All dog owners want their furry friends to have a comfortable life. However, we, as the most passionate dog lovers, may also make mistakes that will harm our loved companions. It often happens even though we don’t realize that. What do I mean?
Dogs have inquisitive and adventurous nature. They want to explore everything and hopefully even taste everything. They behave like little kids. And that’s why we have to watch over them as we do with children. Recently, I saw a great video on what we sometimes forget about with all day-to-day tasks and what might have negative consequences for our pets. It’s not only about the door to your pantry which is not completely closed or ill-fitting winter coats, etc.
What five things should we be careful about in order not to neglect the care of our four-legged friends?
1. Picking dog accessories according to your taste
Imagine putting ill-fitting shoes on every day. Your feet hurt and are skinned because of them. And it’s the same with a collar. Why is it so important for a collar to fit well to your dog? Well, there are different sizes as well as different types. You should pick a size of a collar to have space for two fingers between it and your dog’s neck. The collar should also correspond to the size of the breed – each one has a different body constitution. Pay greater attention to the taste (or rather the needs) of your furry friend rather than yours. It also holds true for the choice of harnesses and dog coats. Functions should definitely win over the design.
2. Letting your dog eat anything
You didn’t order your favourite dog food brand you buy regularly in time so you took the first dog food you saw on the supermarket shelf? Are you walking your dog in a park and it ate every crumb near a bench? Do not let your dog eat anything. You might say it doesn’t matter if it’s only once. However, every dog is different and a one-off change in the diet might cause stomach or other health issues. Some dogs have troubles with their digestion. Also, there is a risk of poisoning outdoors. In the case you run out of dog food unexpectedly, it’s better to cook your dog at home, for example some rice. And sometimes even one-day fasting might be beneficial for the dog. Some nutrition specialists even recommend it.
3. Neglect the care of your dog’s teeth
Fortunately, dogs do not have to brush their teeth twice a day, but we should not completely neglect the care of their teeth. And it’s not only a fashionable thing. According to a research performed among vets, only a fifth of dog owner take care of their furry friends’ teeth. Because of that, we expose our dogs’ smiles to the risk of tartar formation or gingivitis and in worse cases, it may even result in periodontitis or infection. You don’t have to immediately get a dog toothbrush, chewy dog treats are also recommended. After all, even a simple wooden stick on a walk may serve well, too. :)
4. Not enough games and stimuli
Probably the worst thing we can do to our doggie is not spending our time with it and not paying our attention to it. You definitely know the situation when you come home tired and you would preferably go straight to your bed. Jobs can be exhausting but it shouldn’t result in you not having the energy to play with your furry friend and take it for proper walks. Without new and regular stimuli, your dog suffers. Exercising and various games are important for its healthy mental development and strengthening your mutual relationship.
5. Not securing the dog in a car
Travelling with dogs in a car is a common thing nowadays. But still, we sometimes have our dog on our lap, put it under the seat or to the trunk and not secure it during the ride enough. No one can imagine not fastening their seat belts anymore. But we often forget to fasten our dogs’ seat belts. I can recommend a dog seat belt from my own experience. The dog is happy he is sitting on the seat and can look outside. And I’m sure it’s safe and unexpected fast braking won’t break its paws.
There’s certainly much more. Every one of us forgets about something from time to time, for example a basket with washed clothes in the hall and a dog takes good care of it when you are at work. :) Dogs try to fight boredom with various activities and leaving certain things within their reach when we are not present might be dangerous. I have heard of a dog who ate a sock. And it wasn’t the only one, I’m sure. What happened to you and your furry friends?
Did you know that the domestic cat which is now kept as a pet all over the world, is probably a domesticated form of the wild cat, specifically of its subspecies the African wildcat, European wildcat and Asiatic wildcat?
Apart from regular care for the fur and dog’s teeth we should include also the inspection and cleaning of the eyes and ear inspection in the list of everyday tasks. Even though the cats are rather known for cleanliness, it’s important also for a...
Cat is a perfect tool for hunting. It owes it to the dozens of years of evolution. While in dogs, their physical signs have been emphasised or suppressed, cats got to keep, apart from several exceptions, their main anatomical features unchanged. In...
According to various statistics, the number of cats in our country is increasing. Not only dogs, but also cats belong to increasingly more common pets. So, it can happen to us more often, that we'll meet an abandoned cat in the street and we're...
Some dogs take the arrival of a new family member in a hard way. Previously, we described how to prepare them for this situation already before the baby even arrives home and today, we will take a look at the introduction itself.
It's no longer a strange thing when a municipality sets up a dog park or a dog playground. Due to frequent regulation of off-leash movement of dogs, this should, however, often be obligatory. Do you know how to behave in such places so that you...
Another possible sport at which you can play with your dog and exercise with them at the same time, is the Dog Puller. You can practice it with all the dog breeds, no matter the size or age.
Nowadays, cats are increasingly more often becoming members of our households. Cat toilets producers are adapting to this trend as well. They can provide cats with a greater comfort in their daily need. From the perspective of the owners, the producers...
Vacation time is finally here and many of us are planning where they will be headed this year. If you decide to go for an adventure by car and to take your dog friend with you as well, a bit of advice might come in handy on how to provide safety for...
Of course that we won’t talk about how to teach a dog the swimming technique. We want to talk about how to teach the dog to get used to water and how to make swimming a positive experience for it. Since not every one of them trusts water and some are...
If you’re planning to bring a new addition home and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a kitten or an adult cat, it is necessary to prepare the flat for it as well. Do you know what will the animal need and what you shouldn’t forget about or how to choose...
No matter how thorough we are with the prevention, a situation might come up when a dog or a cat will get to a poisonous thing, whether it’s by our inattention or it's somebody else’s fault. That’s why it’s not off-topic to prepare yourself for the...
