by Paul Kleinmeulman
Do you have at least one framed photo of your dog somewhere in your house… or maybe in your wallet? Is your dog pretty darn close to being the very center of your universe? Do you love spoiling him, respond to his every whimper and cry, and spend hundreds of dollars on gourmet treats? To say that dogs are man’s best friend is anything but a cliche. You might be the most miserable person in the world without a friend to your name… but your dog will treat you like royalty every time you walk through the door. So how do you repay that unconditional love and devotion? There are hundreds of different ways!
1. Spoil him rotten.
A lot of people spend a lot of money at chic pet boutiques, dressing their dogs in hundred-dollar sweaters and paying for meticulous pawdicures. They buy diamond studded collars and give their dogs rooms all to themselves. You probably don’t have the budget for things like that, right? You can still spoil your dog with simple, everyday things that cost you the absolute minimum. Next time your pooch needs a bath, focus on giving him a massage while you’re working the shampoo into his coat. Take him out for a drive once each week and dress according to the weather so you can open a window and let his head hang out, his ears flapping in the breeze. Or you can.
2. Stuff him silly.
Your dog lives by food! It drives every thought he has, every impulse in his body. But you’re more rational, you know that food needs to be both delicious and nutritious to make sure he has as long and happy a life as possible. Why not try making some homemade treats and dog food that are absolutely packed with all of the vitamins and nutrients he needs? Bake him a delicious, healthy cake for his next birthday, then share a few cookies with him!
3. Prepare for the worst.
If you know exactly what to do in a tough situation or an emergency, you infinitely increase the chances that your dog will be around for a long time to come. Do you know what to do when he’s choking? You should lay your dog on his side and place one hand on his back and the other on his stomach just behind his rib cage. Using the stomach hand, push in and toward the throat twice, but without too much force. If you can see a foreign object, sweep your fingers through his mouth to remove it. If he’s still choking, place your mouth over his nose and exhale until his chest rises. Repeat once, and then thrust two more times. Continue until he coughs out the obstruction. Now consider what would happen if he started to choke and you had no clue what to do, then ended up spending 10 minutes calling vets and driving him there. Making sure you’re prepared to care for his health and well-being is a great way to show him how much you love him.
4. Speak his language.
Unless you believe in pet psychics, there’s really no way for you to read your pooch’s mind and figure out exactly what she’s thinking. The good news is that, like many dog owners, the problems you’re having can probably be traced to one simple thing: you’re trying to communicate with your dog from a human standpoint, and your dog isn’t a human. Rather than saying a word that doesn’t really mean anything to a dog, try growling in a deep, throaty voice the next time you’re unhappy with something he’s done. He’ll get the message immediately and you won’t have to go through a big, drawn-out battle of wills. He’ll appreciate you meeting him halfway!
These are just a few of the ways in which you can show your dog how much he means to you, and I’d love to share hundreds more with you. That’s why I’ve assembled the Dog Megapack, a collection of my hottest dog care titles – and you can purchase them directly from Brigitte from HealthierDogs.com! From 101 Ways to Spoil Your Dog for Under $10 and Secrets to a Healthy and Happy Pooch, to 180 Gourmet Dog Recipes and Instinct vs. Man, you’ll be amazed at all of the information, tips, and ideas you never even imagined existed. Why not give it a try? Think about it the Dog Megapack just one more way to show your dog how much you love him.
What a great dog Christmas gift, dog Birthday gift, or a gift just because!
Hiya Brigitte, really like your new interactive site. Thought about you yesterday and thought I had not received news from you for a while so happy to hear from you again. I so loved this article. Years ago a mate took his dog for training. He was astonished to see dog owners rolling on the grass with their dogs. So that taught me, how much dogs respond with love especially when you get down to their level and they can interact with you on common ground, making fun out of disciplined training. My bitch loves to roll and play and look down into my face!!!!
Hi Tino,
Glad you like the new site format. Thanks so much for the feedback.
I love rolling around on the floor with my dogs. And they love it, too. I never realised it was a training strategy, but it certainly makes sense.
Regards,
Brigitte