Bad Habits That Hurt Your Dog
We do everything we can to keep our fur babies safe, but there are actually five things you’re probably doing..that put your pup in danger.
We know you don’t purposefully do it, we would never intentionally hurt our canine companions, but it’s good to be aware of anything that we may be doing that could potentially negatively impact our or other people’s dogs.
So let’s not get defensive here and let’s get into it. The first seemingly innocuous habit that you may have that could put your dog in danger is leaving human food out.
1. Leaving Human Food Out
We can’t keep our eagle eyes on our pups 24/7, so we have to be careful about leaving any food, especially food that could be toxic to them, out where they can get into it. Toxic foods or foods that are just generally no Bueno for your pup include, but are not limited to, chocolate (which we all know by now), citrus, coconut and coconut oil, grapes and raisin, macadamia nuts, dairy, any sort of raw or undercooked meat, salty snack foods, and yeasty dough…
All of these foods can cause stomach upset or even scarier symptoms in your dog, so best to keep your smorgasbord attended to or out of reach of your pup.
2. Feeding Your Dog A Rawhide Bone
The second thing you could be doing that puts your dog in danger is giving your dog a rawhide bone. We know you’re just trying to make your pup happy and keep them occupied…plus they sell these in pretty much every pet store, so they can’t be that harmful, right?
Wrong. A lot of dogs are really sensitive to rawhides and chewing on them can cause major stomach upset. Not to mention the fact that while chewing on these, your dog can break the bone into little pieces, which actually could be a choking hazard. There are plenty of ways to spoil your pup to bits and pieces…we just don’t want them choking on said bits and pieces.
3. Walking Your Dog Off-Leash
The third thing you’re doing that is a big doggy no-no is letting your dog walk with you…off-leash. We’re sure your dog is the best-trained dog that ever did exist and a perfect listener…until…SQUIRREL. While we think of our pets like our children, at the end of the day, they are still animals and have ancestral instincts that date back thousands and thousands of years.
So while your pup is great at heel off-leash, you just can’t predict if there will be an animal that he or she just NEEDS to chase or frankly if there’s a piece of trash or…callback…toxic food on the ground that they may gobble up before you say “no!”
Keeping Cleaning Products Within Reach of Your Dog
The fourth habit that we’d like to correct…in you, not your pup…is one that is especially appropriate for the pandemic: leaving cleaning supplies out.
Maybe you’re cleaning up germs or even cleaning up after your pup, but after you’ve wiped everything down, clean up after YOURSELF and put these harmful chemicals away.
These can even smell good to dogs, so much so that they’ll want to lick it up or put dishwasher pods in their mouths, and just like we’ve had to tell teens with tide pods not to eat these, keep these out of reach of your dog, so we don’t have to deal with the same fiasco with our pups.
Not Picking Up Your Pooch’s Poop
The last habit that you may be guilty of is not picking up your dog’s poop. Why? We don’t get it. It’s not that hard. Just pick it up! We know it can be gross, but the gross consequences of not picking it up are way worse.
There are so many diseases that can be transmitted through poop like roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms, really all the worms...parvo, giardia, and so many more. Plus poop attracts mice, which can actually spread this harmful bacteria more. So pick it up.
Final Word
And pick up what I’m putting down…leave these habits behind to ensure the happiest and healthiest life for your pup. Which of these are you guilty of? Let us know in the comments section down below.
