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4. Provide Medical Care – Aside from annual physical examination and vaccinations, protect your dog from heartworm, ticks and fleas. Talk with your vet about many options available today. Contact your vet at first sign that something is wrong with your dog.
5. Provide Adequate Food and Water – Provide food suited to your dog's age, size and condition.
6. Walk Your Dog – Your dog will let you know when it needs to be walked.
7. Provide Exercise and Recreation – Provide ample space, dog toys and opportunity for your pet to exercise. If you haven't thrown a Frisbee in twenty years, you'll be surprised at how much fun it is to try to outsmart your dog—unlikely!
8. Protect Your Dog from Abuse – Animal cruelty is serious business, and in some states, it's a felony. Even FBI acknowledged that animal cruelty is a known marker (future indicator) of violence against humans. If anyone in your house intentionally mistreats your dog, seek help immediately. You could thwart next school shooting.
9. Discourage Aggressive Behavior – You'll know difference between hearty play and aggressive behavior. Contact your vet at first sign of aggressive behavior to discuss your options.
10. Coping with Serious Illness and Geriatric Dogs –Geriatric dogs are prone to many of same illnesses that plague geriatric humans. You'll want to do everything in your power to keep your dog comfortable at end, but at some point, it may become necessary to end suffering. If you've been a responsible dog owner throughout dog's life, you'll want to end that life just as responsibly as you cared for it.
M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for http://www.dogs-n-u.com/dog-food.htm and more http://www.dogs-n-u.com/. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.