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Avoiding Dog Problems

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Dogs can be troublesome. They can bark, dig, and shed hair all over your furniture. They need to be exercised, and they cost money to feed. Fortunately there are things you can do to make sure your dog causes as few troubles as possible.

The first part of owning a problem free dog is to do your homework before you choose your canine companion. A dog should never be an impulse buy – this can be a recipe for disaster. Be realistic about how much time you have to exercise your dog, and how much time you want to spend on bathing and grooming them.

If your idea of a good day is spending most of it on the couch watching a movie marathon, don’t get a working breed that needs lots of exercise. They will be bored and you are setting yourself up for trouble. It’s not fair on the dog either. If you prefer a wash and wear hairstyle, don’t buy a long haired dog that needs more frequent haircuts and a wider range of grooming products than you do! If you choose a breed of dog whose care needs fit well with your lifestyle, you will go a long way to reducing dog problems.

When you bring your new four legged family member home, you will need to invest some time in socializing and training them. This is the case for all dogs, irrespective of breed. Behavioral problems such as aggression and shyness can be reduced by proper and early socialization, such as puppy pre-school and puppy play dates. Take your new puppy out and about with you, so they experience all the sights and sounds of the world around them. As your pup grows up, continue their training at a dog obedience class that uses positive training methods.

Put in the effort to choose the right dog for your family, then train and socialize them properly. All dogs need some exercise, so make sure you fit in at least a stroll around the neighborhood every day. After all, a tired dog is a happy dog. If you are going to be out for several hours, leave them an interactive toy to play with, so they don’t get bored and amuse themselves by chewing your cushions. By doing this, you’ll find that your dog is a pleasure to live with, instead of a source of stress and frustration.

Katie Borchard has been a small animal veterinarian and dog trainer for 20 years. She has a passion for preventing health and behavioral problems before they start. You should always consider your pets needs like a soft dog bed, comfortable dog collars, plenty of toys and nutritious food. She lives with four dogs of her own, and her favorite book is Marley and Me.

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About Author

Devoted pet owner and now, devoted pet editor, Judi worked in traditional offices, keeping the books and the day-to-day operations organized. Taking her dog to work every day for over a decade never seemed odd. Neither did having an office cat. She knows what it's like to train a new puppy and she's experienced the heartache of losing beloved companions. Retired, she currently lives with her spoiled dog and four chickens (who are, interestingly enough, also spoiled).

7 Comments

  1. Yes! Think about and do some research on the breed you think you want, so many people get dogs that are wrong for their families lifestyle and it is the dog that ends up suffering. Don’t get boxer if you like to sleep all day, and don’t get a basset if you want to run 10 miles every day!

  2. Some great info here thx.!! last year I rescued a Blue Healer puppy at 6months old. He has been wonderful!! He got the hang of the doggie door after one day!! Only pee”d inside twice, we were lucky. He, KEVA, is also not a chewer of overly load!!

  3. Hi Katie,

    Too many people rush into getting a dog and end up choosing the wrong breed because they have not done the right homework as you have pointed out.
    The more people that take the time to pick the right breed and then do the required socialization and training, the better it will be for the dog, as it is the dog that suffers in the end from the wrong choices of the owner.

    Nice post Katie, All the best

    Jason

  4. Choosing the right breed is indeed correct. One of the major problems that we have with our dog is that it’s skin is super sensitive and it sheds all over the house. We basically have some problems in controlling this issue.

  5. For me, dog problems occur when you spoil them and not discipline and teach them the right way. Even though you treat them as a child, you still have to discipline them so there won’t be any problems.

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This post contains affiliate links, which means we earn a commission for sales referred from links on our site. We're also Amazon Associates, so we may earn from those qualifying purchases, too. Learn more!