A puppy or a dog will make mistakes and so would you. Even trained dogs make mistakes and people who have had pets for years are likely to err. The only way you can avoid committing errors is by being aware. Here are the top 10 dog owner mistakes that you can proactively avoid.
- Getting A Dog Without Knowing Much About It
Dog lovers or aspiring pet owners often make instinctive or spontaneous decisions. Don’t be overly passionate about anything. You can have a preference but don’t get yourself a dog or a puppy without knowing everything about the breed and what you are expected to do.
- Not Investing Time & Effort In Holistic Training
Potty training, obedience training, house rules, discouraging the puppy or dog from chewing or biting and instilling healthy dietary and pleasant behavioral habits, are imperative.
- Changing The Rules From Time To Time
Never confuse a dog with ever-changing house rules. Don’t relax the rules even once, unless there is a medical emergency.
- Indulging In Free Treats
Indulging or overindulging a pet in any way is not wise. Offering too many free treats is certainly unwise.
- Allowing Flexibility In Training / Exercises
Most dogs love their walks but some don’t. Regardless of their preference, don’t make it a habit of skipping exercises or training sessions. It is a downhill ride once you start being lenient.
- Focusing Too Much On Physicality
A dog needs to be active physically and should be healthy. But that must not come at the cost of mental activity.
- Thinking That The Dog Will Be Fine Alone
Dogs don’t enjoy me-time. They don’t want me-time. Cats can still manage on their own but dogs will start to become broody when they are left on their own frequently.
- Not Making The Home Dog-Friendly
Just as your dog needs to be trained in accordance with the house rules, the house too has to be redone to suit the dog. Tiny changes such as placement of furniture and accessibility to potentially harmful objects can make a world of difference.
- Punishing The Dog Too Often
Disciplining a dog or puppy is fine but you cannot keep on punishing your puppy. That never works and will have dire consequences.
- Inhumane Punishments
Not feeding, physical torture, not providing access to water or not attending to the dog’s needs, which could be anything from medical to being attended to, are unacceptable actions.
