Most dogs, whether raised from a pup or rescued, will attach themselves initially to one member of the family as their leader. Not surprisingly, this is often the person who feeds them. But they also form relationships with other family members in different ways. For example, your dog knows who’s most likely to play fetch with them. Or who’s always up for a cuddle and a scratch on the sofa. Or who’ll probably share a bit of their sandwich if they give them puppy-dog eyes for long enough.
Train for gain
Training your dog is important, as it teaches them to respond to your commands and can help keep them out of trouble. A basic command and a fun trick you can teach your dog is “Shake”, where your dog learns to raise its front paw for a handshake. It’s a good one to help keep them mentally stimulated in environments where dogs can become bored, such as cafes and the command brings their focus back to you.
“Shake” is a fun command for kids to teach and it makes for a cute party trick, too. Remind children to always be gentle and patient when training your dog, and ensure an adult is there to supervise. Take a look at our training video to teach your dog to “Shake”, featuring Dr Lisa Chimes and Sam Wood and try it at home.
Protect their health
Training is a great way to help protect your dog from the things they find lying around, but looking after their health, inside and out, is also important. Dogs are susceptible to four major parasite groups – fleas, ticks, heartworm and intestinal worms and, if left untreated, some of these can lead to serious illness or even death.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to get the ball rolling and help protect them from these nasties. With NexGard Spectra, your dog will receive the most complete parasite protection available in one tasty beef-flavoured chew that your dog will think is a treat! No more worrying about messy liquids on their skin or tablets they can spit out.
Given monthly, NexGard Spectra is suitable from just eight weeks of age, so it’s ideal for puppies right through to seniors. All you need to do is choose the one that matches your dog, with chews available to treat dogs weighing from 2kg to 60kg, and in your choice of 1, 3 or 6 months protection pack. (Single pack only available from veterinarians.)
To find out which NexGard Spectra is right for your dog and to learn more, visit the website at nexgardspectra.com.au
See label for full claim details and directions for use.