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love your dog

Wanna care for your dog like a pro? Just follow the steps below!

[edit] Steps

Give your dog a bath as frequently as a professional/specific dog breed website suggests. It depends on your dog's breed, fur length, fur thickness, and sometimes even their age. This includes rinsing them and scrubbing soap into their coats thoroughly. Make sure you avoid the eyes and ears and rinse them off completely and then do a good job drying them off. If you bathe your dog too often it can irritate his/her sensitive skin. Not often enough is not healthy. If you do not rinse off all of the shampoo it can irritate the skin and if you do not dry it properly your dog can get a yeast infection on his skin or a "hot spot".
Brush your dog every day. If you use a shedding blade try to not press too hard on its coat, since the blade is very sharp and would be uncomfortable.
Clean your dog's brush after brushing him/her.
Clip their nails when they get longer than one inch long. You might want to consider buying a Dremel tool if you feel uncomfortable with regular toenail clippers. Be careful not to cut into the "quick". If you're nervous about clipping your dog's nails, ask a friend to help or just let one of the assistants at your Vet office do it. An even better solution is to take long daily walks. If the dog is walking on concrete or pavement, their nails will naturally wear down.
Brush your dog's teeth every day or at least every four days to avoid plaque buildup. Provide healthy chews and other treats that promote dental health.
Exercise with your dog every day. Playtime is important, so play with them a lot.
Clean up their accidents and potty train them.
Let your dog outside at least 4 times a day for doing their business and for fresh air.

[edit] Tips

Use a shampoo specifically made for dogs. Humans and pet skin have a different pH level. Using a human shampoo on your dog can strip the natural oils from his skin and coat.
Don't give your dog bones that they are not supposed to have ie. chicken bones.
Take your dog to the vet once a year for checkups and for any kind of illnesses or problems that will come up. (Its also a good idea to have your dog microchipped at the vet in case they ever get lost.)
Give them dog treats, but not too many if your dog has a history of becoming overweight quickly. Don't ever give your dog chocolate.
If your dog gets "doggy odor", even after a recent bath, get about 1 (ONE, and JUST ONE, as in average person's thumb and 2nd finger amount) pinch of baking powder and apply it to a wet wash cloth. Rub your dog's body, under his/her arm pits, around his/her bottom, and on the bottom of the paws. Be gentle. Add some shampoo to the wash cloth, to make the cleaner softer and less gritty. If your dog is smaller than a microwave, put half a pinch on the cloth.