🐾 Caring For Your Canine
🐶 Your Responsibilities as a Dog Owner
Your essential guide to keeping your dog healthy, happy, and safe
To ensure your dog lives a long, healthy and fulfilling life, you must:
- Vaccinate Annually — keep your dog protected from preventable diseases.
- Maintain Worming & Flea Control — follow a proper, regular treatment schedule.
- Consult a Vet When Needed — seek professional help for illness or injury.
- Provide a Balanced Diet — offer both dry and wet food for complete nutrition.
- Keep Bowls Clean — supply one food bowl and two water bowls.
- Use a Collar, Tag & Microchip — and keep microchip details up to date.
- Protect Your Dog From Hazards — including traffic and environmental dangers.
- Provide Proper Shelter — protect your dog from heat, cold, and rain.
- Ensure Daily Exercise — physical activity and mental stimulation are essential.
- Offer Mental Enrichment — toys, puzzles, and varied activities.
- Groom Regularly — brushing, bathing, and coat care.
🦴 Exercise
All dogs need daily exercise — but variety matters.
Try mixing activities such as:
- Walking different routes
- Swimming
- Fetch or frisbee
- Dog obedience or training classes
- Agility, fly ball, or lure coursing
Dogs should always be supervised, kept within calling distance, and remain under control at all times.
🧠 Mental Stimulation
A mentally stimulated dog is a happy dog — especially if left alone for long periods.
Ideas to keep your dog busy:
- Rotate a selection of toys daily
- Create a digging pit using a child’s clam shell
- Provide a paddling pool in summer
- Arrange play‑dates with other dogs
- Ask friends or family to visit during the day
- Install a doggy door for more freedom
- Offer a safe “window to the world” (platform or viewing hole in the fence)
- Use interactive feeding toys like Kongs, treat balls, or Buster Cubes
- Hide part of their meal around the garden to encourage natural foraging
Toys and enrichment products are available in store.
✂️ Grooming
Regular grooming is essential for all dogs, especially long‑haired breeds.
Grooming helps:
- Remove dust, loose hair, and tangles
- Reduce shedding
- Prevent grass seed irritation
- Keep your dog cool in summer
Bathing is fine when needed, but avoid over‑shampooing as it can dry the skin. In summer, use flea‑control shampoo and rinse — but this must not replace monthly flea treatment. After applying flea treatment, wait 24–48 hours before bathing.
❤️ Spending Time With Your Dog
Dogs thrive on companionship. Aim for four hours of meaningful contact each day.
This can include:
- Walks
- Playtime
- Training
- Relaxing together
- Including your dog in daily errands
If you work full‑time, consider:
- A morning walk
- An afternoon walk
- A short evening walk
- Play and interaction at home
- For outdoor dogs or long work hours, consider:
- A dog walker
- Doggy day care
- Help from friends or family
Contact Information
Opening Hours
Principal Pets
184 Telegraph Road
Heswall
Merseyside
CH60 0AJ
Tel: 0151 342 9635
Email: info@principalpets.co.uk
VAT : 178 3864 58
Free Local Delivery
Monday Closed
Tuesday 09:00 to 17:30
Wednesday 09:00 to 17:30
Thursday 09:00 to 17:30
Friday 09:00 to 17:30
Saturday 09:00 to 17:30
Sunday Closed