Well of course you went ahead and got a pet dog but do you know how to take care of him? Being a novice dog owner is no walk in the park since you will be given a mount of responsibilities. You need to be ready to put in your all so that your pet will be taken care of well. While learning what should be done, knowing what should not be done is vital too. so here are some mistakes to avoid as first time dog owners.Making hasty decisionsYou will definitely be overwhelmed once you step into the pet store. There will be so many cute puppies staring at you and you will want to take the cutest one home. Well, that is a big mistake. It is no surprise that you or your kids will be attracted to a particular good looking dog; however you need to know what you are getting into. Do your own research on what dog breed will match your lifestyle and living conditions. If you are living in an apartment, a big dog won’t be a good choice as they need ample yard space to move around in.
Search the area for vets who have had ongoing veterinary training on the dog breed you are hoping to get. If you are unsure of the breed, talk to them and they will suggest one that fits your lifestyle.Avoiding exercisesDogs are very energetic and love physical activity. Often first time dog owners forget that they are the ones responsible to engage their dogs physically, in order for the dogs to unleash this naturally stored energy. If they are not taken outside, they will encounter physical, behavioural and emotional problems which will lead to obesity, depression or anxiety.
Your doctor who has completed proper veterinarian courses will not be able to help if you don’t take proper responsibility. So, make room in your busy schedules to take your dog to the park at least 30 minutes, twice a day. Let him run around and play with him so that they will get familiarized with you. Ignoring obedience trainingYou might not feel like punishing the poor fellow for something wrong done, however that behaviour will aggravate if you don’t train him from puppy days. You should let him know who the leader and who the follower is. If he feels like he can get away with anything, you will have a big problem in your hands. This will make it hard to present him to people as he will misbehave with them.