Top 5 Mistakes Dog Owners Make

1. Not enough exercise

Dogs need exercise every day, mental and physical. Without it they cannot be the animal they were born to be. Many owners make the mistake of thinking that if they have a “big backyard” that should be good enough and they don’t need to walk their dog every day. I call this the big back yard myth. A yard size means nothing to a dog without the pack leader (you are the pack leader) there to initiate the exercise. Dogs need different amounts of exercise depending on the dog’s energy level. A medium energy level dog needs a minimum of 45 minutes of structured exercise a day. High energy dogs need even more!

2. Thinking of dogs as humans

As much as we want our dogs to be our babies, they are not humans. They have different needs than people do and if we don’t acknowledge them being dogs we are selfishly depriving them of the primal things they need to be healthy and happy.

3. Giving affection at the wrong time

Most dogs do not lack for affection. The problem is, while dogs like affection, too much at the wrong time can actually hurt them! Has your dog ever been afraid of a noise or person and you say something like “It’s okay baby, they won’t hurt you.” ? While owners have the very best of intentions they are unknowingly telling their dog to be afraid! Affection to a dog means ‘good’, ‘right’. If you pet your dog when they are scared you are saying “Good dog, that’s right, be afraid.”

4. Not having a good feeding routine

Dogs’ bodies are set up to eat at specific times. It is good for their digestive systems and their minds to eat at certain times, rather than having food in the bowl 24/7. Dogs should be hungry when they eat and should have a routine of respecting the pack leader before they get their food.

5. Projecting the wrong energy to your dog

An example of this is that often when our dogs get excited and bark we shout at them. This to them is also excitement. They don’t hear your words; they hear your excited energy and it simply feeds their excitement.

For a personal in-home consultation with you and your dog, call Julie at 340-2824