Easy Mistakes Pet Owners Can Make

If you’re a new pet owner, you’re likely on a bit of a learning curve. Unless you’ve owned pets before, there’s a lot of new information, signs, and signals to take in. Dogs and cats all have their own unique quirks, and getting used to them is one of the major obstacles in the way of having a good life with your new pet.

This is because some people don’t think of their animals in terms of having their own personalities, which is an easy mistake people who aren’t ready for a pet make. It’s mostly plain sailing, but there’s a few more easy and common mistakes a pet owner can make, so here’s some tips.

Not setting down house rules from the beginning

If you bring home a new dog, and dog’s in particular are more at risk of this, make sure you set down house rules otherwise they’ll never learn properly.  You can get some dog training for your puppy, or ideas on how to do so yourself, from the web or a local puppy class. Keep an eye out for all these helping hands.

Don’t be inconsistent with your training either. Make sure to always reward when your dog has done something right, and make sure everyone else in the house does as well. Behaviours can be secretly encouraged by guests and children, so keep a watchful eye over your puppy’s training regime.

A similar vein goes for cats. When it comes to setting boundaries for a cat, you have to think from their point of view. Cats always like to scratch, and you’ll always find them indulging in this behaviour, whether it be on your sofa or a scratching post. Don’t be angry if your cat does use furniture, as they probably don’t have the toys as an alternative. Make sure to set those out from the beginning as well.

Not playing with your pet

A lot of us come home from work or an event out and don’t have the energy to spend anymore time upright. Therefore we hit the hay without much consideration for our pets. Subsequently, they begin to act out.

Dogs and cats, especially puppies and kittens, have a lot of energy. If this isn’t being put to good use it’ll present itself in other ways. Nipping, clawing, tearing around the house, and purposely misbehaving. A lot of this is done for attention purposes, but a lot of it is just a byproduct.

Be sure to wear your pets out before bedtime. This way they’ll settle down for the night more successfully and won’t wake you up at 5am looking for food. Use toys to show that hands are not to be bitten or played with, and do it regularly.

There’s plenty of mistakes a pet owner can make, and often simply because it didn’t cross their mind as a problem. We love our pets and can be weak to their puppy eyed look, but be firm and always stand your ground.

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