Doing preventative maintenance on your dog is much like taking care of any piece of equipment. We do it to provide us with reliability, longevity and serviceability. Although putting your dog into the same category as equipment doesn’t sound very admirable, it does have validity. The opposite would be to say you should take care of your dog like you do your child, by keeping him clean and getting him his vaccinations as well as annual check-ups. Our dogs certainly aren’t as important as are children and are much more important then are equipment but still require a lot of attention. They are our athletes waiting to be unleashed for the retrieve.

Dogs that feel good run good. A clean kennel, good diet, available water, yearly heartworm test, preventative vaccines, along with occasional teeth cleanings, ear cleanings and check-ups will keep him a healthy dog.

We begin with food. What do we feed them, how much do we feed, and how often do we feed? Food is one thing I don’t short arm on. For about a buck a pound you can give your dog the most high tech premium food out there. You’re talking about 50 to 70 cents a day for a 60-80 pound dog. If you can’t afford that, you probably shouldn’t own a dog.

The premium dog foods out there; Eukanuba, Iams, Nutra Max, Purina High Pro, Science Diet etc.. All are much better for your dog than say the cheap foods at the grocery stores. Do they cost more? Yes. Are they healthier for a retriever that hunts, runs hunt tests or field trials? Yes. If you have a couch potato that won’t ever see the inside of the marsh, by all means feed him Old Roy’s. But if you have a hunting machine or field trial athlete, you’re going to want to feed a high energy balanced diet.

The cost can be deceiving. If your giving your adult dog two cups a day of Eukanuba’s premium performance food, you may have to give six or eight cups of a lower cost food to obtain the same nutrition but with lots of fillers. Therefore spending the same amount of money on dog food. The keys to look for, are an animal based protein source not vegetable source, a high fat high energy food not high carbohydrate food, a moderately fermentable fiber source that promotes good digestion and good intestinal health (like beet pulp), and a good formula of fatty acid ratio’s (omega-6 and omega-3). Some people give their dogs supplements to accomplish this, but it’s extremely difficult to achieve the proper formula by giving them a tablet a day not to mention the expense.

The bottom line is usually there is a reason for the cost in foods. The premium foods also add supplements for dental health, joint health, weight control, immune system health, and skin and coat health. Some higher cost foods even guarantee the acid ratios. The energy levels are highly studied and well worth the extra cash.

Dry dog food just makes sense. It’s easier to feed, easier to travel with, and keeps their teeth cleaner. Two same manufactured foods one dry and one canned will have equal nutritional values. The canned contains moisture which isn’t needed if your dog has a water supply available.

Following recommendations on the package is a good start as far as how much food a day to give them. But I usually find that it’s too much. If you’re doing lots of obedience training with a young dog you might be dishing out lots of treats. You should adjust the food intake accordingly. Remember when giving treats they should also be high quality treats and given in the smallest possible pieces.

Looking at a dogs ribs from above the dog can clue you if he’s getting to fat. You should be able to run your fingers lightly down the dog’s ribcage from front to back and feel the ribs. If you can’t, lighten up on the vitals for a couple weeks and check him again.

Forget about self feeding. After awhile it usually results in a dog that picks at his food, has a poor appetite, and either is to thin or to fat. From day one put his food down, let him eat, and after fifteen minutes remove the food until next feeding. When they are pups (6 weeks to 12 months) you should feed several times a day. For the first four months three or four feedings a day, than twice a day. Let them eat as much as they want in one sitting. Puppies need up to twice as much nutrition as a full grown dog. You should feed the pup a puppy formulated high quality food for as long as the pup is growing (usually a year). Over a year old some say its better to feed twice a day. Some say once a day in the evening is fine. I do the later. I always feed after training.

I give my older dog (8 years) two measured cups of Eukanuba premium per day once in the evening. If she starts getting thin I bump it to three cups a day. If I have trained her hard or had a hard day’s hunt I will give one or two cups additional. Watch the dog’s stools. About two to three piles a day is normal, any more and you’re probably feeding too much. I give my young dog (3 years) four cups a day and she won’t gain a pound. As the dogs get older you may have to adjust. The key is watching or weighing your dog and keeping him in the best shape you can.

Basic hygiene must be kept up. Brushing your dog, keeping his eyes clean, cleaning the ears, brushing the dog’s teeth, clipping his nails and bathing your dog all must be done at times. Being delinquent on one or more of these items can produce serious problems.

Brushing your dog from puppy on will not only provide a time to examine him for ticks, cuts, or rashes, but also get him used to you handling him. The type of brush you use is important. Get the thick wire brushes for dogs with long hair and the plastic tipped or bristle brush for dogs with short hair. In summer when dogs shed they sometimes retain a lot of dead hair. By brushing it off, it keeps them cooler and they don’t smell nearly as doggy. Dead hair stinks.

Examine your dog’s eyes often. If you expect him to see a long mark in the field you may want to clean his eyes every week or so. Wipe the gunk out of the corners with a clean rag or cotton ball and examine them. They should look nice and white, free of discharge. After training or hunting always check the dog’s eyes for seeds or other debris.

If you want the dog to hear your whistle blasts you might want to give his ears a cleaning once every two to three weeks or after a trip out to a mud flat duck hunting. Apply an ear cleaning solution in the ear canal, close the flap of the ear and rub it around. After a minute or so wipe the solution and any ear spunk out with a clean cloth or cotton ball. If you notice your dog shaking his head often or tilting his head sideways he may have an infection that requires medicine. Take him into the vet for a check-up.

He brings your birds back with his mouth and we don’t want any pain in there. It’s much easier to brush a puppies teeth than a full grown dogs that has never had his teeth brushed. Get them used to it at a young age. Obtain some doggy toothpaste and toothbrush and lift the dogs lip, then gently brush trying to be consistent in the pattern every time you do it, so they’ll know what to expect. Start out doing it very quickly. Than after several times you can slow down and really begin to brush. If they don’t like the toothpaste just try water then go back to the paste. While brushing examine his gums and teeth for any obvious defects like swollen gums, bleeding gums or rotting teeth. Take him to a Vet if you notice any abnormalities. He should also have a professional tooth cleaning by a Vet every two to three years. The Vet drug’s the dog up for this, making it easy to do a thour ally job.

We need our dogs feet feeling good at all times. Getting your dog through a nail trimming session can some times be a challenge. Start out with the right tools. A guillotine style or pliers type clippers work well. Have your Vet show you how to clip them if you’re unsure. There is a "quick" area within the nail that appears as a dark line. On a black lab you won’t be able to see it. Be careful and only cut the tip of the nail off. Keep some bleeding inhibitor handy incase you need it. You may also try the electric nail trimmers. They are easier to use avoiding hitting the quick. While trimming the dogs nails examine his pads and in between his toes for foreign matter or cuts.

Last but not least we should occasionally bath our dogs. Try to use luke warm water to make it a good experience. Use shampoo made for dogs and dry him when you’re done with a towel. It’s also a good idea to brush his coat well before the bath to minimize hair in your tub.

Remember, good hygiene and health care will not only save you in the long run but your dog will feel good, and a healthy dog will always be at the top of his game.