18 Common Mistakes Dog Owners Make

we love our dogs but being a pet parent is not all cuddles and games of fetch owning a dog comes with a lot of responsibility on that note here are the top 18 common mistakes dog owners make giving bones to your dog bones are a good source of nutrients and other minerals and help satisfy your dog's appetite chewing stimulates saliva enzymes helps treat plaque build up on teeth and prevent gum disease in your dog however many vets believe it just isn't worth the risk of serious injuries to give your dog a bone if you'd like to give your pup a bone to chew it's important to follow certain rules so your dog can enjoy their bones safely first of all avoid giving your pup cooked bones of any kind as they can break and splinter into tiny sharp pieces that can cut your dog's mouth throat or digestive organs secondly make sure to give your dog bones that are longer than the length of their muzzle this will make it impossible for your dog to swallow or splinter them into small sharp pieces no bone is too big but there are certainly bones that are too small and remember not to give bones to a dog who has had restorative dental work these dogs are at risk for tooth breakage and dental problems assuming your dog doesn't mind the weather humans wear shoes so we don't realize how hot a pavement can get it's important to remember that when the ambient temperature is 85 degrees the asphalt surface temperature can reach a sizzling 140 degrees which is hot enough to cause burns tissue damage and potentially to scar your dog's sensitive paws after just one minute of contact make sure to check the pavement with your hand before stepping out and try to walk your dog in the evening or early morning when it's cooler and take frequent breaks in shady spots and remember the same principle should be applied for cold winter days thinking they'll grow out of it dogs do not grow out of bad behavior in fact if you don't stop unwanted behaviors they will get worse remember your pup doesn't know that barking at night or digging up the plants is wrong they won't stop unless you train them through positive reinforcement using the wrong shampoo you probably don't think bathing your dog is risky but you'd be surprised many dog shampoos that look natural often still contain ingredients that are harmful to dogs and remember never to use human shampoo on your dog dog's skin is actually more sensitive than ours using a human shampoo on dogs can disrupt their skin composition leaving your pup vulnerable to viruses bacteria and parasites it also makes their skin feel dry and flaky which can lead to repeated scratching and abrasions not being on the same page if you live with other people make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to expectations from your dog for example if your pup is not allowed on the couch everyone should discourage him from doing so if one person rewards a dog for something while another punishes them for the same behavior your pet will only get confused and these mixed signals will make it harder for your pooch to behave as expected ingredients matter improper feeding can lead to obesity malnutrition and many health issues always monitor the calories in your chosen pet food and adhere to the suggested serving sizes it's important to remember that food is not love and canine obesity is on the rise according to the association for pet obesity prevention over 50 percent of dogs and cats in the us are obese or overweight and remember even though many dog treats are small in size they tend to have a lot of calories choose appropriate treats that your pup loves but feed them in moderation treats should make up only about 10 percent of your dog's daily intake likewise it's important to store and seal your dog's food properly many dog owners open a bag of dog food and just take cups out of it every day but what you really want to do is properly store and seal the dog food in an airtight container so that it doesn't go rancid or stale neglecting breed specific characteristics it's important to realize that every dog breed has different needs climatic conditions physical exercise room or space availability and grooming requirements are some of the things to be considered when caring for your furry friend you can't let a german shepherd go without daily strenuous exercise or keep a siberian husky in a tropical climate without extra care and remember before actually getting a dog one should understand what their expectations are you should be clear whether you want an apartment dog a couch potato or an active companion taking the time to research and ask yourself questions to decide what suits your lifestyle is an important step toward becoming a successful dog owner risking a lost dog many dogs are lost every day some are even stolen make sure to add an identification tag to your dog's collar this can help you reunite you with your pup if they get lost otherwise your dog may end up in an overcrowded shelter and remember microchipping makes it even easier to identify lost dogs whose tags or collars may have been cut off potty accidents many dog owners forget that bladders and muscles have to grow and learn even humans have to age in order to hold it for more than a few hours getting angry with a dog who is afraid to wake you up or is unable to communicate with you but is also physically incapable of holding it is just mean dog park dangers believe it or not taking young puppies to dog parks is a bad idea first of all young puppies don't have all the vaccinations which means they are susceptible to diseases and infections secondly not every dog is as friendly as your pooch other dogs can be aggressive towards your pup and many puppies are not comfortable around unknown dominant dogs toxic flea repellent ticks are scary because they can transmit deadly diseases to both dogs and humans fleas are more of an annoyance than a danger but they can certainly turn your household upside down unfortunately though many of the pharmaceutical pest repellents are downright dangerous for animals make sure to use pest control sprays that are safe for pets and don't contain toxic chemicals neglecting their dental hygiene and grooming like humans dogs need regular dental care their teeth are often home to hundreds of bacteria and need to be brushed just like yours do ideally your pet's teeth should be checked at least once a year by a vet grooming is also important and can have significant effects on the length of your pet's life all dogs have different grooming needs short fur breeds require minimal care and long hair breeds should be brushed more regularly grooming helps maintain a healthy coat and prevents matting or skin diseases and remember regular nail trims help reinforce healthy posture and foot structure and reduces the risk of infection it's never too late most people tend to think they don't need pet insurance until something bad happens if your dog gets sick and you don't have any insurance the costs are likely to be much higher than you anticipated make sure to get your pet insured before it's too late and remember routine vet visits are essential to your dog's health regular wellness exams can allow vets to detect small health issues before they turn into bigger problems don't wait until something is wrong to see the vet dogs age quickly sometimes ten times faster than humans and yearly exams can help to detect problems that can be treated early leaving them alone in the car most people don't realize how hot it can get in a parked car on a balmy day on a 75 degree day the inside of a parked car can climb to 110 degrees in minutes and it only takes minutes for a pet left in a vehicle to succumb to heat stroke and suffocation dogs don't sweat and have a harder time adjusting to heat than most humans so being stuck in a car can quickly become life threatening not cleaning their feet after walks you don't need to give your pup a full bath after each walk but a quick wipe of their paws is important those furry padded feet collect all kinds of dirt and bacteria not to mention skin irritants or harmful chemicals from the streets when your dog licks their paws they'll ingest all that crud keep some wipes or towels near the door so you can wipe off your dog's feet as soon as you come home using harsh cleaning products many cleaning products used in our homes are toxic to dogs even if your dog isn't directly exposed to these products they may run over a floor that has been mopped and then lick their pores and ingest those toxins always check the label any product that contains bleach or ammonia is hazardous to animals instead scrub with things like baking soda or salt that leave no toxic residue not adjusting their collar like humans dogs grow and put on weight it's important to change the color size from time to time the main rule is that your dog should be comfortable if their collar is too tight it can hurt your pet if it's too loose the dog can simply pull it out and run away for medium and large dog breeds two fingers should fit between your dog's neck and the collar in case of smaller dogs one finger should fit early exposure socializing a dog is one of the most important things a dog owner can do especially with a puppy the more people and animals that your pooch is exposed to early on in their life the better and remember with dogs socialization means introducing them to all sorts of new things car rides kids grooming equipment loud noises and basically any situation that could be frightening or inducing for a pup the larger the variety of positive interactions the easier it is to lessen fears and have a well-adjusted happy dog thinking that all human food is good for dogs some pet owners think that dogs instincts guide them about what food is safe for them but this is not true if your dog eats something which they find edible it doesn't mean it's good for them so next time your dog makes a puppy face when you are nibbling on your chocolate or grapes don't fall for it rubbing a dog's nose in their faces when they have a potty accident it used to be a common practice during house training to rub a dog's nose in their poop when they have an accident but not only is this advice ineffective it will make your dog scared of you not offering enough exercise and activity lack of exercise can lead to behavioral issues and health problems the more you play and exercise your pup the less chewing jumping and barking you will get and remember some dog breeds need more exercise than others if you have a golden retriever you'd better get into jogging real quick on the other hand short nose breeds like pugs and bulldogs have respiratory issues and are not capable of running long distances putting flowers on the table some plants or flowers are toxic to dogs you'd think your dog would be smart enough not to eat your floral arrangement but let's see plenty of these cases every year among the most toxic plants are ivy lilies chrysanthemums tomato plants and tulips removing toxic plants from your house or moving them to a room where your dog doesn't have access to is the best way to protect your pet

Channel: Jaw-Dropping Facts

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Length: 11min 45sec (705 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 05 2021