A Dog and a rural, country home might seem like the perfect pair but be careful with this idea. You might find they do not match quite as well as you would like. Having a dog out in the country takes a lot of hard work, perhaps even more so than in the city. That said, a new pup can be the perfect addition to your countryside cottage, as long as you take these tips.
Buy Some Toys
When you bring your new pup home, you will see that he is a very inquisitive little thing. He will be sniffing everything he can reach and wandering the house when he gets brave enough. Curiosity is great, but this can easily lead to the destruction of your property. One of the biggest mistakes country dog owners make is thinking their pet will not need toys. They have the whole outdoors to play with, plenty of sticks to carry. But, when you first get your pet, no matter whether you plan for it to be like this in the future, he will be indoors. You’ll need to replace his mother as a source of food and something that he can find comfort in. You can’t do that if you immediately keep him in a kennel outside. Give him a few toys to play with and get him used to those, rather than chewing up your furniture. If you want to give your dog something extra special, ADog.co has a whole range of unique toys for him to play with and carry around.
Watch Out For Bugs And Pests
A big downside to having a pet in the country is that it’s hard to avoid them getting a few bugs and beasties. We are not talking about fleas. You can quite easily have a pet completely flea free as long as you buy the right products, even if you are out in the country. But things like tics are different. Tics are commonly found in long grass and often attach to a dog while you are out walking him in the forest or by a river. This is why when you get your pet home you should always rub him down with a towel and examine his body, particularly his belly. A tick will look like a little brown or black pebble on your dog’s skin. If you touch it, it might move and for goodness sake, don’t believe the old wives tales online on how to get rid of them. You need a pair of tic tweezers that you will be able to get from any good vet or pet store.
Don’t Let Them Get Bored
Finally, you can’t keep a pet entertained all the time. No one has enough time in the day for that, particularly if you have a rather rambunctious breed like a Labrador. The good thing about being in the country is that it is more acceptable to hear a dog barking outside. But you don’t want to leave them alone for too long. This can create bigger issues such as a dog getting bored enough to start chewing on his skin or injuring himself. This is a particularly worrying sign so if you do see this, take him to the vet immediately. You might also need to readjust how you are caring for your new friend.