Dogs are the happiest and cutest little babies, and having them grow as your family is a completely new experience for many of us. A lot of times we get scared and confused about what to do next, once the dog gets comfortable inside and house, starts teething, and eventually turning everything into its chew toy!
In too many families we notice various unkind treatments meted out to the dog, despite them actually wanting good for their pet. With little knowledge an experience, they often make huge mistakes that scar their four-legged friend for life. Here are a few mistakes that must be kept in mind, while bringing your dog up.
Keeping these in mind will help both you and your dog.
DON’T SHOP, ADOPT.
DOGS ARE NOT COMMODITIES. Most of the times, having a “good breed” is synonymous with a certain status and privilege. Automatically, having a Labrador, a Golden-retriever, or perhaps a German Shephard becomes a matter of your social status.
While this trend makes space for the endless process of breeding foreign origin dogs not suited for tropical Indian climates more desirable, it makes dogs look like luxury-commodities.
Often, a family with such a mind-set will fail to treat their dog with respect, or mistreat them once their behavior does not suit them. It is necessary to understand why your dog behaves the way they do, and change your approach, instead of over-punishing and yelling at them.
It is wiser to adopt someone who actually needs a home, medication, and protection. So, don’t shop, adopt!
THINK BEFORE BRINGING A DOG HOME
Bringing a pet home is not a one-day thing. It is a lifetime of love, memories and bonding. Even though, if you really want to care for a dog, you CAN make it possible, sometimes you have to consider many things before deciding to keep them. The size of your house in relation to how big the dog will grow is just one of them.
You must consider if you have proper time and people to:
- Provide exercise
- Maintain meal timings
- Watch them, in case of puppies till up to 10 months of age.
If you fail to provide your pet with enough attention, in our case, dogs, they will behave in disturbed ways and often have poor health. Dogs are extremely pack-oriented, friendly and loving, who will always want to be around their family. So make sure you don’t deprive them of it!
DO NOT CLOSE DOORS ON THEM FOR TOO LONG
Sometimes you do need to keep your dog alone, or outside, to play by themselves. But never keep them separated from you for too long. Dogs are known to have a separation anxiety, and will howl and cry if left alone. You will notice that your dog hates closed doors, staying alone, and will paw away at the door until you let them inside.
LOSING PATIENCE
Your dog will have mood swings. Even if they are being trained well, at the growing phase, your dog will sometimes act up, jump and paw at you, refuse to listen to commands, and run about like crazy!
Do not lose patience, and handle their issues calmly. They are completely natural. They only way out is to gain trust, be kind, sternly let them know when they behave improperly. Give them ALOT of time, as each dog has its own personality, and will not be able to respond to you in the same manner.
Losing patience or yelling will only make them nervous and angry!
NOT KEEPING DIET IN MIND
No matter how much you want to, DO NOT OFFER THEM YOUR FANCY CHOCOLATE. In fact, it is absolutely necessary to consult a vet about what you should feed them, at different ages. They need different amounts, at different time-gaps, according to their health and weight.
In case they vomit, deny meals, or isolate themselves from the family, take medical help, immediately.
READ MORE:
10 Common Mistakes Dog Owners Make (thesprucepets.com)
The ugly truth about dog breeding business | Maneka Gandhi| human interest (mathrubhumi.com)
