5 Mistakes You Make with Your Dog….and you don’t even know it.
- Invading Your Dog’s Space- We like to believe that are dogs love all the physical attention we can hand out, including hugs. Virginia from South Carolina found this out when a neighbor came over for some tea and Virginia mentioned that her Border Collie was a good hugger. When Virginia’s neighbor went in for a hug, both women were surprised when her mild manner Border Collie nipped her right on the nose.
- Strong Fragrances- Your dog’s sense of smell is highly more sophisticated than yours. Aunt Mabel might be your favorite aunt but when she comes over your dog Frankie might not like all the Lancôme perfume she uses. Always avoid putting any fragrance on your dog. Remember, a clean dog smells good enough.
- Costumes- Taking precautions in winter is one thing but have your ever noticed that the costume you spent hours picking out only last a few seconds on your dog until he can shake or rip off. Julie thought for sure she would win the Halloween costume contest with her dog, Elliott. They were both going as UPS deliver drivers. After forcing her dog into his uniform and then chasing him around the house while he rips it off, the only thing she won was a memorable experience with her dog. You know your dog. If your dog is letting you know they are cute enough with out a costume, go with it.
- No Routines- Believe it or not, your dog thrives on rules and routines. Your dog even has an internal clock and wants to honor that clock. Just like Super Nanny makes a schedule for the kids, make a schedule for your dog. Your dog might not be able to tell time, but she will benefit from the routine you put into place. Think about having a set time every day for training. Just 5-10 minutes is all you need to keep your pet engaged and learning. Consider having a routine before your dog leaves the house. They must sit and get their leash on before you open the door to go outside for a walk. And maybe before you go for your walk with your pooch, you spend a minute brushing their teeth. Then they are rewarded by going out (check out the article on teeth brushing)
- Rushing Through Your Walks- Yes, it’s good to walk for exercise. And it might not feel like exercise if you walked at your dog’s pace, stopping every minute to sniff and mark their territories. But it is. Dogs enjoy the world through their sense of smell. Let them stop and smell the roses or the urine. To a dog, it smells just as sweet.
It might be hard to stop doing all these things, and we are not suggesting that. However, just being more aware of what your pet might not like can make your relationship with your dog much more enjoyable.
