Dog Care Basics Australia

Your dog has a lot to offer you including the unconditional love of a pack animal lower down the chain of dominance (you being the pack leader!). Dogs are loyal and friendly. In turn, as the pack leader you owe them a duty of care and are responsible for providing for their every need. 

When part of a true pack, the pack members will jointly seek out food, water and shelter and determine their social structure. Health issues will be determined mainly by survival of the fittest. Exercise needs? These will be taken care of during the pack hunt.

By having a dog as a pet, rather than as a wild pack animal, you take responsibility for providing for these needs, be they food, water, shelter, safety, medical care.... and things like exercise and playtime which would normally be taken care of by the pack activities themselves.

Here are some tips to take good care of your dogs:

• Ensure your dog has a collar, an id tag and is microchipped. The id tag should contain your dog's name, as well as your name, address and phone number. In the event these a lost, a microchip might be the only way you can be located as the owner of a dog - and with some pounds only keeping stray animals for a short period before euthanasia.....If for some reason you sell your dog, make sure the owner details with your local organisation are updated.
• Get your dog vaccinated against local canine diseases. Rabies is a massively dangerous disease in some countries(though it's not seen in Australia) but there are plenty of other canine diseases that can end a dog's life or make them very sick such as parvovirus.
• Keep your dog on a leash, where it should be. If you have a sight hound ALWAYS keeps it on a leash as sight hounds will usually not "come" once they have started a hunt chase. Seek out offleash exercise areas.
• Dogs are pack animals, and most would prefer a friend. If it can't be you, all the time, consider a 2nd dog. Having a 2nd dog, does not mean you are off the hook as far as providing company and stimulation for them. They will look to you, their pack leader, to LEAD!
• Ensure you provide shelter and and exercise areas suitable for your dog's size and breed. Fitting the right dog breed to your home is most important and size is not the only factor. Some breeds are massively more active than others. Some would prefer to play statue, almost all day.
• Regulars grooming is necessary for all breeds, some more than others. If you have a short haired dog, in a dry area, you will have low grooming needs though fleas might be a problem. If you have a long haired breed in a tropical/subtropical area, grooming requirements will be high. Long haired dogs are more susceptible to skin conditions if allowed to stay wet, they get more ticks and the ticks are harder to find, they get brambles in their fur and hard knots of fur. Some dogs, don't shed at all and need clipping every few months.
• Regular veterinarian check-ups will keep your dog healthy.  The vet is not just for emergencies.
• If you do not want to breed the dog, get it spayed which is just a routine surgery for both dogs and bitches. It helps them live longer, be healthier and have fewer behaviour problems especially in males.
• A nutritionally balanced diet with constant access to fresh water is essential. Just like your diet isn't best just from a can, neither is it for your dog. Raw meat, vegetables, certain oils etc and cereals can be made into a tasty dog dinner - and the result is a healthier dog than if can fed, and also less "chum bum" caused by the high fat content in canned dog food. Dry dog food in moderation, without plenty of water it causes constipation and may do anyway.
• Train your dog, it helps let them know where they fit in your "pack" and makes things easier for you when outside the yard with them. Ensure your training regime fits the dog type - different dog breeds react different to more or less forceful or repetitive training techniques
• Ensure adequate exercise for your dog. NO strict rules here, each breed requires different levels of exercise and these also change with your dog's age. Exercise is required not just for their physical health, it's also necessary for their mental health. A bored dog, is a lonely destructive dog.
• Watch out for your dog. Be aware of changes in their behaviour, weight, or general appearance. Your dog is not going to necessarily come and tell you if something is wrong and it's your job to spot the tell tale signs. If you suspect something is not quite right, take your dog to the vet.