Dogs are, without a doubt, the Best and most loyal friends a man could have. Our furry ones are always ready to accompany us in all our adventures and misadventures, 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 our way of acting and showing affection on many occasions. If we dedicate ourselves to better understanding the language and communication of our dogs, we will know how to identify their preferences and express our affection in a way that they can also enjoy and reciprocate.
On our site we always invite you to learn tips and curiosities about dogs to help you care for and relate better to your dog. On this occasion, we invite you to discover the 12 things you should not do with your dogto respect his will and needs, and offer him an excellent quality of life. Do not miss it!
1. Not respecting the basic freedoms of animal welfare
Just like us, dogs need certain freedoms and basic rights in order to enjoy a he althy, dignified and happy life. Knowing and respecting the 5 freedoms of animal welfare will be the fundamental pillar on which you can build a positive relationship with your furry friend, based on trust and mutual affection. Therefore, ignoring their basic needs and rights is definitely one of the things you should not do with your dogs.
The 5 freedoms of animal welfare are:
- Free from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
- Free from discomfort
- Pain and disease free
- Free to express yourself
- Free from fear and stress
two. Getting mad because your dog is a dog
Yes, your dog will jump on you when you come home and Your clothes will get dirty Yes, your house, couch and up to your face, and you'll have to clean up while he looks at you with the most innocent face on the planet. Yes, puppies can chew some of your shoes, socks and even furniture because their teeth are growing, or because they are not used to being left alone in the home. Yes, your dog will smell like a dogbecause his body is different from ours and if you bathe him excessively you will harm his he alth. Yes, your dog will sniff other dogs' asses to socialize, he will want to go for a walk every so often, he will ask you for petting 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 your permission to love you unconditionally… Dogs are like that and, for that reason, they are always authentic and absolutely charming when they express themselves. Sometimes, you will need to take five or ten minutes, take a deep breath and calm down… But you should never get angry, much less punish or reprimand your best friend for being what he is: a dog!
3. Humanize him or want to change his way of being
As we mentioned in the previous section, your dog is a dog, not a person, much less a baby. This does not mean that a species is superior or inferior, but rather that each one has its own organism, its own personality and, consequently, its own needs. Although it may seem that a humanized dog has many "luxuries and roy alties", the truth is that this dog suffers because it cannot express itself freely.
As guardians, it is our most beautiful mission and responsibility to learn to respect and love our dogs for their own way of being, in all its similarities and differences with human beings. Of course, it is perfect that you spend time and treat your furry ones with all the love and affection you have to give them, but always remember that humanizing a dog means not respecting the needs of their body and mind.
4. Allowing him everything and not educating him correctly
When adopting a dog, you must be aware that, in addition to loving, pampering and having fun with him, you will also need to educate him Unfortunately Many people are unaware that education is an essential part of responsible ownership. And, very often, we see dogs being abandoned by their relatives for presenting behavioral problems, which are almost always associated with poor education and poor socialization.
Educating your dog will allow you to teach him the house rules to promote a he althy and safe coexistence for all the members of the house. In this way, you can prevent numerous 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.
On our site you will find many tricks to train your dog at home. But if you don't have the time or patience to teach your best friend, you can also seek the help of a dog trainer.
5. Punish you physically or emotionally
Wrongly, humanity has believed for many years that physical or emotional punishments would have some educational function. But fortunately, today we know that any form of violence is totally counterproductive for the learning of all species.
If we want to educate a dog, we should never resort to physical force, much less psychological humiliation. Hitting your dog, punishing him, locking him up, yelling at him, offending him, scolding him… All these "techniques" (which have nothing to do with education) expose your furry friend to very negative emotions, such as fear and stressA dog that is scared, frightened and does not trust its owner will not only have enormous difficulties concentrating and learning, but will also be able to adopt a defensive posture and even attack when it feels threatened.
Therefore, punishments of any nature are dangerous and totally counterproductive in the education of your furry. To teach him, opt for positive reinforcementwhich will stimulate his physical, cognitive and emotional abilities, as well as help strengthen the bond between you
6. Leave him, lock him up or ignore him
The abandonment of dogs and other pets is a sad reality that we live in our day to day. In the vast majority of cases, abandonment can be avoided if we all create consciousness when adopting a pet.
A dog is an intelligent and sensitive animal that requires time and space to develop properly. In addition, to feed it, take it to the vet, vaccinate it, deworm it and provide other essential care, such as oral hygiene, toys to stimulate it physically and mentally, objects to walk and provide well-being (leash, muzzle, etc.), it will also be necessary to have a certain economic solvency. For all these reasons, adopting a dog requires prior planning and a lot of responsibility
But there is another form of abandonment, as cruel as the previous one… If you don't pay attention to your dog's needs, if you are always too busy to share with him, if you lock him up and prevent him from having the magnificent experience of discovering the world with its own senses, if you ignore its physical and emotional needs, or if you do not provide the care it requires to be he althy and happy, you are also abandoning your dog.
Therefore, take him for a walk with you, give him a cuddle and let him sleep next to you or near you, tell him how much you love and admire him, prepare a homemade and very tasty meal to satisfy his appetite… Simply, do not miss the opportunity to give back a little of the infinite love that your dog is ready to give you every day.
7. Having fun causing negative emotions
There are many curious things that dogs do that can make us curious and even make us laugh. But we shouldn't make our dog feel uncomfortable, nervous or angry just to have fun for a moment. Actually, exposing our best friends to contexts of high stress, fear or anxiety should not be so funny… If your dog doesn't like being blown at or feels uncomfortable when you try to hug him, just respect him and don't do it.
Your best friend loves to have fun in your company and you have thousands of entertaining activities to propose: you can practice sports with him, take him for a walk or travel with you, teach him tricks or fun tasks, and even prepare games intelligence kits to stimulate your dog's mind.
8. Only take him to the vet when he's sick
Logically, if you notice changes in your dog's behavior or appearance, you should not hesitate before taking it to the veterinary clinic. However, it is also essential to make preventive visits to the vet every six months to check the he alth status of your furry. It will also be essential to respect his vaccination certificate and deworm him periodically.
All dogs, whether mixed-breed or of a defined breed, need and deserve to have adequate preventive medicine to stay free of diseases and behavior problems. Also remember that complete and balanced nutrition, proper physical and mental stimulation, reinforced oral hygiene, and a safe and positive environment are essential to preserve the good he alth of your best friend.
9. Scold him hours after doing something inappropriate
When you scold your dog, you make him experience a context of high stress, fear and anxiety These emotions have a very negative impact on his he alth mentally and, consequently, in their behavior. Because of this, many dogs lose control over their own reactions and may carry out involuntary acts, such as urinating when you scold them.
If you have recently adopted a dog, you should be particularly vigilant about these behaviors, as they may be a sign that the dog has not been properly socialized or has suffered physical and emotional abuse.
Furthermore, if you scold your dog for something that happened hours or days ago, he will not be able to understand the reason for your anger and this situation will generate a lot of mistrust. So, feeling frustrated for not understanding what you want to say or ask, your dog may bark at you when you scold him, to calm you down and tell you something like "enough, I don't understand what you're doing but I don't want any conflict with you."
10. Giving you inappropriate or dangerous foods
Providing a complete and balanced diet means not only taking care of your he alth, but also respecting the needs of your body and mind. Your furry needs a balanced diet to develop properly and be able to enjoy an active and happy life in your company.
There are many prohibited foods for dogs that we usually consume regularly, such as chocolate, sugar, s alt, and even certain fruits and vegetables that can be toxic to our best friends. In addition, your body is not prepared to assimilate fried foods, industrialized foods or artificial sweets (candy, chewing gum, etc.)
You can offer a homemade and nutritious diet to your best friend, but you must always respect the capacities of his organism and his nutritional requirements. On our site, we explain what the BARF diet is, what its many canine he alth benefits are, and how to prepare BARF recipes for our best friends.
But if you want to base your dog's diet on a commercial feed, remember to always choose excellent quality products that contain highly digestible animal proteins. To help you, we list the best feed on the market in a single article, don't get lost!
eleven. Keep you from having a he althy social life
Dogs are highly social animals who enjoy having the opportunity to interact with other dogs, express their curiosity and discover new stimuli, exercising your senses at the same time. For this reason, for most dogs, walks are one of the happiest moments of their days.
If you deprive your best friend of interacting with other dogs, with other people and even animals of other species, you will not be 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 in his environment and with his own territory, preventing them from being aggressive or fearful in social interaction.
The socialization of the dog is a key part of their education, as it gives them the opportunity to live and interact with other individuals with security and self-confidence. Although the ideal is to start socializing a dog as a puppy, it is also possible to carry out a socialization process in adult dogs, always with patience and the help of positive reinforcement.
12. Give up helping him in the face of a behavior problem
All dogs, regardless of their breed, sex or age, can develop certain behavioral problems throughout their lives. If you properly educate and socialize your dog from puppyhood and provide appropriate care and adequate preventive medicine, you can prevent countless unwanted behaviors. However, you should not give up on your dog if he shows any behavior problemat a certain point in his life
A behavior problem in a dog is not a permanent sentence, much less does it indicate a flaw in his character. It is simply a sign that something is wrong with your body or mind. Therefore, when identifying that your dog's character has changed, if he is more aggressive or more nervous than usual, the first thing you should do is quickly take him to the veterinary clinic.
The vet will be able to check his he alth status and will try to find out if the behavioral changes have a pathological cause. Many diseases that cause intense pain or interfere with the senses of dogs, as well as hormonal disturbances, can cause behavioral problems. When diagnosing any pathology, the professional will be able to recommend an appropriate treatment. But if any pathological cause is ruled out, it is best to seek an ethologist or dog trainer.
A large part of the behavior problems in our furry can be treated with the help of a veterinary ethologist and a canine educator. Therefore, don't give up, because now he needs you more than ever to overcome a difficult moment and regain his self-confidence. Without a doubt, he will also be by your side when you need a friend…
