If you really want your dog to live a long and happy life, there are several things you should do to ensure he stays fit and healthy. A dog doesn’t need as much care as a small child or a baby would, but it does need regular care and attention to keep it healthy. Some dogs and breeds need more care than others, but generally dogs are easy-going, loyal creatures that enjoy human company.

Your dog needs to have regular vaccinations and an identity tag. It’s always better yto check what your local laws require. In case your dog goes missing, the dog tag should be attached to the collar and have your name, address and contact phone number on it. Once you have brought your dog home, you will need to take it to the veterinarian for health checks and vaccinations on a regular basis.

You must feed your dog regularly! Provide him with sufficient fresh water every day and enough healthy food for his size and breed type. Ensure that you are giving the amount and type of food required for your dog.

It is very important to groom your dog. Try to bathe your dog once a month and keep his/her coat brushed and free from ticks and fleas. Dog’s teeth are very important and care is required to keep them healthy. Dog’s ears and eyes must also be cleaned regularly and watched for problemss.

You might also need to clip your dog’s nails accasionally. Perhaps you don’t have the time to carry out these tasks or feel confident enough to do them. You can always hire a dog groomer to groom your dog for you.

Every dog needs plenty of exercise, and generally the bigger the dog, the more exercise it will need. If you don’t have the time to exercise a dog, then perhaps a different kind of pet would be better for you. Not only is regular exercise good for your dog’s health, but it also gives him the opportunity to enjoy your company. Dogs love company and like to be with their ‘pack’ as much as possible. Remember when walking your dog he should always be on a leash.

Unless you are palnning to breed from your dog, it is a good idea to get your dog spayed or neutered. Not only will this stop unwanted puppies, it will also give your dog a longer, healthier life.

You may want to take your dog to obedience classes. This will enable you to socialize your dog and give you more time together. Dogs are loyal companions and want nothing more than to be with their owner, and to please him.

Caring for your dog should be enjoyable, both for you and your pet, and not a difficult task.

I don’t know if obedience classes for cats exist, but it seems unlikely. The idea of independent cats being paraded around on leads is somewhat hard to deal with but despite what dog owners would have you believe, cats can be trained using a few simple aids.

Feeding Time

Be consistent in the times that you feed your cat. Although they obviously can’t tell the time as such, cats appear to know when it’s their feeding time if you keep to the same time daily. A well-fed cat is unlikely to beg at your dinner table, particularly if it has already eaten when you sit down to your meal. If the cat does beg at table, remove it at once to its own food bowl.

Scratching Post

Cats need to claw at something. In the wild they use tree trunks but if you have no trees or have an indoor cat, a scratching post is a must in order to save your furniture and carpets. Whenever the cat shows signs of clawing where it shouldn’t, pick it up and take it to the scratching post. Soon enough it will learn what it can claw at and what it can’t.

Repellent

A liquid repellent can also be applied to furniture to stop cats from scratching, as the taste is dreadful to a cat. However, apply a very small amount to fabrics in a hard to see place to start with, just to make sure that there is no adverse reaction with the material.

Toys

A bored cat often becomes a badly behaved cat and kittens love to play but even older cats need exercise. Ping pong balls are great for a game of football – many cats are very dextrous and watching them is as entertaining for the owner. Something on the end of a piece of string which they can bat about and attack as you dangle it in the air or drag it along the ground is also fun for owner and cat. Wear your cat out with some strenuous exercise and it will be too tired to be naughty.

Treats

As with dogs, treats are a useful training aid for cats as they can be used as a reward for a task achieved or just for good behaviour. Some cat treats have other benefits such as removing plaque from the cat’s teeth and preventing fur balls.

Water Spray

A water spray is useful to train a cat that fighting with other cats or using your best plant pots as a toilet is not acceptable behaviour.

Cat Grass

Cats instinctively eat plant matter or grass to induce vomiting when they have a fur ball. If you don’t want your best plants eaten, provide a pot or two of specially grown grass for cats. It will be a lot better for them too.

Observation Post

Cats like to have a good view of the world. If you don’t want them sitting on the backs of your chairs or on your window sills, provide a specially built high up place for the cat to sit. As with the scratching post, if they make for your sofa back or bookcase, pick them up and put them on their observation post.

No matter what training aids you use, training your cat will still require patience but it will pay off in the end.