Considering how friendly and loving dogs can be it’s hard to believe that some owners don’t take care of their dogs. The truth is however, millions of healthy dogs are put down every single year. Sometimes this is due to owner neglect and other times it is because of owner ignorance. Either way the outcome is the same for too many innocent dogs. As a responsible dog owner there are certain things you can do to make sure your dog doesn’t become a statistic.

Allowing a new dog into your home means taking on additional long term responsibility. Many new dog owners find something exciting about bringing home that puppy in the window until they realize that there’s a plethora of work involved in caring for that. Just like you wouldn’t expect to return a baby, you should also not feel it is ok to return a dog when the novelty wears off, and it should be criminal to leave a dog somewhere on its own. Dogs are nearly as vulnerable as newborn babies. The difference is dogs are dependent upon their owners their entire lives.

Here are some basic steps to ensure responsible dog ownership.

Look first at rescues and animal shelters. You can find wonderful dogs that are otherwise looking at euthanization soon. Consider getting an older dog as an alternative to having to train a puppy.

Have a veterinarian run the general tests on the dog to see if it has any unobvious issues.

Responsible pet owners spay and neuter their dogs. There are many more dogs waiting for adoption than there are people willing to adopt them.

As well as getting a physical examination and vaccinations protect your dog from ticks, fleas and heartworm. Anytime you see something wrong with your dog contact your veterinarian right away.

Based on your dog’s activity level, size and age make sure it is getting enough water and food.

Exercise your dog. Certain breeds require more exercise than others. Make sure you are aware of your dog’s exercise needs and meet or exceed them. Provide them with plenty of space, opportunity and toys.

Prevent your dog from being abused. If anyone ever intentionally harms your dog it should be reported to authorities. In some states animal cruelty is a felony.

You’ll should be able to tell the difference between play and aggressive behavior. Contact your veterinarian at any sign of aggressive behavior.

Older dogs are vulnerable to many of the same illnesses as older people. Do everything in your power to make your dog comfortable up until the end. At some point it may be more humane to end the suffering rather than allowing it to end. When this time comes you’ll want to do it with the same responsibility you have demonstrated for its entire life.

Apart from working with dogs, He is also in the field of criminal justice. He has just recently begun providing people interested in criminal justice with insights to specific positions in the field.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,