A guide to responsible DOG ownership

Responsible dog ownership entails a range of duties and responsibilities that pet owners should adhere to in order to ensure their pets live happy, healthy lives. Some of these responsibilities include:

1. Providing adequate food and water: owners should provide their pets with high-quality, nutritionally balanced food and clean, fresh water at all times. Feeding your dog a balanced diet can help maintain their overall health, including their teeth and gums. Avoid feeding your dog too many treats or table scraps, which can contribute to dental problems amongst other problems. There are also a whole list of human-foods to avoid giving your canine pal altogether as they can have extremely negative impacts to their health, some even being fatal. 

2. Providing shelter: your furry friends should be provided with a safe, comfortable, and clean living environment that protects them from the elements and provides them with adequate space to move around.

3. Providing exercise and mental stimulation: dogs should be given regular exercise and playtime to keep them physically and mentally healthy. This can include walks, runs, playtime, and training.

4. Providing medical care: dogs should be taken to the vet regularly for routine checkups, vaccinations, and preventative care. They should also be taken to the vet promptly if they show signs of illness or injury.

   Age	Vaccination List
   6 — 8 weeks	Distemper, parvovirus
   10 — 12 weeks	DHPP (vaccines for distemper, adenovirus [hepatitis], parainfluenza, and parvovirus)
   16 — 18 weeks	DHPP, rabies
   12 — 16 months	DHPP, rabies
   Every 1 — 2 years	DHPP
   Every year	Rabies (as required by Botswana Law)

   *NB. Check out our Vets Tab for more info on Vets in the area. 

    

5. Keeping them safe: dogs should be kept safe from potential hazards, such as traffic, poisons, and other animals that may harm them.

6. Keeping them clean: dogs should be groomed regularly, including bathing, brushing coats, and trimming nails. This helps prevent health problems and keeps them clean and comfortable. 

    So how often should you be bathing your dogs?

   The frequency of bathing a dog can vary depending on several factors, including their breed, coat type, and lifestyle. It is important to bear in mind that over-bathing can strip the dog's coat of natural oils, which can lead to dry, itchy skin and other health problems.

   However, some breeds may require more frequent baths. For example, dogs with oily skin or thick, heavy coats may need to be bathed more often to keep their skin and coat healthy. Dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors or in the water may also need more frequent baths to prevent skin irritations and infections.

   It's important to use a dog-specific shampoo that is formulated to meet their unique needs and never use human shampoo or soap, which can be harsh and irritating to their skin. It's also important to thoroughly rinse the shampoo out of their coat to prevent skin irritations and ensure their coat is healthy and shiny.

   What about brushing coats?

   Brushing your dog regularly can lead to a happy pup and a happy owner. It is recommended that you brush dogs with long coats daily.  Dogs with short coats can stand a once-a-week brushing. 

   If your dog has fur that falls into the eyes, ears or over their paws, a regular trimming might be in your dog’s routine as well. Some owners get crafty with their own supplies, but others opt for professional grooming to have their dog trimmed, clipped or shaved.

   And brushing teeth?
   
   Did you know, that just like humans, dogs need their teeth brushed regularly to prevent plaque buildup and tartar. You can use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs to brush their teeth, ideally every day or at least a few times per week. Dental chews and toys can help scrape plaque off your dog's teeth and stimulate their gums as well. 
   
   

7. Training and socializing: Pets should be trained and socialized to ensure they are well-behaved and friendly around people and other animals.

Puppy socialization doesn’t just refer to meeting new people and dogs, although that is incredibly important too. It also means introducing your pup to as many new experiences as possible in a positive way. That can include new surfaces like the tile floor in the kitchen, new sounds like the vacuum, or other animals like cats or hamsters. The trick here is to make all these new things wonderful and rewarding. Don’t force your puppy into a situation they find frightening as one bad experience can undo all your hard work.  Always be sure to move at your puppy’s pace, stay upbeat, and associate each experience with something your pup loves like praise or small treats.

Patience along with consistency is paramount when it comes to training your dogs and they in fact find routines very comforting. Also, bear in mind that positive reinforcement doesn’t mean being permissive. Without rules and boundaries, dogs will simply be dogs—chewing, begging, barking, and so on. But you don’t have to employ harsh methods to teach your dog how you want them to behave! Teach them alternative behaviours that are incompatible with the problem behaviour, like chewing a toy rather than your shoe or going to their bed rather than begging at the table. When your dog does the preferred alternative, reward them so they know it’s worth their while.