Having a pet is one of the most endearing activities that one can have in a lifetime. Studies have shown that having a pet is a great way to reduce the amount of stress a person experiences. Pets are great listeners, they have the funniest way of making you smile, and they give nothing less than absolute love and loyalty to their owners.

As far as pets go, dogs and cats have always been rated as top favorites. But this time is devoted solely to dogs and proper dog care. The dog has always been known as man's best friend and with good reason. Dogs by nature are social animals with a pack mentality. Naturally, they have a strong bond with their owner whom they consider as the alpha leader in a pack setting. Given the proper dog care and love, they will give you their utmost and unconditional loyalty and affection.

Dog care starts as early as puppy age for some while for those who choose to adopt, the dogs may already be older yet in need of the same loving care. Choosing to take care of a dog entails a lot of responsibility. As a dog owner, it is expected that the puppy will be raised and brought up responsibly and without any thought of abandonment once the novelty wears off. There have already been too many stories of dogs being abandoned by their owners after they lost interest in the activities of dog care.

As early as possible, part of dog care involves teaching the puppy to learn to identify the members of the family and proper house training. Refrain from using harsh methods to train the puppy as this will only serve to instill bad habits that can be difficult to correct when older. Instead, use gentle but firm instructions in teaching and make things constant so as to reinforce good behavior.

Feeding time is also an integral part of dog care. Keep feeding times constant as much as possible. A puppy needs to be fed several times during the day and the frequency decreases as the pup grows older. This will take gradually until the dog is able to adjust accordingly. Make sure that plenty of clean water is always available.

Potty training is also important. Most owners will usually find this aspect of dog care as one of the more difficult. It's true that it requires a lot of patience to teach a dog where to relieve itself but this isn't as difficult as it seems. Proper dog care requires that owners carefully and patiently train the dog to relieve itself in a particular location through plenty of positive reinforcement. With rewards and lots of affection the dog will be able to follow suit. Learn about dog training

Spanking is not normally advisable. A dog by instinct will cower at the earliest sign of disapproval from its owner. A firm "No" is enough to show that his behavior is unacceptable. Make it a point to reward good behavior and be firm in correcting undesirable behavior. Through constant repetition, the dog will be able to understand and learn what is acceptable and not.