5 Common Mistakes Pet Owners Make

Pets can be a great addition to our families, but if you aren’t sure of what you are doing, it can be a disaster! New pet parents commonly make the 5 mistakes I am going to talk about in today’s post. Hopefully by reading this you are prevented from making them! Enjoy!

MISTAKE #1: Too much love

I know what you are thinking, “You can’t love a pet too much”……but the truth is you can. People who spoil their pets, or allow them to do whatever they please in the house are only making things harder for the animal. Owners want their animals to be able to feel free and comfortable in their new homes, so giving your pet everything she wants usually starts on day one. Just like children, pets need rules and boundaries to keep them in line.

If you fail to make rules and boundaries, will result in your pet making mistakes they are then punished for. A perfect example of this is elimination mishaps, or chewing on the wrong thing. It is much better for your pet if you are able to make the rules and boundaries clear from the very beginning. Many animals are taken to shelters because their behavior has become incredibly out of control - it has become their habit since they did not have clear rules and boundaries.

This is very easy to prevent and even if you are doing this now, it is easy to stop. You need to make clear to your pet that their behavior will not be tolerated. You can punish them by giving them alone time without you. Sit down with your family members and come up with a list of behaviors that aren’t acceptable and follow through with your plan.

MISTAKE #2: Focusing too much on punishment

Pet owners commonly react more to the mistakes their pet makes rather than the good behavior. We are concentrating so hard on punishing our animal, that we do not focus and reward good behavior. The best example of this is your pet urinating on the rug. This is usually due to lack of supervision (the fault of the pet owner) and the first thing we do is yell. This is not a good way to react.

Dogs do not think like people, they are very simple thinkers. Your pet could interpret your yelling as meaning you don’t like to see them urinating on the rug - this could result in them going places you cannot see to do their business. With this example, punishing actually does more harm than good - you are not resolving the problem, you are just making it worse.

Punishing your pet too much will also create tension in your relationship. You should focus on managing your pet’s behavior (keeping them on a leash, confinement, supervision, etc.) to make sure they are successful and get rewarded. Doing it this way will prevent problem behaviors from becoming habits and it allows you to praise and reward your pet!

MISTAKE #3: Confusing your pet for a person

When it comes down to it, dogs and cats are animals. No matter how human you want them to be, no matter how human you try to treat them - they will always be animals. I’m not saying you shouldn’t treat your pet as a member of the family, I am just saying you need to recognize the differences between pets and people.

Animals do not sit around all day and think about what they are going to do to get back at you, they have no concept of revenge or spitefulness. Pets think in much simpler terms than we do, so the next time you see your pet doing something wrong, don’t think she is trying to punish you or get back at you for any reason.

MISTAKE #4: Not having your pet spayed or neutered

I’ve talked about this topic a lot, and it is something most pet owners do not take very seriously. Spaying or neutering your pet will not result in laziness or weight gain, and you are not harming your pet in any way by blocking her from having a litter of puppies. The pet overpopulation in this country has gotten out of control, and most of that is due to breeding and pets that are not spayed or neutered.

Spaying and neutering your pet will decrease their risk for diseases, it will get rid of their instinct to wander (wandering could cause a pet to become lost or hurt), for males, it may reduce aggression problems, as well as the instinct to “mark their territory” in the house. By having your pet spayed or neutered, you will make them happy and healthy!

MISTAKE #5: Lack of supervision

This is most common among children. It is very important to keep in mind that your pets may be incredibly tolerable of children, but it only takes one action (such as too much rough housing) to cause a pet to react. Animals should be supervised at all times - especially when they are around children.

The most likely person to be bitten by a dog, or scratched by a cat is a family member. Keep a close eye on your kids and make sure they are playing nice with your pet. Make sure you let your children know how to properly play with your pet, and talk about signs to look for when your pet has had enough playing.

Thanks for reading!! As always your participation in comments and discussions are encouraged and greatly appreciated!!

Did you like what you read? Find more information on pet ownership, and what you need to know before and after getting your dog, by purchasing my ebook. Click here for details!!