Every child wants a pet at some point, and often their pet of choice is a dog or a puppy. They say they’ll take care of them and you won’t have to do any work, but they don’t realize that taking care of a dog is about more than just playing with them. They also don’t realize that a dog can be an expensive investment that costs money for many years.
One good reason to get a dog, or a puppy, though, is when your whole family wants one and wants to chip in to raise it and care for it. Don’t just get one for your child, as your dog will become a part of your whole family.
Costly, But Important, Veterinary Care
Dogs need a lot of care, from the time they are puppies all the way into their senior years. They need regular visits to the veterinary office, and sometimes they need special visits as well. Veterinary care is definitely not cheap, although you can get pet insurance for them.
You may want to look into more care for your pet than just the general vaccinations. Older pets with arthritis can really benefit from treatments such as acupuncture. Even pet massage is a thing, and can really help dogs with all sorts of health issues, from stiff joints to bad skin.
Feeding
Properly feeding a dog or puppy for optimal health means far more than just hitting the grocery store to buy the cheapest food you can find. You want to give them quality foods with whole meat as the first ingredient. You also want to make sure you are feeding them age appropriate foods.
If you have a puppy, adult dog food could hurt their teeth and could even cause them to become malnourished. Dog foods made for senior dogs have additives in them that can help with their joints and energy.
Exercise
Dogs need exercise just as much as they need food and veterinary care. If your dog is overweight, that extra weight can do more than just harm their joints and make them move slower. It can also damage their internal organs.
As your dog gets fatter, that fat can make less room for their organs inside. This can cause many issues, including death.
Playtime And Toys
Your dog, above all else, needs love and attention. Don’t get a dog or a puppy if no one is going to play with them, or if they are going to spend all of their time in a kennel, locked up. They want your love and attention.
Get them plenty of toys, and make sure you teach them well so they know which toys are theirs and which toys belong to the kids (yes, it is possible). Play tag with them, teach them tricks, and most of all, pet them and snuggle with them every chance you get.
Originally posted on July 26, 2016 @ 12:01 pm
