Hey guys! So not so long ago, Dina wrote a post entitled: 7 Rules of Owning a Dina. So I thought I would expand on that and do a more realistic -sorry Din-Dins!- version of that!
1. An essential for all dogs-and all animals for that matter- is a good supply of water and food. Water as we know gives life and nothing living can go for long without it. The type of food you give your dog is also very important. I, until recently, have been feeding Dina 'Bakers Puppy' which I found out was one of the worst foods out there. It contains additives that are harmful, raise the risk of cancer, influence hyperactivity and cause skin problems (Bakers Dog Food). This is the result of me not doing enough research before going out and buying. I was attracted by the price and that is all. Choosing Dina's next feed was a massive job for me after this mistake and I asked some other dogs owners that I know for their advice. I ended up getting Arden Grange Puppy/Junior and Dina and I are both very happy with it.
2. Tags. Here is the UK it is a legal requirement to have one on your dog. Whether it is an engraved one or an ID Tag that is more like this:
Over here in the UK you can fined up to £5,000 if your dog does not have one. It is 7628 Us dollars.
3. Your dog needs time. Commitment Not just time to feed it and take her to the vet but time to bond. Dogs are social animals that need care and love. They need a bond.
4. Another big thing that I believe in is that there are no bad breeds. I am a big fan of Dobermans and they are my favourite breed- sorry Din-Dins!. Some of my friends- that are not as into dogs as I am- say that they are an aggressive breed, that they are untrainable and dangerous. This angers me because with the right attitude and methods every dog is trainable. Terriers and other small dogs such as Dachshunds are said to be stubborn and difficult to train but you need the correct methods.
5. This next one does rely on breed- well at least the recommended minimum does; exercise. Border collies are active dogs that need plenty of running around and plenty of mental stimulation otherwise they will channel it into something else that you do not want. Greyhounds on the other hand- another one of my faves- although they are known as racing dogs will do with 20-40 minutes walk each day. They are lazy giants. Dina loves to run and will not stop during a walk, she only shows that she is tired when we get in the car.
6. Every dog and dog owner needs a good vet. Period. They give you advice, help you and most importantly: they care for your pupil. The health of your dog is not to be taken lightly- they are your family member. Vaccines are a must to protect your dog from the most common diseases.
7. I have read in one of Kyra Sundance's books that your dog deserves at least 20 minutes of your undivided attention each day- I whole heartedly agree and live by this (but I give her more).
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| Just signing off with this cute Dina picture! (Mom!!! Stop embarrassing me! ) |
Yours,
Dina Mom
Yep, I think a lot of people really have no idea of what a commitment it is, I was chuckling though about the amount of undivided attention time...Max says that is never good enough for his highness :) Great post!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great post! I think when you get a dog as a puppy, you have to put a huge effort into socializing them, training them, etc. We adopted our first dog, Chloe, when she was a year old and it was much easier to get started with her than it was with Riley (as a 7 week old puppy). We didn't have to do as much training with Chloe (we took two 8 week obedience classes with her) and she had already had all her puppy shots and been spayed, etc. I did a year and a half of obedience school with Riley (being that she's a high energy, very smart breed) and had to get her her series of puppy shots and get her spayed, etc.
ReplyDeleteSo I always recommend to people that if they aren't going to put forth the effort to socialize and vet their puppy, maybe consider adopting an adult dog...less maintenance that way. Of course, if they REALLY aren't going to make an effort, they don't need a dog!!
Anyway, enough rambling...I loved this post!
Elyse (and Riley)
Mom said being owned by pugs is just like having three little kids in the house again...oh mom!!!! Great post!
ReplyDeletestella rose