Are You Making These Mistakes with your Dog?

When you bring a dog into your home, your first objective is to give it love. And yes, dogs sure are easy to love. Those cute faces, those paws, and those doggie kisses – they are hard to resist.

And, while love goes a long way in making your dog feel like an important part of your family, there are some other things that need to happen, so that bad habits don’t develop – for you or your dog.

Avoid making these mistakes, and you and your fur friend are bound to have a long and loving relationship.

Not Socializing Your Dog

While your dog is fantastic for you, how do they do around other people? Around other animals? While out in public? Socializing your dog will help them adapt to the various people, animals, and environments they encounter – and make them a better dog.

Not Providing Enough Exercise for Your Dog

All dogs need exercise – it’s just that it varies according to the breed as to how much they need. Make sure your dog is getting the right amount. This will help them maintain a healthy weight and keep them from being “hyper” or overly excited.

Not Going to the Vet

Your dog probably got a whole bunch of vaccines as a puppy. And you were probably very happy the day your vet said, “She’s up-to-date on all of her shots.” But that doesn’t mean you stop visiting the vet. Just like you visit your physician for regular checkups, your dog should do the same with the vet.

Not Giving Your Dog Their Medications

Your dog may need medications regularly, and it’s important not to forget them. Special medications for infections or illnesses need to be taken as directed by the vet. And don’t forget medications for fleas and ticks and heartworm.

Giving Too Many Treats

Yes, you love your dog, and they love treats, but avoid giving them too many. Too many treats can cause weight gain and cause them not to want to eat their regular food, which is important for their diet.

Not Putting ID Tags/Microchipping Your Dog

Inevitably, your dog or puppy is going to pull a disappearing act, and in order to get her back, she’s going to need to have ID tags and/or be microchipped. ID Tags are easy to get and come in a variety of styles and sizes. Be sure to speak to your vet about microchipping – which would allow your dog to be taken to any vet to be scanned and then reunited with you.

If you’re not making any of these mistakes – kudos to you! And, if you read one or two of these and thought, “We have some work to do,” – then kudos to you, too! Because it’s never too late to turn things around. When you avoid making these mistakes or take the time to correct them, you and your dog are going to get along just fine.

References:

https://www.thesprucepets.com/mistakes-made-by-dog-owners-1117465

https://tractive.com/blog/en/allgemein-en/the-top-5-mistakes-new-dog-owners-make

https://outwardhound.com/furtropolis/product/6-common-mistakes-new-dog-owners-make