How to Be a More Responsible Dog Owner for Responsible Dog Ownership Month

How to Be a More Responsible Dog Owner for Responsible Dog Ownership Month

September is National Responsible Dog Ownership Month, and we like to celebrate by helping people learn more about what responsible dog ownership entails. While adopting a new pet can be a great source of joy in anyone’s life, it is not a decision to take lightly because dog ownership does come with quite a bit of responsibility. Consider the following tips to ensure you’re being a responsible dog owner.
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7 Tips on How to Be a Responsible Dog Owner

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1. Health, Wellness, and Veterinary Care

Dogs need ongoing care to maintain good health and prevent illness. This includes routine veterinary appointments for checkups, vaccinations, and parasite prevention.

2. Exercise and Enrichment

Dogs require lots of exercise and activities to keep their bodies and minds healthy and happy. Some breeds, such as working or racing breeds, require more exercise than others. Be sure you make time in your schedule to play with your dog and them for plenty of walks.

3. Nutrition

Nutrition provides the building blocks for your dog’s health and wellness. It not only gives your dog’s body everything it needs to function and stay well but proper nutrition can also help maintain your dog at a healthy weight. Feed your dog a diet of high-quality food in the right portions.

4. Training and Socialization

To function safely in the world and get to experience as much as possible with you, dogs need to be properly trained and socialized so that they know what to expect in the world and how they are expected to behave in it.

5. Grooming

Some dog breeds require more grooming than others. However, all dogs will need a bath and brushing occasionally in addition to nail trims and ear cleanings.

6. Safety

Responsible dog owners create safe environments for their pets by pet-proofing their households and yards.

7. Permanent Identification

It’s also responsible to have your pet microchipped in addition to providing them with a collar and ID tags.
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Schedule an Appointment for You and Your Dog at Compassion Animal Hospital

When it comes to being a responsible dog owner, veterinarians can do a lot to help you learn the ropes of pet ownership while also helping you to keep your pet healthy and happy. We welcome you to schedule an appointment for your dog with our veterinarian to learn more about caring for and training your pet, meeting all of their needs, and helping them to live a full and long life.

Why Won’t My Dog Listen?

Why Won't My Dog Listen?

Without training, our dogs would simply be wild animals. It’s their willingness to exist and interact with us in addition to pleasing their owners that make dogs so wonderful to live with. Plus, proper training helps our dogs have happier and healthier lives. So, what if your dog is struggling to behave? Understanding the reasons why your dog might not be listening can help you address the issues and improve your dog’s behavior.
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6 Reasons Why Your Dog Is Not Listening to You

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1. Too Much Energy

If your dog has a lot of energy, they are going to have a tough time focusing on training and listening to your commands. Take your dog out for long walks or play vigorous games of fetch in a big (enclosed) area to burn that energy before settling in for a good training session.

2. Too Many Distractions

Dogs can get easily distracted. Consider the environment you’re training your dog in. If there are a lot of distractions (squirrels, traffic, other dogs, or food smells), then your dog might have a tough time focusing on your voice and listening to your commands.

3. Boredom

Bored dogs tend to act out with undesirable behaviors such as disobedience and destruction. If your dog’s exhibiting these behavior patterns, then add more enrichment into his or her life with more play, exercise, challenges, and toys.

4. You've Forgotten Positive Reinforcement

Dogs need lots of positive reinforcement like praise, love, and treats when they obey commands. If you let rewards slide, your dog might stop listening too.

5. Your Dog Might Be Overwhelmed

Trying to teach your dog too many new commands at once can be overwhelming and confusing, leading dogs not to listen.

6. Your Dog Might Be Sick

If your once obedient dog has suddenly stopped listening to your commands, this could indicate an underlying health problem. Behavior changes like this can occur when a dog is unwell. You should schedule a veterinary examination as soon as possible.
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Canine Behavior Counseling at Compassion Animal Hospital

If you’re having trouble training your puppy or if your dog has suddenly become disobedient, we strongly encourage you to schedule a checkup and behavior counseling appointment with our veterinarian at Compassion Animal Hospital in Woodland Park. We can examine your pet to rule out any underlying health conditions that might be contributing to their behavior problems and also provide you with some helpful tips and tricks for training your dog.
To learn more or schedule an appointment, we welcome you to contact our office today.