getting a dog for the 1st time?

Question

i've never had a dog, i'm so excited. Ive always had cats. what i'm wondering is there any special care that dogs need. i talked to my friend and she said you have to do something with there anal glands, i think she said you have to pop them...what is that and why do you have to pop it. or is she just crazy. andy help would be great.

Answer 1

No your Friend right but not all dogs need this... I would go and do what the other people said and get a mutt, They are way healthier than a purebred.......I just got my doggy yesterday...I love her to death.....Good luck with your new pup!!!!

Answer 2

lol nah shes right but that doesnt happen with most dogs.

I say adopt a mixed breed from the shelter. Mutts tend to be more healthy and adopting is way cheaper.

Ok so you should look up crate training. Its important but too long to explain.

Also dont go with flea collars or anything cheap. Get a spot on like Frontline or Advantage or Advantix. Trust me. I don't live in a high flea area but my dogs still managed to get fleas with collars and cheaper spot ons. It may be expensive but worth it. Also buy the one that comes with 12. It ends up being like...$5 to $7 cheaper. Also pick up heartworm prevention. Heartworms are basically worms that grow in the dog's heart and can come from misqueto bites

Grooming is very important. It may sound crazy but KEEP YOUR DOG'S TEETH CLEAN!!! lol. Whether you brush them or give them greenies. Do it. Keeps their breath smelling great and keeps their teeth healthy. If you keep your dog inside then he needs his nails clipped every now and then. I would go to a vet to learn how to do this. Brushes are important. If you think your dog sheds too much then buy a shedding blade and all the dead fur (really all of it) comes out.

Food is important too. The worst you can get is cheap stuff from a grocery store. its basically poison. The next best is stuff like Purina. Name brands. You can get all natural or (some long h word that I dont know) but its way expensive.

Shots are so important. Especially parvo which is an airborne illness that can kill your dogs. Very few survive. Rabies is important too. If you think your dog cant get it...think again. Some idiot was probably thinking the same thing and their pet got it. Then it becomes high risk. And you never know what wanders around the area.

remember...just because the dog is cute doesnt mean its for you.

Answer 3

Ok first of all you need to definatly do some homework!!! Dogs are a BIG responsibility & need constant love attention, exercise & regular vet check ups.......try asking you local vet for a puppy starter kit or you can go to Purina.com they offer a new puppy kit....as far as anal glands it really depends on the breed of dog, not all dogs need to have them drained(not popped, hehehe) not your friend is not crazy, smaller dogs especially tend to need to have their anal glands drained, you can do this or have the vet or groomer do it...basically this entails squeezing the anal sacs located at the base of the anus (you will feel like little full sacs one on either side) you have to squeeze them inward and a very foul smelling poop like substance will come out, carefull it can burst out kinda like popping a zit! gross I know but you ask!! =D
Like I said you should FOR SURE get some pre-puppy care info BEFORE you bring the little guy home this will make a much happier experience for the both of you!!! Puppies are A LOT of wokr make sure you knwo what your gettin g into before you dive in!!! Best of luck!!!

Answer 4

No, you dont have to do anything with anal glands. What you do have to do is to spend time with it and teaching it it's position in hierarchy. Dogs are very hierarchic and it is important that you are the leader. A good way to do this is to allways walk in doors first - entering rooms first to check out environment. To say hi to people first, dog last - allways. To let people say hi to you first - dog last. To eat first - dog last - never feeding it as you eat. Never. When it grows up - at 12 - 14 weeks start walking it in a leash every day. Keep this up - cause this is a moment when you decide what the dog shall do.

I don't know what breed you have chosen, but you should read about your breed and learn the specifics of it's preferences. It is different to train a german shepard, a terrier or a husky. Very different.

Good luck though : )

Answer 5

I've had dogs all my life and never heard this. But that's a moot point since you don't have a dog yet.

You need to do some serious research. Before you decide on the breed, you need to take stock of your environment. If you live in a small house or apartment, you don't want a big dog. Is there a yard for the dog to play in, or will you have to walk it each time? If you have cats, be sure you get a cat-tolerant breed. Find out the medical needs of the dog--a must for all breeds is regular worm shots, dental care (they have to be anesthesized which means they'll be at the vets most of the day. If it's a Greyhound, they need special anesthesia), large dogs are prone to torsion (twisted stomach) which they get from jumping, esp. after a meal. It's the same thing as cows and deer get. Very painful and can be deadly--requires surgery. Don't forget you'll need to spay or neuter your dog. Another expense.

Some dogs are one-person animals. They can be very possessive. Others don't like children--if you have babies in the house (nieces, nephews), you need to keep a close eye on the dog. This is probably a good time to bring up obedience training. Whether you send the dog to class or do it yourself, he has to learn to behave at home and in public.

What's the dog's temperment like? Is it high-strung like a lot of terriers? Is it going to bark a lot or be a "yapper"? Beagles are sweet dogs, but they can drive you up the wall with their noise. So many dogs have been inbred that it's almost impossible to deal with them--cocker spaniels are adorable, but dumb.

Will there be someone at home during the day with the dog? Are you going to be caught up with your friends that when the newness of the dog wears off, he'll be abandoned. If a dog is afraid of thunder, he may needed to be crated or sedated or he will tear the house apart. Think about cleaning up after the dog in the yard or while you're walking him. It's not a pleasant task in the hot summer or in the dead of winter.

Think about the dog's old age. You'll have to handle cataracts, incontinence, oh, the list goes on.

Pure-bred vs mutt? I've had dogs from both sides of the fence. I loved each one for their personality and the love they gave me, but with each one life threw in surprises that I didn't expect. You have to be flexible and patient with them. Once you spend time reading up on the different breeds and talking to your vet and assessing what kind will fit in your household, you can go to the animal shelter and maybe find a dog that's a combination. Also try rescue groups.

Answer 6

I think maybe you had better do more research on the Internet, check out a library book and talk to a reputable vet. I have had dogs and never heard of anything about their anal glands except to look back there once in a while to make sure they don't have worms. I think your friend is crazy.

Answer 7

Well you do have to pop them the reason is that, the dog gets an infection if the anal gland isn't cleaned its like a zit almost.

Answer 8

Most of the time you don't have to do anything to their anal glands. However once in a while they get impacted or infected. The first time have your vet show you how to express them.
Since it is your first dog, maybe this will be helpful:
The first thing to remember about house training a puppy is there ability to hold themselves is limited. a rule of thumb is they can hold "it" usually 1 hour for each month of age. 2 months old = 2 hours, 3 months old = 3 hours, etc. when your puppy wakes up (morning, nap, whatever) the pup has to go, right then! take the pup out. when the pup eats or drinks, it has to go, take the pup out. after exercise (play), take the pup out. when the pup does it's thing outside praise it. a lot. tell the pup how good, how smart it is. you have to pay attention to the pups "looking for it's spot" behavior. when you see that behavior indoors, whisk the pup out. if you catch the pup in the act, simply tell it "NO!" and whisk it outside. if you find a puddle or pile after the fact, clean it up with an enzyme cleaner (pet food store) get a newspaper and hit.... yourself in the head and say "i should have been paying more attention" daytime training they get pretty fast. night time training is easier if you crate train the pup. also remember the one hour/one month rule. you will have to get up through the night to take the pup out. good luck.

three websites on how to crate train a puppy

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~rc207100/info-pub.htm

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html

http://www.planeturine.com/pettips/dsp_crateTrainPuppy.cfm

Our pets need quality pet food. Read the ingredients list and learn what the stuff on there is and what it does (or does not do) to/for our pets. A quick pet food 101. If the pet food contains corn/corn products or by products it is a poor quality food. Do not pay attention to advertising, they all say there food is great. Corn is a filler that can trigger skin problems. (allergies, skin problems, itching and excessive shedding) By products is anything from an animal not fit for human consumption, including cancerous tissue. Quality foods have meat as the first ingredient. California Natural, Solid Gold, Innova and Merrick are a few of the best brands available. If you want to learn more check out: http://www.sagekeep.com/petfood.htm www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1 http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf/$$PetFoodsByRating?OpenForm

Also use your favorite search engine and check out health benefits of spaying/neutering and also pet overpopulation. Congrats on the dog! They make wonderful companions.

Answer 9

if i were you, getting a dog for the first time, i would find a book. i heard of this one that i would suggest, Dog Owner's Home Vet Handbook - Third Edition by Giffin & Carlson
you might also want to look at some other books for training and stuff, because i have also never had a dog and i want one but i do know that it takes a lot of work and different dogs are different. if you haven't gotten your dog yet i would suggest looking into different breeds, i found this one site,
http://216.136.200.122/ASA/Controller?adi_hasScript=1&_AD_195R22=100&adi_scriptSID=014EF39534E8CA587706BAA25EC44B96&sysid=4&appid=9901
to get the best dog for your situation.

good luck. :-)

Answer 10

dogs are very loyal. give them fresh food and water every ay. walk them for exercies. make them comfortable and treat them with love and care. NEVER GIVE THEM CHOCOLATE. very very little might be okay but chocolate is hard on a dog and too much could be fatal. if you are planning to get a new pup also make sure they get used to each other b fore you leave the house. one of my dogs used to have attatchment problems and got depressed. she tore things up. she stops when other dogs came. be sure to always take it to a vet if some problems EVER occur. dogs r awesome though.


interesting fact: if you die a cat would eventually try to eat you if it is not fed, but a dog will die with you.