Food, long walks in the park while the children run wild among the flowers, and a comfortable bed is not all there is when it comes to taking care of a dog. For most pets, this would do just fine and they would happily live the rest of their lives as such, but you want your pet to look the part.
What we mean is, when you walk down the road during the school run and the weather’s great, hence the walk, you like the idea of people stopping and commenting on how your puppy looks. Well-groomed, healthy, and a coat that shines as bright as the sun in the sky. Proper care comes in all shapes and sizes, forms, and methods, and finding a balance will help get you the best of all worlds.
The full package.
A great wash routine is easier than you may think, some dogs love the water, they can spend hours running through a sprinkler trying to bite all the drops soaking into their little faces, others may take some convincing.
A few easy steps can help you get the process started and on the way to a cleaner, fresher-smelling pup. Team that with a nutritious, vitamin-enriched food diet and your pet will be the belle at the ball, as the old saying goes. Let’s take a quick look at the former to get the ball rolling.
- Wash area. You need to get your dog to the place you are going to wash them, it could be the bathtub, an outdoor shower area, or even a thought-out pet wash station around the side of the house. The main objective is to have a designated space that the dog will associate with bath time. Initially, it may take some coaxing on your part, but after a few rounds, they will get the idea.
- Shampoo. As we know shampoo and conditioners can be quite thick and end up clumping in one place, the best tip is to fill a bucket with warm water and add the shampoo to it while swirling the water. This dilutes the product making it much easier to use and it creates soap suds that are easier to spread. Your pup will probably end up trying to bite the floating bubbles, making it that much more fun.
If you aren’t sure, other than being recommended by a vet or clinic, on which shampoo is best, check here https://www.reviewsworthy.net/dogs/shampoo/how-to-chose-right-dog-shampoo for some handy advice to get you on your way. While we may think that certain packages are prettier than others, you need to ensure you are getting the right product for your particular dog breed.
- Twice. This is something I learned in practice that when you first wash your pup the shampoo is grabbing the dirt particles and these are then rinsed off and away. When you was a second time the shampoo doesn’t need to break through a dirt barrier and you can wash their skin and body.
Follow with the recommended conditioner which you can take your time to massage into your pup (which they will most likely enjoy just sitting there being pampered) and rinse till there is zero product left on the fur or hair.
Washing can be a great bonding experience, and when the kids are old enough to get involved teach them the steps, this builds character, engraves responsibility, and you can never put a price on the memories you will make. Good or other.
The latter.
Now that your fresh flower-scented pup is walking around the house like he owns the place it is time to fill his tummy, and as easy as it seems to simply throw a tub load of kibble into their bowl with a side order of tinned food, you can do better.
Wholesome food doesn’t need to be an effort, with the right advice you can vitamin-filled nutritious meals like it was any other day. The first point you need to ensure on is understanding and finding all the necessary dietary needs and concerns for your particular type of dog, breed care is as important as the products you purchase if not the most.
Look at the product labels in-store, are the proteins the main ingredient, are there additives and preservatives you ideally don’t want to feed your dog if you can prevent it, being in the know is not only for the safety of your dog but to give them the best meals to fuel them for the days.
Food ingredients.
What new pet owners may not have thought of is that the food changes as the puppy grows, the same way you would introduce solids as a child grows. You do, however, want to transition them slowly as opposed to all of a sudden so as not to upset their stomachs.
As they grow they become livelier, have more energy that needs to be fueled, and their muscles are developing requiring a higher percentage of protein in the dinner plate. Take a browse in this link to hear the advice from other pet owners, how they found caring for a dog with all its trials and tribulations, and know that you are not alone as a new pet owner.
We all have to start somewhere, the fact that you have taken the initiative to be interested in the ingredients is above average as it is. Your furball will thank you while drowning you in cuddles and kisses, win-win.
