anything advice for a first time dog owner?

i just got my first dog(1 1/2 year old yellow lab male, named duke) about a week ago. i've always loved dogs, and after spending time with my friends and their dogs, i decided it was time to get my own. i have had various other pets in the past(cats, fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, tarantulas, etc.) but nothing as big as a dog. duke is currently up to date with all of his shots and has been neutered. he is an indoor dog, of course, and is very easygoing and lovable. i absolutely adore my new pet, as he is so loyal to me even after only knowing each other for a short time.i make sure to spend time with him all day long and love to spoil him. ;-)is there anything i need to know that i might not for owning a dog? one thing in particular is, what kinds of "table food" is totally unsafe for a dog to eat(i have a toddler who loves sneaking him scraps!)? i know chocolate is a big no no..what else?also, any ideas on what i could buy for him(toys, hygiene..)? thanks!oh, and what brand of food would be best? i'd like to get him something that has veggies in it--you know, a brand that has more than just meat and corn. suggestions?

Yeah... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!

Well I would trade it in for a frog!

clean up after ur dog

Hi! Take it straight to the Vet and get it put down..

No table food of any kind. Don't let him chew on chicken bones and chocolate (they may kill him).I use Eukanuba for food. good luck! and congrats!

Science diet is supposed to be really good - if you can get the pet to eat it. . . Curtail table food - puts on dangerous pounds.Best wishes, and congrats for the new family member. . .

They poop!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Always, and without exception, he eats from his own bowl, never off your plate or from your hand. This will avoid embarassing food stealing when you have guests over to eat.

You know... I had a female Lab in the past and it was not a nice experience at all, especially talking about training issues. The only thnk I can tell you is you have to make sure your yard must have plenty of room for him to run all day. They are very playfull too, so buy him all sort of toys.

some bones are not good for dogs. like chicken bones because their tummy's can't break them down and because they can be sharp and cut them up. =(

well first chocolate isnt recomended for dogs but nothing would happen if you gave it chocolate it probably wont like it thoughdon't spoil your dog to much he will become very picky and not eat his own food

As far as dog food probably what his owner before you gave. Beneiful is a veggie type dog food. I use high protein foods because I active dogs. Watch close make sure he is really house broke. Keep the fleas off of him th vet can help there. Have fun and good luck.

Awwwww, yellow Labs are great! I used to be "Grampy" (long story) for a male Lab named "Jake," and he was my buddy!Labs are water dogs and love to run, so your comment about Duke being an "indoor dog" was a surprise - I assume that means you don't keep him outside at night to sleep? Anyway, don't feed Duke from the table or else he won't want to eat his dog food. Your toddler is going to be disappointed, but you'll have to monitor that closely. Speaking of dog food, I don't have a particular brand to recommend - don't change it on him on a regular basis, especially after you find something he likes. My roommate buys some generic stuff from CostCo (I think), some dry stuff and some canned food with sauce, and mixes a big cup of the dry with 1/2-can of the "wet" stuff. The canned food is usually beef-and-rice or chicken-and-rice. I got to dogsit Jake a lot, so I'd buy some doggie ice cream (check your grocer's freezer section) for the hotter days. Get a biiiiig water bowl, too, and a big pooper scooper.Toys - buy something durable! I live with two dogs who enjoy tearing apart squeaky toys so they can get to the squeaker. Their owner buys the "Booda" toys since they seem to hold together pretty well.I've heard dogs don't really need to be bathed, especially Labs, who have the short hair and can "bathe" simply by running into a small pond. I don't know how accurate that is, though, and we'd give Jake an occasional bath anyway. Plus, there's not much that's funnier than looking at a sopping-wet dog. LMAO!Make sure you take Duke out for regular walks, and have a comfortable collar that he can't slip. You might even want to get a harness to help prevent slips - he's not yet 2, so he's still got some puppy in him and will probably want to chase things, or at least try to "make friends." In his zeal for meeting children, he could knock them down (as Jake did here and there). Labs can get big, approaching 90-100 lbs., though that's probably on the high side of "average" weight.And to the BI+CH ("pink thong" - 4th answerer) who said "Hi! Take it straight to the Vet and get it put down.." - YOU GO INSTEAD!!!!!

As far as food for the dog goes, if you are buying the cheapest stuff available, the dog won't be getting all the nutrition he needs. Anything mid-priced and up you can be sure will provide the nutrients for the dog (if your child sneaks him scraps, you may want to opt for a "weight-control" food if you find Duke starts putting on weight). It is best for the dog to not get any table scraps, though - it can cause digestive problems and smelly messes in the house. Most bones are a no-go - especially chicken bones...they could splinter and hurt him. For toys, get something like a rope (it will help floss his teeth) and a bone that helps clean teeth. Shampoo for the dog, if he has fleas, use a flea shampoo (don't use a flea collar/drops on the dog because of the toddler), otherwise, you can use whatever you find works best (dog fur is alot like our hair - it will react differently to different shampoos). If you was the dog more than once every couple of weeks, you may find he gets dandruff/itchy - so monitor his reaction and adjust accordingly.For more information, try this link...http://dogs.about.com/od/dogcarebasics/

I have two dogs and I try to buy them the same brand of food pedigree. You should wash your dog about 2-3 times a week and give it lots of love. Oh yeah, it ok if your dog eats grass once in a while. Good luck

Search the internet. No to grapes, garlic, onions. I think tomatoes too. It does something to their blood. Try getting dog food that doesn't have bone meal, animal by-products or animal anything, that's usually old meat and unfortunately euthanized pets. Dogs are omnivores contrary to popular belief.

The best advice I can give is to always be patient and loving towards your dog. Don't give up, even if behavioral problems arise. The last thing I can say is that a pet is like a child - always remember that before making a decision that will impact its life. Good luck with your pet.

Im a dog owner and ill just tell you to be patient through the potty training period, because they might have a few slips on the rug and stuff. Also i must tell you that my dog was being watched by my mom and he snuck into a whole bag of chocolates without being noticed and when we got to him his face was covered with the dark stuff and he was totally o . k . so i dont know about that "no chocolate" clause !

umm.. my dog loves socks with ice it in. just make sure you do something so they know that it's HIS/HER sock. like my dog, I put a bunch of knots in it and she leaves my socks alone. write me and I'll tell more