The Ultimate Guide to Dog Care. Tammy Gagne

Make this simple step a new house rule and post a note near your commode as a polite reminder for guests.

      Expect a few accidents during housetraining and be prepared to clean up the mess.

      Identification Options

      As much as we all like to think it won’t happen to us, dogs slip out doors from time to time. If owners are lucky, it happens after they have had a chance to train their dog to come back to them when called. Many times, however, our excited canines run away before we can catch them. If you spend any time online, you have surely seen the numerous posts about lost animals. While social networking has given us a wonderful new way to spread the word, the sad fact is that many of these dogs never find their way back home.

      The most effective way you can protect your dog from becoming one of those dogs is to keep a close eye on your pet whenever doors and windows are opened. The next is to start teaching him the Come command on the day you bring him home—and practicing it every day thereafter. Even the best plans, however, need a fail-safe. In the case of a lost pet, this important safeguard means providing your pet with identification.

      Owners have several choices when it comes to ID. A traditional dog tag may seem obsolete to some people, but a tag is actually one of the smartest, easiest, and cheapest ways of identifying your dog. If your dog ever becomes lost, anyone who finds him will check his collar first to see if that tag is there.

      Tags can be purchased at pet-supply stores or online. You can find them in every color of the rainbow, shaped like dog bones or fire hydrants (or other clever shapes), and ready to be inscribed with several lines of text. Your dog’s name is always a good start, but the most important information to include is your name, address, and phone number. Affix your dog’s tag right away—ideally, even before you leave the store. Your dog’s tag will lead others to you if he is wearing it when he gets lost, and history has taught us that we never know when this might happen.

      A dog tag is a simple and effective means of identifying your dog.

      Some companies make personalized collars with the dog’s name and his owner’s contact information printed right onto the collar. These are just as effective as tags. If you go this route, just be sure that the letters and numbers do not wear off or otherwise become illegible over time. A collar with the information embroidered onto it is ideal.

      Another effective means of identifying a dog is microchipping. This method of inserting a small chip just under a dog’s skin has been around for years, and it has become extremely popular. The chip itself is about the size of a grain of rice, and the procedure to insert it just behind the dog’s shoulder blades is as quick and painless as a vaccination. The chip provides the dog’s and owner’s information when scanned; veterinarians, humane societies, and even local police departments have embraced microchips and likely have scanners with which to scan your dog.

      If you choose to microchip your dog, be sure to register your chip with the provider and keep your contact information up to date. If you move or change your phone number without alerting the microchip company, the employees will have no way of getting in touch with you if your dog is ever found by a helpful stranger.

      Unfortunately, not all strangers are indeed helpful. However, if your dog is ever stolen, a microchip can serve as a way to prove ownership of your pet. A thief may be able to remove a tag or collar from your dog, but a microchip is a different matter. While there is no guarantee that the person who finds your dog will have him checked for a chip, having one in place increases your pet’s chances of making it back to you.

      Another form of technology that will help you locate your pet if he is ever lost is a GPS tracker. Like an ID tag, this device attaches to your pet’s collar. It then allows you to track your dog’s whereabouts using an app on your smartphone. Some brands even alert owners as soon as an escape happens.

      Whichever form of identification or tracking device you choose for your pet, never rely on it to keep your pet safe. Lost dogs face many dangers outside the safety of their homes. Automobiles, wild animals, and harsh weather conditions are just a few of these threats. Nothing replaces your careful supervision.

      A GPS tracker fits on the dog’s collar.

      Pet Insurance

      Somewhere between buying your dog’s crate and selecting a veterinarian for his first checkup, you may wonder whether you should purchase pet insurance. In addition to the cost of your dog’s yearly physical exams, he may need emergency care at some point during his lifetime. Even if you take the best possible care of your pet, he might also develop a chronic condition that requires either frequent trips to the vet or regular medication. In either case, having pet insurance could help. This doesn’t mean that it is definitely the right choice for you and your pet, though. Much depends on the unknown.

      I had no way of knowing that I would experience both veterinary emergencies and chronic health issues with my own pets. My first Cocker Spaniel, Jonathan, slipped on the ice one winter, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Surgery to fix this relatively common injury is costly, and it comes with a lengthy recovery period. To avoid the long recovery, my vet treated my dog with acupuncture instead of surgery. This plan worked wonders for Johnny, who was running around again long before he would have been with the surgery, but I spent about the same amount of money on the weekly acupuncture treatments as I would have on the operation.

      Another one of my Cockers, Molly, has idiopathic epilepsy. The word “idiopathic” means that the cause of her condition is unknown. Molly’s vet and I manage her seizures with anticonvulsant medication, which recently doubled in price at the pharmacy. Although Molly is on a very low dose, this medication can also damage her kidneys and liver over time. For this reason, her vet must run blood tests periodically to make sure that all her levels are where they should be.

      I am happy to pay for whatever care my pets need, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have this choice. Still, pet insurance doesn’t necessarily make veterinary care more affordable for everyone. The cost of pet insurance can vary dramatically based on certain factors, including your dog’s age and even his size. Your plan may cost more or less depending on where you live, as well. The more a plan covers, the more you will pay for your premium. The least expensive plans cover emergency care only, while others will pay if your pet gets sick. Even plans that cover illnesses may not pay for treatments for hereditary or pre-existing conditions. The most thorough plans, however, even cover preventive care, such as vaccinations and flea control.

      So, is pet insurance worth it? Like health insurance for humans, pet policies have deductibles and copays. You must consider the cost of your premiums, the amount you must pay out of pocket if your dog needs care, and the costs of your hospital’s services before deciding if pet insurance is right for you. If your dog is a puppy, his insurance will be relatively inexpensive, but many premiums increase as the pet get older—when they are more likely to have health issues.

      Some owners prefer to use a savings account for their pet’s healthcare costs. If your dog doesn’t require any veterinary treatment other than preventive care for several years, this strategy could work well. If, on the other hand, he ends up needing emergency surgery before his first birthday, you could come up short. Conversely, you could pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the course of several years for insurance that your dog never needs. However, pet insurance can be helpful if you accumulate large veterinary bills for covered services.