Content
- 1. Disrespecting basic animal welfare freedoms
- 2. Get upset because your dog is a dog
- 3. Humanize him or want to change his way of being
- 4. Allow everything and not train correctly
- 5. Apply physical or emotional punishment
- 6. Abandon, lock or ignore your pet
- 7. Have fun causing negative emotions
- 8. Only take the dog to the vet when he is sick
- 9. Reprimand him hours after doing something inappropriate
- 10. Offer inappropriate or dangerous foods
- 11. Deprive you of a healthy social life
- 12. Giving him up in the presence of a behavioral problem
Dogs are, without a doubt, the best and most loyal friends a man can have. Our furry ones are always ready to accompany us on all our adventures and misfortunes, without the need to speak to make us feel that they perfectly understand each of our moods.
However, there are some things that dogs hate about humans, either because it makes them uncomfortable or because they don't understand the way we act and show affection on many occasions. If we dedicate ourselves to better understanding our pets' language and communication, we will know how to identify their preferences and express our affection in a way that they too can enjoy and reciprocate.
At PeritoAnimal, we always invite you to get to know tips and trivia about dogs to help you take care of them and get along better with them. On this occasion, we invite you to discover the 12 Things You Should Never Do With Your Dog to respect his wishes and needs, and offer an excellent quality of life for your pet. Don't miss it!
1. Disrespecting basic animal welfare freedoms
Just like us, puppies need to have certain basic freedoms and rights in order to enjoy a healthy, dignified and happy life. Knowing and respecting the 5 animal welfare freedoms will be the fundamental pillar on which you can build a positive relationship with your pets, based on trust and mutual affection. Therefore, ignoring your puppy's basic needs and rights is definitely one of the things you shouldn't do.
The 5 freedoms of animal welfare are:
- Free from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
- Discomfort free
- Free from pain and disease
- free to express yourself
- Free from fear and stress
2. Get upset because your dog is a dog
Yes, your dog will jump on you when you get home and get your clothes dirty. Yes, he'll drool over your house, your couch and even your face, and you'll have to clean while he looks at you with the most innocent face on the planet. Yes, puppies may chew on some of their shoes, socks and even furniture because their teeth are growing out, or because they are not used to being alone in the house. yes your dog will smell like a dog because his body is different from ours and excessive bathing will harm his health. Yes, your dog will sniff other dogs' tails to socialize, he will want to go out for a walk all the time, he will ask for pets and he will want to sleep with you to feel safe...
In short, your dog will be a dog and the only thing he will never do is ask permission to love you unconditionally... Dogs are like that and, for that very reason, they are always authentic and absolutely charming when they express themselves. Sometimes it will take you five or ten minutes to take a deep breath and calm down... But you should never get mad, let alone punish or scold your best friend for being what he is: a dog!
3. Humanize him or want to change his way of being
As mentioned in the previous section, your puppy is a puppy, not a person, let alone a baby. This does not mean that a species is superior or inferior, but that each one has its own organism, its own personality and, consequently, its own needs. While it may seem that a humanized dog has many "luxuries and perks", the truth is that this dog suffers because it cannot express itself freely.
As tutors, it is our most beautiful mission and responsibility to learn to respect and love our dogs by its own way of being, in all its similarities and differences with human beings. Of course it's perfect that you take the time and treat your furry with all the love and affection you have to offer, but always remember that humanizing a dog means not respecting the needs of his body and mind.
4. Allow everything and not train correctly
When adopting a dog, you should be aware that in addition to loving, pampering and having fun with your pet, you will also need to educate it. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that education is an essential part of being responsible for a dog. And, very often, we see dogs being abandoned by their guardians for behavioral problems, almost always associated with poor education and socialization.
Educating your dog allows you to teach the house rules to encourage healthy and safe living for all family members. This way you will be able to prevent many behavior problems and domestic accidents. But that's not all: training is, in short, the best exercise you can give your best friend to stimulate him physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially.
At PeritoAnimal, you will find many tips to train your dog at home. If you don't have the time or patience to teach your best friend, you can also seek help from a dog educator.
5. Apply physical or emotional punishment
For many years, humanity has mistakenly believed that physical or emotional punishment has some educational function. But, fortunately, today we already know that any form of violence is totally counterproductive for learning of all kinds.
If we want to educate a dog, we must never resort to physical force, much less psychological humiliation. Hitting, punishing, arresting, screaming, offending, scolding your dog... All these "techniques" (which are not at all educational) expose your furry dog to very negative emotions, such as fear and stress. A scared, frightened dog that doesn't trust its owner will not only have enormous difficulties in concentrating and learning, but can also adopt a defensive posture and even attack when it feels threatened.
Therefore, punishments of any kind are dangerous and totally counterproductive in your pet's education. To train your puppy, opt for positive reinforcement that stimulates his physical, cognitive and emotional abilities, which will help to strengthen the bond between you.
6. Abandon, lock or ignore your pet
Abandoning dogs and other pets is a sad reality that we live daily. In the vast majority of cases, abandonment can be avoided if we all create awareness when adopting an animal.
a dog is a smart and sensitive animal it requires time and space to develop properly. In addition, to feed him, take him to the vet, vaccinate him, deworm him and provide other essential care, such as oral hygiene, toys to stimulate him physically and mentally, objects to walk and provide well-being (leash , muzzle, etc.), it will also be necessary to have some economic solvency. Therefore, adopting a dog requires advance planning and a lot of responsability.
However, there is another form of abandonment as cruel as the above... If you don't pay attention to your puppy's needs, if you are always too busy to share time with him, if you lock the animal up and prevent it from having the magnificent experience If you discover the world with your own senses, if you ignore its physical and emotional needs, or if you don't give it the necessary care to be healthy and happy, you are also abandoning your dog.
So, take your pet for a walk, offer affection and let it sleep beside you or near you, show how much you love and admire your pet, prepare a very tasty homemade meal to satisfy your appetite... Simply, don't miss the opportunity to give back a little of the infinite love that your dog is prepared to give you every day.
7. Have fun causing negative emotions
There are many curious things dogs do that can make us curious and even laugh. But we shouldn't make our dog feel uncomfortable, nervous or angry just to have fun for a while. In fact, exposing our best friends to high levels of stress, fear or anxiety shouldn't be so funny... If your dog doesn't like you blowing in his face or feels uncomfortable when you try to pet him, just respect and don't do it.
Your best friend loves to have fun in your company and you have thousands of fun activities to offer: you can play sports with him, take him for walks or travel, teach him tricks or fun tasks and even prepare homemade brain games to stimulate mind of your dog.
8. Only take the dog to the vet when he is sick
Of course, if you notice any changes in your dog's behavior or appearance, you shouldn't hesitate to consult a veterinarian. However, it is also essential to make preventive visits to the vet every six months to check on your partner's health. It is also essential to respect your vaccination schedule and deworm it regularly.
All dogs, whether mixed or defined breed, need and deserve to have adequate preventive medicine to keep them free from diseases and behavior problems. Also remember that a complete and balanced diet, adequate physical and mental stimulation, enhanced oral hygiene and a safe and positive environment are essential to preserve your best friend's good health.
9. Reprimand him hours after doing something inappropriate
When you scold your dog, you cause him to experience a high level of stress, fear and anxiety. These emotions have a very negative impact on his mental health and, consequently, on his behavior. As a result, many dogs lose control over their own reactions and may perform involuntary acts, such as urinating when you reprimand them.
If you have recently adopted a dog, you should be especially aware of these behaviors as they may be a sign that the dog has not been properly socialized or has been physically and emotionally abused.
Also, if you reprimand your dog for something that happened hours or days ago, he will not understand the reason for his anger and will become very suspicious. So if he gets frustrated that he doesn't understand what you're saying or asking, your dog may bark at you when you reprimand him to calm you down and say something like "Stop, I don't understand what you're doing, but I don't want any conflict with you".
10. Offer inappropriate or dangerous foods
Providing a complete and balanced diet means not only taking care of your health, but also respecting the needs of your puppy's body and mind. Your pet needs a balanced diet to develop properly and enjoy an active and happy life in your company.
There are many prohibited dog foods that we regularly consume, such as chocolate, sugar, salt and even right fruits and vegetables that can be toxic to our best friends. Furthermore, their bodies are not prepared to assimilate fried foods, processed foods or artificial sweets (candies, chewing gum, etc.).
You can offer your best friend a homemade, nutritious diet, but you must always respect your body's nutritional needs and capabilities. At Animal Expert, we explain what the BARF diet is, what its many benefits are for your dog's health and how to prepare BARF recipes for our best friends.
If you prefer to base your dog's diet on commercial pet food, remember to always choose products of excellent quality, containing animal proteins and highly digestible.
11. Deprive you of a healthy social life
dogs are animals highly sociable who like to have the opportunity to interact with other dogs, express their curiosity and discover new stimuli while exercising their senses. That's why, for most dogs, walking is one of the happiest times of their day.
If you deprive your best friend from interacting with other dogs, other people and even animals of other species, you are not giving him the opportunity to develop his cognitive, emotional and social skills. In addition, it is very important that your dog learns to relate positively with other individuals, with the stimuli of their environment and with their own territory, preventing them from being aggressive or fearful in social interaction.
Your dog's socialization is a fundamental part of education as it offers the opportunity to live and interact with other individuals with confidence and self-confidence. While it is ideal to start socializing a dog when it is a puppy, it is also possible to carry out a socialization process in adult dogs, always with patience and with the help of positive reinforcement.
12. Giving him up in the presence of a behavioral problem
All dogs, regardless of their breed, sex or age, can develop certain behavior problems throughout their lives. If you properly educate and socialize your puppy since he's a puppy and provide adequate preventive care and medication, you can avoid an infinite number of unwanted behaviors. However, you should not give up on your dog if he has a behavior problem at some point in his life.
A behavior problem in a dog is not a permanent sentence, nor does it indicate a character flaw. It's simply a sign that something is wrong with him, physically or psychologically. So when you identify that your dog's character has changed, if he is more aggressive or more nervous than usual, the first thing you should do is see a veterinarian quickly.
The veterinarian will be able to examine his health and try to find out if the behavior changes have a pathological cause.Many illnesses that cause severe pain or interfere with a dog's senses, as well as hormonal disturbances, can lead to behavioral problems. When diagnosing a condition, the practitioner will be able to recommend an appropriate treatment. However, if all pathological causes are ruled out, it is best to seek out an ethologist or dog educator.
Most dog behavior problems can be treated with the help of a veterinary ethologist and dog educator. So don't give up, because now he needs you more than ever to get through a difficult time and regain his self-confidence. Without a doubt, he will also be on your side when you need a friend...
