrence various diseases You do every day caring for your pet’s fur, ears, teeth, and claws, but you shouldn’t forget about visiting veterinarians. If your dog is not bothered by anything and has a healthy appetite, then an annual medical examination is sufficient. Particular attention should be paid to vaccinating your dog, as this will protect not only your pet, but also you and the people around you from possible problems. Every dog must be vaccinated. I give the first vaccinations at the age of 2-3 months. This procedure is then repeated annually. Vaccination usually includes three shots, but modern veterinary clinics offer one comprehensive vaccine. It has certain advantages, but it is very difficult for the animal’s body.

Remember that a dog is a living creature that needs proper care, care and affection. Pay attention to your pets, and they will definitely thank you with their devotion, bringing joy and good mood to your home.