A Healthy Dog Is A Trainable Dog
A healthy dog is the most important element to successful dog training
The single most important thing to consider when selecting a dog is their health. A healthy dog means a happy dog. A happy dog means everyone’s happy. When it comes time to train your dog, its health is number one priority. This section will explain some of the things to look for in a health pet.
Picking a Healthy Dog
As mentioned earlier, selecting a healthy dog is one of the most important things to consider. When picking out at a new dog, here are some of the most important things to look at:
Coat and Skin
The dog’s coat should be glossy without any bald patches or spots; it shouldn’t be too oily or have dandruff flakes. Most importantly, the coat should be free of parasites – i.e. you shouldn’t see any flee droppings when you part the dog’s hair and the dog shouldn’t be biting the end of its tail. The dog’s skin should be scab and growth free and not contain any red spots or markings. A healthy dog’s skin will be smooth and flexible.
Eyes and Ears
A healthy dog’s eyes are bright, clear and shiny – and not overly watery. There should be no yellow discharge from the eye, and the pink lining of the eyes should not be swollen or inflamed. Their ears should be free of discharge and they shouldn’t have a bad smell. Some yellow or brownish wax is expected but make sure there is not a large amount. The skin inside the dog’s ear should not be swollen or red – it should be light pink color.
Nose, Mouth, Teeth and Gums
A healthy dog’s nose won’t have yellow discharge, if any it should be clear. The dog’s mouth should not smell foul and it should have room for all their adult teeth. The dog’s gums should be firm, pink, black or spotted (depending on the dog’s skin). Their teeth should be straight and white with not over bite – where the upper teeth are over the lower teeth, and no under bite – where the lower teeth are over the upper teeth (the exception to this rule is the Bulldog).
Remember, once you bring the puppy home, it’s up to you to keep him or her healthy. This means you will need to make sure the dog has a proper diet, has regular exercise, is groomed regularly and has routine check-ups at your veterinarian.
Once the dog is yours and is healthy, he or she is ready to be trained!