Just as humans need a regular check up now and then to make sure everything is working properly, dogs need a regular (weekly or bi-weekly at least) examination. Our human medical doctors go through many years of schooling, studying how the body works, and how it normally feels and functions before they begin their practice. Even though dogs have a basic similar structure, each dog is different. In order to examine your dog, you need to go through a “schooling” of your own.

Familiarize yourself with your dog’s normal behaviours. This is important to know, in case your dog is acting strangely. If there is a problem with your animal, you’ll be better equipped to catch an injury or sickness before it takes its complete toll on your dog. Here are a few specific things to check for when examining your pet.

Look at your dog’s nose. It should always be black in color and moist. If your dog’s nose is dry and has an irregular brownish color, he may be dehydrated. Check with your vet if the problem persists.

Check your dog’s teeth regularly. Are there any that are broken or chipped? What about the gums? Are they a healthy pink color? Look around the edges and roots of the back molars. These back teeth build up tartar, a brown scaley material, very easily and can quickly become infected. A good way to get rid of this is to give your dog a chew toy. The biting action rubs at the tartar and it flakes off as easily as it came.

Also check the eyes and glands in the neck. The eyes should not be goopy or give off any discharge. You’ll notice in the inner corner of your dog’s eye there’s a “third eyelid”. If this membrane folds over the eye, your dog is very sick and you should take him to a vet immediately. Again, if you know your dog’s behaviour when everything is normal, it will be easy for you to see when something is wrong. Next, move from the eyes down to your dog’s neck feeling for any swelling in the glands. Dog’s can get thyroid and other gland infections just as well as humans can.

A regular ear cleaning and check up is also needed. If you notice your dog scratching at his ears a lot, it could be a sign of ear mites. These little black bugs are visible if you look inside the ear. Never use a q-tip in case your dog jerks. A simple cotton ball with baby oil does the trick just as well. Rub out the inside of your dog’s ears and, in some cases, apply a few drops of ear mite medication if they have become infected.

These simple steps will keep your dog in good health, and keep you updated on how your dog is maturing and growing.

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When you are looking for a dog, it is important to choose one with a temperament that fits you and your family. Are you an experienced dog owner? Have you had a dog in the past? How educated are you on the subject of dogs? Do you have children? Are you just married, or are you expecting a new baby soon? These are all important questions to consider before going down to your local animal shelter or visiting a breeder. Here are a few tips on choosing a dog with a perfect temperament for your personality and lifestyle.

Play with the animal and note the dog’s reaction. If a dog is passive and allows you to do most anything with it, the dog has a stable temperament. On the other hand, if a dog turns rigid or snaps out of fear, that is the kind of unstable temperament that will require a lot of gentle handling. Are you prepared to give that much needed treatment? Also, if you have children or are around children frequently, this kind of temperament is unsafe and probably will not suit your daily activities.

Startle the animal with sudden movement or noise. If the dog reacts with curiosity and playfulness, its temperament is stable. However, a shy dog will run away or try to hide from the loud noise. It’s always a good idea to test an animal in new situations like making sudden noises or movements to view how he will react.

Test the animal’s intelligence by making squeaky or unusual noises. If the animal reacts with curiosity, he’ll most likely be a little more outgoing and playful than a dog that pays little or no attention to you at all. Many dogs will look behind them to see if they are the ones who made the noise. Dogs that are more curious may be easier to train as well because curiousity can be a sign of higher intelligence levels.

If a dog reacts in fear to any of these tests, he or she will probably cause you problems with training and getting to know them. Before getting a dog like this, make sure you have the space, knowledge, love, and patience to train the animal. Remember to always have the dog’s best interest at heart.

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Having a social and well rounded dog is an important part of pet ownership. Giving your dog new experiences improves his personality andy can help him have a full and happy life. Here are 3 tips on encouraging the development of a social, well rounded animal.

The best time to buy a puppy is between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks. This is time enough for the puppy to have been completely weaned from its mother and be ready to begin bonding to you. If you delay this process by waiting or keeping the puppy in a kennel, he or she will become more dog oriented, will generally not make as good of a companion and will be more difficult to train and less obedient.

Make sure your dog meets and interacts with a wide variety of different people at an early age. If you keep your dog at home all day or have him chained up in the back yard, he will become very attached to you, but will be shy of strangers, which can create problems for you when you have friends over or need to leave him with a petsitter.

Make sure your dog experiences lots of different places. If you keep your dog in an apartment all day, it will be harder for him to adjust to changes he may go through in your lifetime. The best time to start taking your puppy out and about is from about 12 to 16 weeks of age. (Never take an unvaccinated puppy to public places.) Take your dog with you everywhere you go, allowing him to experience busy, loud, quiet and crowded places. This will also conquer and prevent many fears your animal may experience.

Follow these steps and you and your dog will be well on your way to a happy, healthy, friendly life. Remember, a good relationship with your animal is easy and will give you both a friend for life.

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