12 Mistakes Made by Dog Owner

Image: The Wildest

In this 21st century busy world, the probability of becoming isolated is being the biggest challenge for people. So, pets have become healthy company for people. Modern life is very stressful. High levels of anxiety, work load, personal and professional problems can lead people to depression and loneliness. Fortunately, owning pets helps to overcome these problems. Playing with pets can bring joy and laughter in our life. So, while choosing the pets, dogs always come first. Yes, dogs are one of the most popular pet animals that every human wants to keep. There are barely any household where there is no dog.

Dogs have become part of the human family for a long time. They really have a big influence in human life. Whether in the matter of companionship, home safety, positive health progress dogs have always played a vital role. This influence on human society has given them the nickname “Man’s best friend”.

But are humans doing all good with dogs? Absolutely No. There are many mistakes owners make while keeping the dogs. Especially, those new owners are making mistakes which can lead to problems in dogs. So, What are the mistakes that dog owners make? Here are the lists.

12 Mistakes Made by Dog Owner

Choosing a Dog

Choosing a dog is the factor that makes all the differences in our and dogs happiness. Many things should be considered while choosing the dog. The main thing is that we should prioritize dogs’ basic needs too. Size is the first factor that should be considered while choosing a dog’s breed. For example, if we have small space in home but choose a large dog then we cannot provide accommodation to a large dog. Age is another factor we should be concerned about.

The three stages of a dog’s lifespan are puppyhood, adolescence and adulthood. So, we should see which stage dog we need. As adult dogs are more likely to be house trained than a young dog. And some older dogs don’t do well around small children, so we should choose dogs wisely. Dogs history, breed, activity level should be well known before keeping them. If we choose a dog which cannot adjust in our environment then it can create problems between dog and owner.

Neglecting Dogs Fundamental Personality

Like human beings, dogs also have different personalities. Some dog owners neglect a dog’s basic personality which is a big mistake. Dogs have personality traits like calmness, boldness, trainability and sociability. Every owner should know their dog to perfection and it is necessary for them to match activities to their dogs’ needs.

For example, Some dogs are quick learners and train happily whereas some dogs have a calm nature that can make them look lazy. So, if we do excessive exercise with calm and passive dogs then it can lead to health problems with them. Some dogs are very gentle, obedient and loyal whereas some dogs may be aggressive (may be due to their past traumatic experience).

So, we should know our fig personality traits from the core. And some owners fail to recognize their dog personality and make their dog adjust in the opposite environment. So, neglecting dogs’ fundamental basic personality can be a mistake that dog owners make.

Ignoring their Medical Needs

Many  don’t leave any place for love, care, affection but when it comes to medical needs or health , some of the owners neglect it. Dogs age far faster than people so significant changes in dogs’ health can happen in a shorter amount of time. Preventive care programs should be done to diagnose diseases and conditions early, making them easier to treat and manage. There should be regular vaccination. Constantly body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, weight, eye examination, ear examination, lymph nodes, joints movement, intestinal parasitic test should be done.

Neglecting these medical tests can lead to fatal health problems. Owner should never fail to notice some of the signs like weight loss, change in behavior, fatigue, respiratory issues. If these symptoms are ignored it leads to chronic disease and even leads to death of a dog.

Irregular Vaccination

Vaccination is the most important factor. Vaccination helps prevent diseases and can help avoid costly treatment for preventable illness. Dog vaccination should be against distemper, hepatitis, parvo-virus, parainfluenza, corona and so on. When dogs are vaccinated they receive a disease – enabling organisms to stimulate their immune system. Owner should never miss any vaccinations.

Not only missing vaccination but over vaccination can also be a big problem. Over vaccination can lead to allergic reactions, behavioral changes, auto-immune sickness, hypersensitivity and involuntary urination and even death in rare cases. Lack of vaccination and over vaccination i.e. irregular vaccination is one of the mistakes that dog owners make.

Vaccinating Your Dog: Things You Must Know

Not Considering Own Budget

Before owning the dog, every owner should make sure that we are able to invest financially for them. We should be able to take care of bills. There are many fields where budgets should be allocated like pet insurance, accident and injury urgent care bills, cozy and well ventilated house, nutritious diet with heavy snacks, accommodations.

Some owners keep the dog without considering whether they can afford the mentioned things or not. So keeping a dog without considering the budget is a huge mistake of dog owners.

Using Incorrect Motivation

Different dogs have different personality traits. So they respond differently to training. As owners sometimes forget that our dog is nothing but a baby animal. But, people set expectations and high standards of behavior from dogs. Sometimes dogs chew things, have occasional accidents and make mistakes and owners often make mistakes by giving them incorrect motivation. Some owners give punishment to their dogs. Giving punishment to dogs like beating, isolating, not giving food makes dogs aggressive and scavenging. So, giving punishment is another mistake that dog owners make.

Not Socializing Dog

Dogs are very social animals. So early socialization is very important for a new dog to create healthy and well behaved companions. But some owners ignore the work of  socializing dogs and keep them isolated. If they are not properly socialized, they are prone to become anxious or scared in unfamiliar situations and develop aggressive behavior.

Skipping Regular Training and Exercise

Dogs are very active pets which need physical and mental exercise. If our dog doesn’t get regular exercise, they are prone to develop weight and behavioral issues. As we know, dogs should get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Exercise includes activities like playing, running, walking. So, if dogs don’t get regular exercise they will get obesity, and get many health problems. 

Some owners make mistakes by not providing them proper training and exercise both physically and mentally. 

Skipping the Grooming Activities

As we know, dogs are pets that need love, care and affection. Along with that grooming is very important for dogs. Grooming activities include giving fig regular baths, brushing their coats, trimming their nails, brushing their tooth. But some owners don’t give enough concern over these things.  

For example: if our dog nails grow too long and aren’t trimmed, they can cause health and mobility issues. If our dog teeth aren’t brushed, they are more likely to develop dental diseases. So if these kinds of activities are skipped, then it can create various health issues in dogs.

Improper Feeding

The proper balanced diet is the most important thing for dogs as well as for other pets. Like humans, dogs also need a combination of protein, minerals, fats, vitamins, water, carbohydrates for living a healthy life and a well functioning body system. If our dog is not getting proper nutrition due to improper feed(which can include overfeeding and unbalanced feeding) then, our dog would not be able to maintain muscle tone, perform daily activities, fight against disease, build and repair muscles, teeth, and bone.

So, owners should provide them with a balanced diet in a balanced time table. So that it can prevent them from many health issues.

Forgetting to Microchip Dog

When owners get a new dog, we should make sure that our puppy should be connected with a microchip. If our dog gets lost then they can safely find their way back home. These small chips in the dog shoulder hold a unique ID number that connects with owners’ contact information that we supply online.

 Millions of dogs get lost every year. So it is very important to microchip a dog. And some owners forget to microchip their dog or puppy so that the chances of our dog to get lost increases. 

Ignoring their Body Language

Understanding our dogs body language is an important part of responsible pet ownership. Dogs communicate with their faces, ears, eyes, eyebrows, and tails. So, it is very important to understand our body language so that we can recognize the signs of problems they are going through. If they have any kind of discomfort or illness in their body then they show different reactions like sulking of tails and closing eyes. So, if we can understand their body language then it will be helpful to overcome problems. Understanding body language also helps to form a strong relationship between owner and dog. Some owners ignore the body language of dogs which leads to the rise of many health problems in their pets.