Common Mistakes Dog Owners Make
March 17, 2021
When we get a new puppy or rescue a dog from an animal shelter, all of us set out with good intentions. But it’s so easy to lose sight of those good intentions when you’ve got the soulful eyes of a dog or puppy looking up at you. All you want to do is spoil them.
Many of us fall into these traps without even knowing it and before you know it, your dog is misbehaving and causing general unrule and disorder in your house. So how can you avoid these common mistakes? Read on to find out.
Research Different Breeds
It’s hard to resist the cute and cuddly nature of a puppy or dog, but try not to let cuteness sway your decision. Make an informed choice by researching different breeds so you know what you’re committing to. Different breeds of dogs vary greatly from one another. For example, some require more attention, more exercise and a bigger living space than others. A terrier has different personality traits from a retriever, for instance, and both of these breeds shed more hair than a poodle. That’s just a few differences, so check out the background of your canine before you make a decision.
Know Your Dog’s History
If you have the money to buy from a breeder, then this is your best choice as far as knowing the genetic history of your dog. Breeders keep records on all their dogs and know what health issues or behavioral problems might arise. They selectively breed their dogs through the generations to produce the healthiest pups.
Avoid Puppy Mills
Try to avoid getting a puppy from a pet shop or someone advertising on Kijiji. Unless they’re a reputable breeder or animal shelter, you might be buying a dog from a puppy mill. The more these puppies sell, the more common they become. Check out your local shelters and give a homeless dog another chance.
Set Boundaries
From the first day you bring your new dog or puppy home, you want to set boundaries within the house. This can help your dog get oriented and keep any mishaps to a minimum. Your dog needs to earn the right to freely roam the house and boundaries help them to learn. You can use crates or section off parts of the house at first, until they get used to the rules of the house.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key in raising a well-behaved, relaxed and calm dog. Giving him the same commands and using the same words will help your dog to understand. And the whole family needs to be on board with this. If he is always receiving mixed messages, he’ll never learn what’s right and what’s wrong.
Reward Don’t Punish
Often we scold our dogs when they do something bad like peeing on the floor. But in actual fact, your dog doesn’t understand what they’ve done wrong. It is far better to reward their behaviour when they get it right than scold them when they get it wrong. Reinforcing the right behaviour helps to build trust between you and your dog, and he will listen to you rather than skulking away in shame.
The trick to raising a well-behaved dog and to avoiding these common mistakes is to be consistent and practical in your approach. You want your dog to feel like one of the family, but he thinks and understands things from a dog’s perspective. The sooner we understand that, the better our relationship will be with our number one pooch will be.