Pet Parenting Mistakes That Can Shorten Your Pet's Life
Many pet owners make mistakes without even realizing they are making them, & wonder why their pets act the way they do - or develop a life-threatening illness. Be proactive while there's still time.
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Even the most well-intentioned pet parent makes mistakes every now and then in caring for their dog or cat; sometimes, we don’t even recognize a mistake for what it is
It’s important to know when something we’re doing (or not doing) might cause physical or emotional harm to furry family members
Some common mistakes pet guardians make include acquiring an animal on impulse without thinking things through, neglecting socialization and training responsibilities, not ensuring their pet gets much-needed exercise, and feeding a poor-quality diet/overfeeding
Earlier in the week, on day three of Mercola Healthy Pets Anniversary Week 2022, I offered a "to do" list of 10 ways pet parents can help their furry family members live healthy, long lives.
Today, on day five, I want to discuss 10 common pet parent mistakes (a "don’t do" list), because even the most well-intentioned guardian makes the occasional misstep in choosing or caring for their dog or cat. Sometimes, we don’t even recognize a mistake for what it is! However, it’s important to know when something we’re doing (or not doing) might cause harm to our animal companion.
10 Common Pet Parenting Mistakes to Avoid
You don’t do your homework before selecting a pet — Taking on the responsibility of caring for a dependent creature isn't something you should do on a whim. It's a decision that requires careful thought, planning and preparation.
Especially if you’re a first-time pet guardian, you need to do some research to understand which breeds are best suited for your activity level and lifestyle. Before you decide on a new family member, talk with knowledgeable shelter employees about what kind of pet best suits you, especially in terms of temperament.
Allow them to point you in a direction, and keep your brain engaged as well your heart so that you can make the best choice for both you and the dog or cat you adopt.
You buy from a pet store or online — When it comes to those adorable purebred puppies or kittens being sold at your local mall, or illicitly on Craigslist, or out of the back of a truck in the grocery store parking lot, as cute as they are, and as much as you may think they need you, just say no. Don't help unethical backyard breeders and puppy mills stay in business.
If you have your heart set on purchasing a purebred pup or kitten, try to buy from a local, reputable breeder who is focused on reparative conformation. Make sure to check his or her background and references. Review the sales contract closely. If possible, it’s always best to visit a breeder's facility in person. You want to see for yourself the conditions in which your prospective pet was born and raised. There are also purebred rescues.
You wait too long to socialize your puppy or kitten — Socialization of puppies and kittens ideally occurs between the ages of 3 and 14 weeks for pups and between 3 and 9 weeks for kitties. This is the period in their development when they are most open to investigating new environments and stimuli. Young animals not given a full range of socialization opportunities by about 10 weeks can develop lifelong fear of the unfamiliar.
Dogs and cats who aren't properly socialized during their first 3 months are at dramatically increased risk for behavior problems like aggression, fear, and avoidance. Sadly, pets with problems stemming from lack of early socialization fill animal shelters and rescue facilities in every city and state across the country.
While you can’t replace the sensitive period that occurs early in life, socialization doesn’t end when your pet reaches 12 weeks. It’s important to continue socialization opportunities daily for the first year of life and continue reinforcing them beyond that.
It’s also very possible that you may adopt a dog or cat who’s older with an unknown socialization history. In such cases, you can still provide new experiences for your pet, but you may need to do so gradually and respect your pet’s personality in helping them reach a sense of security before moving forward.
If your pet seems very distressed by ordinary experiences or interacting with new people or animals, seek the help of a fear-free animal trainer especially if you suspect the animal may have been abused or under-socialized.
Your training efforts are inconsistent — To get the results you desire, it’s very important to be consistent in the words you use to train your pet. Repeat the same command for a particular behavior you desire, and make sure everyone in the family is following your lead.
For example, if your dog has a habit of jumping up on people, pick a one-word command like "Down" and stick with it. Don’t say "Down" some of the time, "Off" at other times, "No" now and then, and "Bad Dog" when you’re truly frustrated.
Also be consistent in what you ask of your dog or cat. If you don’t want her on the couch, be consistent about not letting her on the couch. Don’t allow her up there some of the time or even once in a while. It’s not mean to set reasonable boundaries for your pet, but it is mean to confuse her by constantly changing the rules she’s expected to live by.
You focus more on punishment than praise — Fortunately, most enlightened pet parents and trainers these days know that reward-based, positive reinforcement behavior training is the most effective and humane approach to training animal companions.
Studies show that pets trained using punishment are no more obedient than those trained by other means, and, furthermore, they exhibit increased numbers of potentially problematic behaviors.
Successfully training your dog or cat means setting him up for success by consistently rewarding desirable behaviors and reducing or eliminating opportunities for him to make mistakes. A good way to stay on track is to consider his mistakes your fault, not his, and when they happen, simply reinforce your commitment to helping him succeed going forward.
You don’t realize your pet is bored — Most dogs have a very strong "work mentality." Today’s dogs are unemployed because we don’t give them fun and engaging "jobs" to do. Boredom is especially a problem for dogs left alone for long periods of time. Bored dogs can develop annoying or destructive behaviors, for example, gnawing on furniture or chewing holes in carpet.
The very best hedge against boredom in dogs is lots and lots of exercise. Dogs who are well-exercised every day typically don’t get bored. My motto is "a tired dog is a good dog." Daily walks are very important for your pet; other great activities include hiking, jogging, swimming, and fetching a ball or playing Frisbee. Obedience training, nose work, and interactive toys are excellent ways to keep your dog challenged and mentally sharp.
Cats living indoors are much safer and generally healthier than cats who live part or all their lives outside, but it's far from a natural situation for them. There are many things you can do to enrich your kitty's environment, and one of them is to set aside time for a few short play sessions each day.
If you're lucky enough to have a safe, fully enclosed outdoor area that contains your cat and keeps other critters out, your kitty will probably really enjoy being outside in good weather. You could also consider leash training to provide some additional sensory stimulation.
You miss random opportunities to shape your pet’s behavior — There are typically many moments throughout each day when you can ask your dog or cat to do something that will enhance his obedience skills, allow you to praise and reward him, and strengthen the bond you share with him.
For example, ask your dog to sit before opening the door to greet a visitor. While out walking, ask him to do a sit-stay when a neighbor or another dog approaches. When you’re preparing his meals, ask him to lie down and stay either in his bed or several feet away. Be sure to generously praise him each time he complies and offer the occasional treat as reinforcement.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, most cats can be trained (some breeds actually excel at it), and there are beneficial behaviors you should consider teaching your kitty to perform, not only in the event of an emergency, but also to enrich his day-to-day life. Three of these behaviors are learning to use a designated scratching surface, being comfortable in a crate and coming when called.
When you focus on finding teachable moments for your pet each day, you’ll realize how much you’ve been missing!
You feed your dog or cat ultraprocessed pet food — Hands down, the single most important thing you can do for your furry family member’s overall health and well-being is to offer at least some homemade or commercially available nutritionally optimal, fresh food meals, served raw or gently cooked.
Eating the same food every day is not the recipe for long term health, nor is eating an entirely processed diet. Work on diversifying your pet’s microbiome, swapping out highly processed treats for fresh fruits and veggies from the fridge.
Feed as much fresh, real food as you can afford, minimizing your pet’s intake of artificial ingredients, preservatives, highly refined carbohydrates and the age-accelerating and tissue damaging advanced glycation end products that come along with pet food processing techniques.
You allow your pet to get fat — Allowing your furry companion to become overweight is one of the worst things you can do. Excess fat will destroy your pet’s health from the inside out and shorten her already short lifespan.
Just say no to too much food, dry food, processed treats, and lack of exercise, starting with the very first hour of the first day you bring her home. Don’t join the legions of pet parents who are doing all the wrong things in the name of "love."
Check here to understand what dogs and cats at a healthy weight look like and how to calculate the number of calories to feed each day.
You don’t take care of your pet’s teeth or nails — You should brush your dog’s or cat’s teeth if not every day, then several times a week at a minimum. Most pets over the age of 3 have some degree of gum disease, and the situation only gets worse with time. Not only are dental and gum problems painful, but they can also trigger other health problems, and can hurt your pocketbook as well.
You should also clip your dog’s or cat’s nails regularly, making it a low-stress part of their health routine. How often depends on how fast they grow and how much time he spends on surfaces that grind them down naturally.
If you can't bear to do the clipping yourself, I encourage you to make a standing appointment with a fear-free groomer or veterinarian who will do it for you. Pets, especially dogs, too often develop serious paw and toe problems from nails that have grown too long.
Healthypets Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. Dr. Karen Becker cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Your pet's medical protocol should be given by your holistic veterinarian.