Common Practices That Are Actually Terrible for Your Pets

July 14, 2016

By Morgan Clark 

Every pet owner knows the basics of pet care. Make sure they have enough food and water. Discipline your pets. Give them baths and take them to the vet regularly. Unfortunately some of the advice and common practices of pet ownership do more harm than good for your pet's overall physical and mental health. Here are a few things you probably didn't know are actually bad for pets.

Tying a dog up in the backyard can cause distress and injury

This is a common one, especially around the Fourth of July. So your dog has to be outside, but you know she'll jump the fence and escape every chance she can get. What's the solution? Tie one end of a rope to her collar and the other end to a tree in the middle of the yard. Problem solved!

Well… it's actually not that simple. The side-effect of tying up your dog in the backyard is that they can become agitated from the restricted movement, especially if there are loud noises like fireworks. (Wouldn't you feel the same?) This can lead to them hurting or even strangling themselves in the struggle to get away. What's more, dogs are social creatures that take comfort from spending time with you, so leaving them tied up outside for long periods of time can cause them to become lonely and result in behavioral problems. Instead, build a physical fence (not an electronic collar system) that keeps your dog contained and try to limit the time your leave your dog alone outside, because they might be getting bored and restless.

Free feeding usually leads to obesity (and more!)

Leaving food in the pet bowl 24/7 is so tempting because it's convenient. Notice the bowl is empty? Top it off and let your cat or dog or what-have-you each at their leisure. However, this often turns out exactly like you would expect: your pet will overeat and become overweight. As much as we love to see and share pictures of our adorable, overweight cats, obesity is a serious issue that can lead to grave (and costly) medical conditions. Not to mention that when food is left out for hours, especially in the hot summer sun, insects and bacteria will flock to it.

A better solution is to measure out the amount of food your pet needs to sustain a healthy weight, divide by two, and feed them once in the morning and once in the evening. Even though it takes a little more forethought, your pet will thank you with a long and healthy life.

Rubbing their noses in a mess can cause psychological trauma

Yes, I know this sounds like it's coming straight out of a new-wave yuppy magazine, but the disciplinary tactic we've all been using for years is traumatizing and less effective than other techniques. Unless you catch your dog in the act of defecating on the carpet, chewing on the furniture, or ripping up the contents of the trash, they will have no idea what you are so upset about. Then they get anxious because “sometimes Mom is angry when she gets home and I don't know why”, which can lead to more chewing.

Instead, be strategic about where you keep your trash and other chewable objects. Install baby gates or other barriers if necessary. When first potty training your pup, stay with him as much as possible to catch him in the act so he will associate the action of defecating with your reaction. Chewing can be a result of anxiety or pent-up energy, so make sure the chewing isn't stemming from other issues that can be remedied on their own.