Dogs are a man’s best friend, and there is much to love about these pure beings. They have a specific lovable and adorable factor to them that melts our hearts at a glance. So, knowing that our furry friends are simply animals, we should keep in mind that we must ensure optimal safety and protection for them.
There isn’t a better feeling than going home to your favorite pet, so we must keep them happy and healthy. However, we are still humans who make mistakes.
This article will help you curb anything you’re doing wrong. So, what are the 8 unforgivable dog mistakes everyone makes?
Disregarding Breed-Specific Traits
Many breeds were bred and brought up with a particular goal in mind. Understanding the tendencies specific to a particular breed may help you comprehend their personality and some annoying antics. This is crucial when devising a proper training technique for your dog.
Whether it’s the gentle and loyal traits of a Golden Retriever or the strong and aggressive nature of a Pitbull, knowledge about breeds will help you be safer as well.
Health concerns are also a significant factor for different breeds. A Great Dane is prone to Addison’s disease, while Pugs are predisposed to breathing difficulties.
Assuming Dogs Can Bear The Weather
If your dog has a very short coat or no undercoat, it will struggle to live in an area that’s cold. Short-legged dogs are also more prone to becoming cold and exhausted if surrounded by cold air and snow.
The age factor comes in (puppies or old dogs) and health issues, whereby your furry friend will feel the cold quicker than most dogs.
It’s critical to understand your dog’s tolerance for chilly weather. But it’s also important to understand how hot weather affects your dog. So, whether the temperature is hot or cold, ensure your dog is not outdoors for too long.
Training and exercise should only be done in the mornings if you can.
Giving Them Bones
Given how robust and rigid bones can be, it is not recommended for your dog to be given bones, as they can break their teeth. A fractured tooth will severely hurt them and will be expensive to fix.
Small bones have razor-sharp edges that can cause significant damage to your furry pal’s mouth. They can even choke on these bone fragments, especially if it’s younger puppies.
Sharp bones may pierce the soft tissues at the back of their throat and cause severe injuries. If swallowed, the stomach can become obstructed by bones, so you should avoid this.
Visiting Dog Parks
Despite how dogs have playful and social characteristics, dog parks and their artificial settings can be frustrating to them. Many people visit the park with their dogs to burn off their extra energy.
However, these dogs often misbehave when overstimulated, which is a considerable problem when surrounded by other canines.
You should also consider that dog parks are open to the public and do not maintain professional checks or reports compared to day centers or playgroups for dogs. There are also instances of injuries at dog parks that can either be minor or serious.
Avoid visiting dog parks altogether to prevent frequent bite injuries or rough play.
Leaving Them Alone In a Vehicle
You should never leave your dog inside your vehicle alone, not even for a few minutes. You may think leaving the car running with the air conditioning on will help.
However, the temperature within a car rises significantly on hot days, which is deadly. Within 10 minutes, on an average sunny day (perhaps 85° C), the car can overheat up to 102° Celsius, even with the windows left open.
If you leave your dog for longer than 30 minutes, it will experience a temperature rise of up to 120°. This may cause your pet to sustain fatal organ damage or even pass away.
So, take your dog along with you or ask someone for assistance if you need to attend to an urgent matter while you’re out with your dog.
No Collar Adjustments
A dog’s collar isn’t just a fashionable way to indicate your pet has an owner. So you should be careful with the sizing and adjust it properly to ensure optimal health and safety.
Your furry companion’s skin may be irritated, their larynx may become injured, and they may even choke if their collar is tight.
To help this situation, they may try to escape the collar. If it’s too loose, it may result in them getting hit by oncoming traffic or meeting a wild animal such as a porcupine, skunk, or fox.
To ensure the collar size is correct, measure their neck with a tape measure or use the two-finger rule, where you measure two fingers between their neck and collar.
Using Physical Punishment
Some believe that physical punishment is a good way to teach a dog to be disciplined. However, even if effective punishment is to connect an unpleasant result to bad behavior, being physical is never the answer.
In this case, they are prone to develop a phobia of their caretaker or other particular circumstances, so physical or direct contact punishment should be avoided.
When chastised, your pooch may reasonably become defensive and exhibit violent behavior. Instead of forcibly training them to do something they want, we should help them learn through reinforcement and guidance.
Using Harmful Products Around The House
Many household products have a combination of chemicals that are highly toxic to animals when ingested accidentally. For example, lawn fertilizers have been linked to a malignant lymphoma that can be found in dogs, as well as cancer risks.
Many surface cleaners have ammonia in them which can be irritating. Chlorine is also a toxic agent that can cause damage to the eyes, skin, and other membranes of a dog’s internal body.
Antifreeze also contains a combination of ethylene glycol that can kill dogs and cats. If these products don’t kill them instantly, they will cause significant damage to their internal organs.
Exposure to such substances should be avoided, so you can buy animal-friendly products instead.
Wrapping Up
Even though dogs, without a doubt, are a safe place for us to go home to, we might not provide the safest space for them back.
To ensure that you’re doing your best to keep your little companion healthy and safe, this article has provided you with insights on how you may be doing things wrong while raising them.
It’s up to you how diligently you listen and whether you try to curb these 8 unforgivable dog mistakes everyone makes. Instruct other family members and dog caregivers to do the same.
Living with your furry friend is tricky if you don’t make an effort, so try your best.
Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners
I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years, I’ve tried many different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!
These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have the utmost praise for.
Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.
Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that it requires a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.
Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.
If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!
