A lot of families adopt dogs without even understanding the responsibilities that come with owning one and as a result, we see hundreds of our canine pals abandoned every year.
On the other hand, there are people who actually love their dogs and would never abandon them, but since they do not know everything that they should, they end up doing things that are neither ideal for the dog, nor the owner. On that note, here are five things that you should never do to your family dog.
Don’t Leave the Dog in the Car
A common mistake that kills a number of dogs every year is the habit of keeping them locked inside the car during the day. It can get extremely hot inside the car and pets often die from heat stroke as the owners ignorantly go about doing their shopping and other daily activities.
Keeping a window slightly open isn’t a solution either, so if you are going to a place where you cannot take your dog with you, leave it at home or with someone else. Even if it’s night time or during the winter, you should not leave your dog locked in the car for long intervals.
Don’t Train Them with Cruelty
Dog trainers basically work on two principles and they are bribery and punishment. The logic is that if the dog doesn’t obey a command, it gets a smack or a hard tug on the collar, while on obeying, they get a treat. This is one of the worst things that you can do to a dog because you are literally teaching it to be afraid of or be angry at you. Training like this is what the trainers at the circus used to do to animals back before it was made illegal, albeit to a more severe degree. Instead, visit Our Pet Spot to know how anyone can train any dog to obey them by actually forming a bond with the pet and not through bribery or cruelty.
Don’t Overfeed Them
While overfeeding is bad for even human beings, it is particularly detrimental for pets. Overfeeding will lead to overweight dogs and overweight dogs develop a number of issues such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, breathing problems, and kidney disease. The wrong kind of diet can also lead to these problems or may even poison your pet.
Don’t Hit Them
A dog is not that different from a human child and hitting them can have even worse effects on the animal since they are not exactly capable of understanding things like a human can. A dog who has received a few too many hits will eventually become violent and prone to anxiety. It’s also illegal to beat your dog or any other pet unless you are under attack or you have justifiable cause for the action.
Don’t Put Them in a Crate as Punishment
Dogs function on the principle of association, so if you put the dog in the crate each time you want to punish it for bad behavior, it will no longer be the safe haven for the dog during the night and that’s the primary purpose of having a crate in the first place!
Dogs make great pets but affection alone isn’t enough to make sure that they have a good life with your family. It needs to be a combination of love and knowledge for both pets and humans to live happily together.
