A Guide To Keeping Your Dog Healthy

There is something extremely rewarding about owning a protection dog. It’s like having fun companion and a sword by your side at all times, an addition to your family with the right confidence and skill set to defend you and your home against potential assailants and threats. But owning a dog comes with significant responsibilities. Dogs have complex needs and to keep your canine protector healthy, you need to be acquainted with some important things associated with veterinary care.

1. Vaccination

Dogs, like us human beings, are susceptible to certain infectious diseases that can be prevented through vaccination. The most common infectious diseases include Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper and Canine Parainfluenza. If you adopt a puppy, you need to make sure your dog receives the right injections and subsequent booster vaccinations at the right times.

2. Socialization

For proper behavioral development, a puppy needs to learn how to respond to different stimuli. This is called socialization. Depending on the age of the dog you adopt, socialization may play an important role in ‘shaping’ the behavior of your canine companion as it matures.  To be effective, socialization must start early, at about 3 weeks of age and last roughly 9 weeks.

3. Training

The next step: Training. For a dog to integrate seamlessly into a family, it needs adequate and expert training. In addition to learning how to obey basic commands, a combination of communication, direction and correction training can enhance how dog owners communicate with their canine companions with no behavioral mishaps.

4. Feeding

The nutritional requirements of dogs do not stay constant. Like in humans, the requirements change over time as the canines grow from puppies into adult dogs and then from adult dogs into senior dogs. To meet the nutritional requirements of your canine, only buy premium-quality food from a reputable manufacturer. The key is to makes sure your dog enjoys a well-balanced diet. In general, dry food is more convenient for dog owners to handle and it is also better for the dog’s teeth. Puppies up to 12 weeks old need 4 meals a day. For adult dogs, get advice from a veterinarian about food quantity and feeding frequency to avoid obesity. Always make sure your dog has fresh water. Keep food and water dishes hygienic and clean.

5. Bedding/housing

 Every dog needs a warm and clean place to rest.  A training crate is ideal or you can purchase a dog bed. The important thing is to provide your canine companion with a clean pillow and blanket. Wash the bedding periodically to keep it hygienic and clean. If your dog stays outdoor, make sure it has access to shade when it’s hot and a dry, clean and covered place when it’s cold or rainy.

6. Exercise

Dogs, in particular breeds like the German Shepherd and BelgianMalinois are very active, have a great deal of energy and truly like to work. They need a lot of exercise and regular activity for physical and mental wellbeing including jogging, Frisbee and training sessions. When left alone for too long, boredom can lead to anxiety which the canine will express in ways you probably won’t enjoy like barking, digging and chewing. Exercise also plays a role in maintaining the muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness of your dog and fight obesity and the associated health problems.

7. A quick checklist

Last but not least, every dog needs the following items:

-          Dog treats

-          Toys including a few safe chew toys

-          Accessories for grooming including a nail trimmer and a flea comb

-          A collar with appropriate tags

-          A leash

-          Blankets, towels and pillows

-          A dog toothbrush

For details, please check our website at http://ccprotectiondogs.com/