How to Keep Your Dog Healthy and Safe

By Bill Herrfeldt

Instructions

Step 1:
Resist the urge to cut your dog’s hair short in the summer because you believe he will be more comfortable. Actually, a dog’s fur is a natural coolant and it keeps him cool and comfortable on a hot day. In addition, your dog will risk sunburn, a condition that is very difficult to cure.
Step 2:
If your dog is full grown and weighs less than 20 pounds, he’ll need more calories to stay healthy than a dog weighing two or three times as much. The pet food companies make dog food for dogs of any size. If you’re in doubt about what your dog requires, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.
Step 3:
If your dog is a picky eater, it’s probably because you switch foods too frequently. The fact is, the dog will learn quickly that if he does not like what’s in his bowl, he can count on you providing him something new. Once you have found dog food he likes, stick with it unless your veterinarian orders something new for him.
Step 4:
If you are considering neutering your male dog, ask your veterinarian about using drugs instead of a surgical procedure. It is less invasive and the recovery time is not a consideration. The downside of that method is that the dog’s hormone levels are not changed by this new procedure, so he will retain some of his less desirable tendencies, despite that no offspring will be produced.
Step 5:
Keep your dog out of your garden. He might enjoy digging holes and romping through your vegetables, but he’ll likely by surrounded by plants that are bad for him. Spinach and tomatoes are especially harmful to dogs; and if you happen to grow grapes, they are toxic to dogs, and they can kill him.
Step 6:
Beware of getting on elevators with your dog, whether it is small or large. The sensors of some elevators are too high to be activated by your dog, resulting in the doors closing and strangling them. If you must enter an elevator with your dog, always carry him if he is small, and put larger dogs on leashes.

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