10 Common Pet Care Mistakes You Might Be Making

There's nothing better than having a furry friend to come home to after a long day. If you are a pet owner like myself, you probably can't imagine not having your little creature(s) in your life. However, there are some pet care mistakes we all can be making which we need to be aware of. 

I was surprised to see the list of mistakes pet owners often tend to make. Even more surprising, I am guilty of making some of these mistakes as well! According to WebMdD, there are 25 risky mistakes us pet owners often make. It is important for us to recognize the pet care mistakes you are making before it is too late! Here are the top 10:

1. Letting your dog walk you. This is one of the mistakes I am also guilty with. When I go home to visit my parents, I always take their Jack Russel Terrier for a walk, but instead she tends to walk me. Even if we are in full sprint, she will completely cut me off almost causing me to fall on my face. Obedience training is the perfect fix for this mistake.
2. Keeping the food bowl full. There are specific measurements on the back of food boxes and packages for a reason. If a large amount of food is available, your pet is most likely going to eat all of it leading to weight gain.
3. Too little exercise. Animals are meant to run and be played with, especially if you have a medium-large size dog. Different breeds and sizes require certain amounts of exercise per day. Kill two birds with one stone by walking yourself and your pet!
4. A bored pet is a destructive pet. Pets are just like children, they need attention and affection. Providing too little attention can result in troublesome behaviors in both dogs and cats. Toys, treats, and teaching mechanisms will certainly solve this problem.
5. Making your cats share a litter box. According to experts, a litter box for every cat in the house is recommended. Cats are picky, particular creatures. I know just by watching my cat dig around in her litter box. They need their space. Would you want to share the same toilet with someone else at the same time?
6. Setting no rules. Your pet isn't going to just know that peeing on the carpet or scratching the furniture is unacceptable. Make rules and be consistent with your pet. This is effective by rewarding them for good behavior, therefore they are able to better distinguish good and bad.
7. Giving dogs leftover bones. (Another common mistake I have made.) According to the FDA, bones can injure the mouth, teeth, and gums. Even worse, bone fragments can become lodged in your dog's windpipe. Talk about scary!
8. Feeding your pet table scraps. This is something I think all of us are guilty of and sometimes it can be very hard to resist. However, feeding your pet food from the table only leads to more begging in the future. Stop it now!
9. Feeding cats only dry food. This one really surprised me! Apparently, cats have a low thirst drive by nature- meaning they don't drink as much water as a dog would. Therefore, an occasional can of food will help promote healthy bladder function.
10. Having no disaster plan. Have you ever thought about what you would do with your pet(s) if a sudden hurricane, fire, or flood were to affect your community? These things should definitely be thought through.