Dog Care Essentials
Food
A small meal in the morning and evening should be sufficient. Buy a good brand of dog food, not necessarily a brand on sale, and maintain the same diet all the time. We recommend feeding the dog a combination of dry and canned food. Most of all don't overfeed and do not experiment with a variety of food brands.
If you adopt a puppy, continue on puppy food for the first 6 months then transition gradually to adult dog food.
Collars and leashes
Every dog, no matter the size, age, or energy level, needs a daily walk for both exercise and to maintain their connection to the world around them. For a dog, the sniffing and exploring is as important to their psychological well-being as the exercise is to their physiological well-being. Every POA dog gets a daily walk with our volunteers as part of their training and care. POA dogs are trained on a variety of collars and leashes, depending on what we find to be most effective with each particular dog. Your adoption counselor will discuss with you, what we are using for the dog you are planning to adopt.
And remember to take a plastic bag with you on the walk to pick up after your dog. This is responsible owner behavior and will keep you in good standing with neighbors.
Toys
The "Kong Toy," available in most pet stores, can entertain a dog for hours. Its hard rubber is almost indestructible and it's made to fill with all sorts of treats - peanut butter, dog food, etc. A bored dog may work for hours at getting to the goodies inside.
We also recommend owning a couple of hard rubber or tennis balls and a Frisbee for playtime and exercise.
Clean up products
Every dog will have an accident at some time. One of the best products we've found to clean up after pets is "Nature's Miracle" - a solution that's available in most pet stores. The enzymes in the solution eliminate the stain and any smell.
Security Cameras
This link to a great article was sent in by one of our young supporters! Annie researched dog security cameras as part of an online pet care course she attended and shared it with us! We are thrilled when our young supporters get involved!