How to Care for a Smaller Dog

Smaller dogs, while cute, require a careful owner to love and nourish them as well as possible. As a new pet owner, you likely wish to achieve this as thoroughly as you can, because you know that a pet is only as cared for as the owner permits it to be. You’re also of the mindset that a dog is for life and not just for the festive season, meaning that you have the best of intentions to make a real success of this, and to develop an healthy relationship between you and your new pet.

But how do you properly care for a small dog, to ensure that their health is preserved throughout their lifetime? The last thing any responsible pet owner wishes to do is harm their pet through a lack of being informed, or to make mistakes that could cause them trouble. To that end, we would recommend some of the following advice, to help you become the best, most caring, most loving and ethical pet owner possible.

Please, consider:

Care For Their Joints

Little dogs have little legs, and that can be very cute. But it can also mean that walking them too often, forcing them to learn how to walk up and down the stairs when they’re not ready or simply being too active in general can give them joint issues as they start to walk more. CBD for dogs has been considered to help with this, but as a broad strategy it’s important to allow them to explore your home at their own pace. This can enable them to slowly grow and become bigger and stronger as you had hoped they would.

Consider Your Children

Your children will likely be over the moon to enjoy a new puppy as part of the family, but sometimes they may need to be instructed as to how to care for them. Being a little too handsy, continually picking them up and perhaps a little too excited around them might prevent the dog from being active and confident around your children, so careful, gentle encouraging treatment is needed. Additionally, consider that an excitable puppy who may be comparatively rather large to a smaller child may cause harm through no intention of their own. It’s best to stay observant.

Train Them Soon

Find a great trainer. This will help you ensure that your pet is loved and cared for, but will also teach them vital obedience tactics to help you bond. Part of this is having them learn to respect your authority, because if they cannot do that, then you’ll have trouble having them pay attention to your calls. Additionally, having them exposed to other pets through this training process can be healthy for them, to understand that other dogs exist and are not to be feared (or to feel frustrated against).

Fence In Your Property

Small dogs love to explore. When letting them out to conduct their business, you can be sure that any gap in your fencing, any escape route, anything they can find to help them leave they will likely pay close heed to. It’s not because they dislike you or because you’re treating them poorly. They are just naturally curious. This is why fencing in your property can help you protect them from themselves, but it also allows them to stay protected against other larger dogs or animals either at the call of less-careful owners or even those that come from the wild.

Understand The Breed

All dog breeds are different, and while they all share the broader definition of ‘dog’, they also have their own needs you need to pay attention to. Part of this is researching the breed, speaking to your breeder and your trainer, and learning how to better handle that. For example, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have shorter and stouter noses, and this can lead them to breathing issues from time to time. When they notice this they may become snorting and become anxious, to which a calming stroke and small embrace can help them calm down and move through those issues. As such, heavy exercise is often not part of what keeps them healthy.

Understanding the breed can not only help you become a better owner, but enables you to gain insight related to your daily, weekly and yearly responsibilities to your pet.

With this advice, we hope you can care for your smaller dog in a much more wholesome manner. It can really make a difference in the end.

Image Credits: Chevanon Photography