11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy (FREE BOOK)

By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books


Hello, my name is Michele Welton. If you've been cruising around my website, reading my articles, you've probably picked up that I've been raising and training and writing about dogs for over 35 years.

What frustrates me, more than anything else, is all the misinformation out there.... on the Internet.... in books and articles.... from family and friends.... about feeding and caring for your dog.

Dog looking at owner

Your dog's eyes say, "I love you, and I trust you to take good care of me."

Their advice, though well-meaning, may be outdated misinformation. If you follow it, your dog will probably live a shorter – and unhealthier – life.

Let's look at some of that misinformation, shall we? Let's start with a quiz.

True or False?

  1. Dry kibble is good for your dog's teeth.
  2. You should feed your dog a premium-quality, dry or canned dog food.
  3. Rawhide bones, cornstarch bones, and pig's ears are safe chew toys that keep your dog's teeth clean.

How did you do? Did you answer "True" to any of those questions? I hope not, because

Woman with question mark over her head

All 3 are false.

Okay, let's go on. Have you been told that...


  • Your puppy needs to be vaccinated 3 or 4 times against distemper, parvovirus, coronavirus, leptospirosis, and kennel cough?
  • Your adult dog needs booster shots every year?
  • Your dog needs to be wormed regularly?

Woman's face with puzzled expression

Darn it, all of those are wrong, too.

One more set.... you may have been told that you should...


  • Use a choke collar for walking or training your dog.
  • Spay or neuter your dog at six months old.
  • Choose a vet based on how happy your dog is to see him.

Man's face with puzzled expression

All of this is incorrect.

Don't worry, it's not your fault! When it comes to raising and caring for your dog, most of what you've read or been told to do is based on outdated MIS-information.

Now here's the bad news.... here's what happens when you raise your dog based on outdated misinformation:

Sick dog

The wrong food  can cause chronic health problems all through your dog's life. Itching, hot spots, dry hair, oily hair, excessive shedding, ear infections, loose stools, gassiness that can clear a room.... you might never think to connect those health issues with feeding the wrong food.

The wrong vaccinations  can make your dog terribly sick and too many vaccinations can weaken his immune system, which leaves him more vulnerable to illness.

The wrong flea products  can be toxic – yes, even "natural" flea products.

Neutering and spaying at the wrong age  can result in bladder control issues (incontinence) later in life.

The wrong chew toys  can cause vomiting, diarrhea, choking, intestinal blockages, even death.

Taking your dog to the wrong vet  means an unhappy lifetime of drugs, chemicals, and medications, with their high costs and all of their side effects.

11 Things book cover

This entire book is free... just keep reading this page.

That's why I wrote this book.... to show you how to care for your dog so he lives a long, healthy life and seldom needs to visit the vet... and I've put the entire book online for free. Keep reading...

If your dog is a puppy.... I'll show you how to raise him in all the right ways, from the very beginning – so he doesn't develop health problems as he grows up.

If your dog is healthy so far.... don't be fooled. He will almost certainly develop health problems if you're following any of that misinformation we talked about earlier. I'll show you how to make just a few changes in how you're caring for your dog that can make all the difference to his future health.

And if your dog already has health problems.... take heart. Follow the health care program in my book and you'll greatly improve your dog's chances of beating those health problems, or at least living more comfortably with them.

Shih Tzu

"Your health care book is setting me straight..."

"I discovered that I was making just as many mistakes with Sugar's health care as I was with her training. (Sugar is a Shih Tzu.) Your training book straightened us out so she became the most well behaved dog I could ever ask for. Now your health care book is setting me straight on a lot of things I was doing wrong."

Christy Harris



What you will learn in 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy

  • The best foods for your dog – a complete feeding program – everything you need to know to feed your dog from puppyhood through old age. (pages 12-41)
  • The worst foods for your dog. Sadly, many owners who have been trying to feed the best are actually feeding the worst. Dog vaccinations
  • Which vaccinations your puppy or adult dog really needs. Vaccination guidelines have changed drastically..... but most vets aren't telling you that, because vaccinations make up a significant part of their income.
  • Six safe ways to keep fleas off your dog.... plus five common products you SHOULDN'T use.
  • Over 20 products in your home that can cause itchy skin and allergies in dogs. Dog with itchy skin, scratching
  • Dangerous toys that you'll probably find in your home right now. Remember, just because a toy is sold at the pet store doesn't mean it's safe. You'll be surprised by some of the names on my Dangerous Toys list!
  • How to prevent escapes from your house and yard. Every owner insists that their dog can't get out, yet it happens every day.... because those owners didn't know how to check the specific escape routes I'll tell you about in the book.
  • What your dog's identification tag should say to improve his chances of coming home if he gets lost. If you guessed that it should say, "Reward" – nope, that's not it.
  • The safest collars for walking your dog – and the most dangerous collars you'll want to throw away
  • Where your dog should ride in the car....and where he shouldn't ride.
  • What will happen to your dog if anything happens to YOU? How to make legal arrangements for your dog's lifetime care.
  • injured bulldogThe most common safety hazards in every home and yard, including:
    • 10 safety hazards in your kitchen
    • 5 safety hazards in your living room
    • 3 safety hazards in your bedroom
    • 3 safety hazards in your bathroom
    • 4 safety hazards in your yard
    • 2 safety hazards on your sidewalk and driveway

Jack Russell Terrier

"Nobody else writes the way you do, it's most enjoyable to read."

"Your books have helped me raise and train my puppy and I am proud of the way he looks and acts when I take him anywhere. People ask, what do you feed him? how did you get his hair so shiny? where did you learn how to train him? Feel free to put this on your web site if you want, I'd like everyone to read it, because my honest opinion is, no dog owner can go wrong with your books."

John Nicols



11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy  tells you

  • Fun ways to exercise your dog! Plus special ways to exercise puppies and young dogs; if you exercised them as though they were adults, you could damage their bones and joints. One example.... no jogging for puppies!
  • Challenging activities to keep your dog occupied so his brain cells stay healthy for a lifetime. Yes, dogs need mental exercise just as much as physical exercise. Did you know that dogs can actually develop dementia?
  • How to decide whether you should breed your dog or not.
  • HOW OLD your dog should be for spaying or neutering. If you spay or neuter at the wrong age, your dog can suffer health problems (including urinary incontinence) later in life.
  • The 3 most common mistakes dog owners make when choosing their vet and how to find the best vet in your area. You might think your vet is fine.... but can he pass my 4-question test?

Healthy puppy

My 11-Step Health Care Program is very clear and easy to read. Everything is laid out for you.... what to do..... what not to do.

Following this program gives your dog the best chance of staying healthy and happy and being with you for a long time. That will make all of us happy!

So here it is... my free, comprehensive health care program to maximize your dog's health, happiness, and lifespan:

Introduction:  Why do dogs have health problems?

Chapter 1:  Feed the right food

Chapter 2:  Allow minimal vaccinations

Chapter 3:  Provide a non-toxic environment

Chapter 4:   Prevent parasites

Chapter 5:  Provide enough physical exercise & mental stimulation

Chapter 6:  Provide emotional security & minimize stress

Chapter 7:  Emphasize safety

Chapter 8:  Groom your dog for maximum health and comfort – not for appearance

Chapter 9:  Control reproduction

Chapter 10:  Find the right vet

Chapter 11:  Recognize when something is wrong with your dog

Follow these 11 principles with your dog – these 11 Things You Must Do Right – and you'll minimize his chances of developing health problems and maximize his chances of living the longest, most comfortable life possible.