When you decide to make that wonderful change in your life and take on a pet, make sure you are ready for it first. When owning an animal, you are responsible for a life! This comes along with a lot of responsibilities, but the love of your animal makes it all worthwhile! Here are some important considerations for your pet.

Dog Breeds: Being a responsible pet owner starts with researching the breed you own. Every breed is different and requires different stimulations. I own 4 dogs! Each one has different requirements to satisfy them. While my chihuahuas would rather sleep all day and be totally content, I have a German Shepherd who needs daily activity to stay sane. I knew what I was getting myself into with her, as I grew up with shepherds and fully understood what they required. Too many dogs are given up because their owners don’t understand their breed’s needs, so please do your research. Find a dog to fit your active or laid-back lifestyle. Also, walks are important! A backyard does not replace daily walks. Unfortunately, even if you have a large backyard that your dog can run around in, this doesn’t provide the mental stimulation that occurs during a walk. It’s also a great way to build a bond with your dog! Exercise is important!

Vet Care: Taking your pet to the vet when needed is super important! Vet costs can come as a big surprise. Trust me, I know all about being unprepared for an unexpected illness in a pet. If something does happen, making sure your pet is in good hands is important. Look into pet insurance. Especially if you just got a new dog or are thinking about getting a puppy, the sooner you buy insurance, the better. Although we don’t like to talk about it, you never know when something could happen to your pup. Two insurance companies that have good reputations are Embrace Pet Insurance & Healthy Paws. But, there are many others as well.

Pet Wear: Make sure your pet has proper collars, leashes, and tags. This is important, as slipping a rope around your pet’s neck and calling it his collar/lead is not okay. Your pet needs proper collars, leads, and tags or microchips. Especially if your pet likes to run away!

Proper Diet: Ensure your dog is getting all the nutrients he or she needs. Hungry Hound is obviously all about feeding a biologically appropriate diet. We know this isn’t a perfect world, and we fully understand not everyone can do that. However, making sure your dog is at least receiving proper nutrition is important. Proper diets consist of fully balanced meals. Don’t worry, that’s what Hungry Hound is here for! There is no judgement when you come to us. If you can’t or don’t want to feed raw, there are so many other options when it comes to additions to your dog’s current diet. We can help to make it more balanced!

Doing proper research: There is SO much information on the internet when it comes to your dog. It’s absolutely overwhelming, but don’t always believe everything you read. Do proper research, because every dog is different. What works for one dog may not work for yours! Talk to your vet or local professional. Make sure the information you receive or read is 100% accurate. Again, another reason Hungry Hound is here! We educate ourselves and do the research for you to put you at ease.

Grooming: This is an important part of being a responsible pet owner. If you own a dog that needs their hair groomed, such as a shih tzu, cavapoo, or yorkie (for example), then grooming appointments are incredibly important. Your dog will need groomed at least every 6 to 8 weeks. Brushing at home is also important and another good way to bond with your dog! All of this goes along with researching the breed before you get a dog. Even breeds that do not have a ton of hair growth still require grooming. Can you imagine having knots and mats in your hair and never getting it taken care of? Mats can become incredibly painful if left alone. The more you bring your dog in, the better shape your pet’s hair will be in. Even your short-haired pups need a bath every now and then. Don’t forget about those nails -again another painful thing if left untreated! Nails can become long and start bending. Once they start getting too long it becomes incredibly uncomfortable for your dog. Nails can even puncture your dog’s pads if they grow too long. Imagine how they feel walking on their own nails. Bringing your pet in for a nail trim once a month is best. The more often you trim your dog’s nails, the shorter the quick will be and the shorter the nails can be.

Toys & Accessories: My brother recently got his 1st puppy. I was so proud that he had everything purchased and lined up before he even got the dog. He made sure he had toys for enrichment, researched (with my help) a proper diet, bought a cage (as crate training is especially important), bought grooming tools (he got a husky mix- we all know that hair needs brushed!), and made future vet appointments. You name it - he was ready and prepared. Every toy and basic need was covered! He wanted to make sure this rescue pup would have a great life. Those are the steps a responsible pet owner should take. 

Finally, the most important part of being a responsible pet owner is love!!! Caring for and loving your pet, through the good and the bad. Especially those senior years. They take care of you, even when you think you didn’t need it. They are always there for you, as we all know a dog’s love is unconditional.