Animal Posts- Dog Care

Welcome to the third instalment of my animal care posts. This one is to talk about Dogs, first my experiance with dogs and then my tips for if you are thinking about purchasing or rehoming a dog.
My family have always loved dogs, so has my husband's family, and I think we have both had dogs through-out most of our lives. Most of my life my grandparents would always have Cavilier King Charles Spaniels, and they were lovely and loyal dogs. I used to always tell myself that that was the breed of dog I would want, or something like a Pug. It wasn't until my mum met my stepdad, and he moved to Reading to live with us. That we actually had our own dog in our house. He was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier crossed with a Whippet called Buster, and I know I am biased but he was one of the most amazing and caring dogs I have ever met in my life. Up until he was 14 years old (which is old for a dog) he would act like a puppy, and that was amazing. But the one thing I have to say is the loss of a dog is devastating. It is almost like loosing a child or a friend, and in June 2014 our beautiful Buster passed away, and I still... almost a year later get upset about not having him around. 

On a happier note, in August 2014, my husband and I decided to rehome a dog and we went to Woodgreen Rehoming Centre in Godmanchester, which is a fantastic place and I would highly reccomend going there if you are thinking about rehoming an animal (they have dogs, cats, small animals and field animals to rehome) We looked around the kennels, which is heart breaking, but we had to find the perfect dog to take home with us. And then we found Leia (her name was Pumba at the shelter) She was the most beautiful dog I have ever seen. She was a brindle Staffordshire Bull Terrier, with the most gorgeous caramel coloured eyes. I had to have her. A week later, we took her home and She is the most loyal, loving and crazy dog in the world, and she loves everyone and everything (except from some other dogs) She is a massive pig when it comes to food and will always look at you with massive eyes when you are eating your dinner, which we are trying to curb at the moment. Now a year later, she is very settled in. She loves going for walks and snuggling on the sofa. She also loves her nana's and grandad's, she loves her family so much. 

So now on to my tips for getting a Dog. First, and I think most importantly, you have to realise that Dogs are a massive commitment. It's almost like having a child, you have to make sure it is fed and watered, you really should have a garden so they can run around or they can do their buisness. You need to walk them most days, and keep them happy and entertained. If you can do these things, your dog will love you uncoditionally. Then you have the choice of rehoming a dog or buying one from a breeder, obviously that is your choice, but I would always suggest rehoming as you are giving a dog a second chance at life. I will do another post about rehoming VS buying from a breeder soon.
Then you need to think about the things you need to buy before you bring the dog home with you. Here is a list of some things you should buy before getting a dog:
⦁    Water and Food bowl
⦁    Dog Food (tinned or dried)
⦁    Treats
⦁    Lead, Collar and Harness
⦁    Toys
⦁    Dog Bed with Pillows or mats
⦁    Flea Medicine

Next on to feeding your animal. Leia is a pig and likes to eat a lot. What I will do is when I get up I will put some dried biscuits in her bowl and fill up her water bowl. Once or twice a week I will put some gravy in her food for some variation, or I will add leftovers from the day before in her bowl. Treat wise I will give her some vegetables every day, and then I will give her dental hygiene stick every evening.
I thought I would give you a list of food you need to be careful of when you are feeding your dog, as some food can be fatal to dogs
⦁    Apple Seeds - releases Cyinide when digested
⦁    Avacado - Can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and heart congestion
⦁    Chicken or Lamb Bones - These can easily splinter and either puncture your dogs mouth, or get stuck in their digestive system
⦁    CHOCOLATE. This is one of the most toxic things to a dog. It can cause  panting, vomiting, and diarrhea, and damage your dog’s heart and nervous systems. It can also be fatal too. If your dog has ingested Chocolate, please phone your local Vets.
⦁    Dairy - This one isn't as toxic than others and you can feed them some milk or cheese on the odd occasion, but in excess this could be harmful to your dog.
⦁    Onion- This can cause aniema and damadge red bloood cells
⦁    Corn On The Cob - These could get lodged in your pups intestines and will block up their diestive system, You can feed in small portions, but limit the amount they eat.

I really hope you enjoyed this post, and there will be another Animal themed post next Tuesday.