Bringing a new dog to become a member of your family is an exciting time, especially if you buy them when they’re still a puppy. Buying a dog from a shelter is also a very emotional experience because you’re potentially giving that dog a happy home that they might not have been so lucky to have been part of in the past. Every dog deserves a wonderful home where they can be loved. Pets of this nature are often referred to as ‘love heaters,’ as in a creature you bring into your home that radiates love, can relieve stress, and over time can become a deep part of the family.

However, it’s easy to get caught up in the ownership of a new dog to the point where you don’t pay strict attention to their hygiene as you should. The odd toilet training accident is frequently common when they’re a puppy, so this article won’t lecture you about the everyday training habits you should be enacting to housetrain your new pet. Instead, this article is concerned with how important it is to be hygienic with your dog and enact habits around that that allow you to be the most responsible pet owner you can be. This is important if you have children because sometimes they can catch illnesses or sicknesses from a dog who doesn’t intend to do these things.

For a seasoned and loving dog owner, treating a dog ‘like a dog’ can sound like a harsh reduction of the role the dog serves in the family unit. You might consider the dog to be a family member, but you must remember that it has a different set of requirements for its responsible maintenance. These tips will allow you to carry out said maintenance effectively and thoroughly.

Depending on the season, it’s important to keep your dogs hair well groomed and tidy. Keeping it short will help them cool off in the summer months. Imagine walking around with a winter coat in the middle of summer. That’s how uncomfortable a dog can be when you don’t help it remove its coat in a heat wave. Of course, the coat will molt over time to make room for new growth, but this can often result in large patches of hair being found all over your house. Make this easier for the dog by trimming his or her hair well. Your dog will look well taken care of, and it will reduce and nasty knots or mites attracted to sweat from surfacing on the coat itself.

Just like trimming your human nails, dogs can benefit from having theirs trims if they’re getting too long or otherwise have dirt or grime under them. Dogs are known for digging, so it’s likely that you’ll find this under there often. It’s not something to overly worry about as long as dirt isn’t being tracked into your carpets too often. Just give the dog a mat to walk over when entering the house and a large amount of this grime will come off, but it’s important to make sure nothing untoward is developing under the nails now and then.

Do not allow your dog to sleep on your bed with you. It might seem like a nice way to spend the night with your companion, but it’s very unhygienic for you. Dogs coats, bottoms, and mouths house many different bacteria, and you’ll be lying in this often.

It’s important to check your dog for fleas often. Lack of flea control for dogs will mean that your dog will pick up nasty bites, will be uncomfortable and can seriously affect the health of your dog. Fleas carry bacteria, and so breed disease if left unchecked. You can also catch fleas off your dogs, and that’s a very uncomfortable position to be in. Check them for fleas every week and enact the right solution to counteract this immediately if positively identified.

A well groomed and maintained dog is a happy dog, and also a hygienic dog. Be a good owner, and enact these tips today.