4 Golden Rules Every Dog Owner Should Know

They are loyal, kind, eager to please, provide companionship and basically put up with us silly humans. Not only do they not judge us when we haven’t got our make up on but they do SO much for us I think it is easy to forget just how much they do. From catching our tears in their fur coats, to training to become service dogs and sniffing out cancer, dogs are quite frankly AWESOME.

Our canine companions do so much for us, I believe there are a few things we can do in return:

1.Training

A well-trained dog is a happy dog and makes for a happy owner. Pulling on the lead makes for unpleasant walks for us and can damage the dog’s neck (particularly if a tightening collar, such as a coke chain or slip lead is used). Poor recall leaves us reluctant to let them off the lead which can mean your dog doesn’t get sufficient exercise (which we all need to stay healthy) and can lead to more pulling on the lead- ah look, a vicious cycle. These are just a couple of examples, so don’t underestimate the power of training. This is something that falls under the category of ‘you reap what you sew’. It is your most powerful tool and when used correctly can lead to great things for you and your dog. Does your training need a touch-up? Head over to the Training Section  (coming soon!).

2.Diet

Contrary to advertising, the most well-known brands are actually the worst for your dog. Ingredient lists can be confusing, but they don’t have to be. Did you know that many dog food brands mainly consist of fillers? And what I mean by fillers is ingredients like maize, that your dog gets no nutritional value from and just poops straight back out. Quite literally a waste of money AND no good for your dog. Click here (coming soon!) for more information on ingredients.

3.Company

Dogs are highly social animals that live in groups and will form them if on their own. So they deserve to not be left alone all day. I work to a rule of thumb of not leaving my dog for more than 4 hours. There are many issues that arise from being left alone all day including separation anxiety which can result in a host of destructive and stress-related behaviours (including, chewing, urination/defecation and whining/howling). Getting another dog doesn’t always ensure they keep each other company. You are part of their family and they are waiting for you to come home! Read more about destructive behaviours here (coming soon!).

4.Exercise

You weren’t designed to sit on your bum all day and neither is your dog. As a rough guide, dogs should get one hour of exercise a day but this is a very loose guide. For puppies or elderly dogs this may be too much, others may benefit from breaking this time up throughout the day, but some breeds require much more than one hour. Working breeds particularly are designed to be on the go ALL day. They need stimulation and an outlet for all that energy they have. This doesn’t just mean clocking up the miles each day though, consider keeping your dog mentally stimulated too! More on how to exercise your dog’s brain here (coming soon!). So get that lead on and get out exploring! You might be pleasantly surprised by the people you meet and the views you find. For some walk-sipration click here (coming soon)!

Yes, it's all good reading it, but what about those training methods... how DO you get a good recall? What exactly DOES 'good quality' dog food consist of? Maybe you don't leave the house all day but the dog STILL chews everything when you're gone. Didn't know that mentally stimulating your dog can be more beneficial than just exercise and results in a tired calmer version of what you have now?

Well, don't fret! This blog is about to become your complete guide to dog care and training as it takes you through all the information you need to have that 'perfect pooch'. So stay tuned to discover how to get a good recall, what dog food brands are the best and where the best walks are for those summer weekends plus much MUCH more...

Any questions?... Send me an email, I'd love to hear from you.