10 Things You Should Never Do To Your Dog

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Dogs have lived with humans for almost 15.000 years and through that time dogs became a “man’s best friend". Sometimes living with dogs can be challenging. If you are a new dog owner and are just getting used to living with your four-legged best friend here are 10 things you should really keep in mind for the sake of both you and your dog.

1. Do not give your dog chocolate - giving your dog chocolate can have devastating consequences. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine and humans can easily metabolize theobromine while dogs cannot. It takes dogs a lot of time to metabolize it and ingesting enough chocolate or cocoa products can lead to muscle spasms, vomiting, tremors, irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding, and even death.

2. Do not leave your dog in the car during warm weather - Leaving your car in the sun can result in 68 degrees difference in the car than in the open. Dogs overheat twice as fast as humans do and make sure that you never leave your dog in a car, no matter if it is even just for a couple of minutes. 

3. Do not overfeed your dog - Even though dogs look extremely cute when they are a bit fluffier, do not feed them too much food. Obesity in dogs is an extremely dangerous disease and it can lead to all sorts of health problems from heart problems, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, liver problems and a higher risk of developing tumors.

4. Do not hit your dog - As we already mentioned, it can be hard to live with your dog, especially when they are young and they are still developing and learning what they can or cannot do. It is important to discipline your dog when it does something it is not supposed to do but you should never hit your dog. Try using other forms of discipline such as redirecting or positive reinforcement.

5. Do not use their crate for punishment - Dogs crate should be a place they go to when they want to relax and take a nap. It should never be used as a place where they are put in a “time out” sort of punishment. It will only confuse your dog and make it harder to train them.

6. Do not walk your dog on hot concrete - Dogs love to go for long walks, even if it is searing hot outside. It is important that the ground your dog walks on isn’t also searing hot. Dogs pads are extremely sensitive to heat and walking on hot concrete can harm their pads and cause them harm.

7. Do not shave your dog in the summer - Some of our tail-wagging friends have a thick coat and that coat keeps them warm during winter, but what many people don’t realize is that that coat also acts as a heat insulator. It shields them from heat and actually keeps their body temperature at a normal level. Shaving their coat can cause sunburns and heatstroke and it can occur faster than you think.

8. Do not ignore your dog - Dogs are social animals that humans domesticated thousands of years ago. Dogs thrive on attention and they absolutely love to get plenty of attention from their human. Ignoring your dog can cause them anxiety and they can develop destructive behavior so make sure you have plenty of time for your pet.

9. Do not feed your dog onions - Most dog owners know you shouldn’t feed chocolate to your dog but not many know that onions are also toxic for them. Onions contain an ingredient called thiosulphate that is toxic for dogs and can cause your dog serious physical problems such as liver damage and damage to the red blood cells.

10. Do not avoid going to the vet - Veterinarian services can be expensive and that is the truth. No matter what the cost is, do not postpone taking your dog to the vet, especially if it is an emergency. Some health problems can be life-threatening for dogs and every second can count. This rule should also apply for regular check-ups and controls. Read all the other things you should do when bringing your new puppy home.

These are some general things you should never do to your dog. If you are a new dog owner make sure to read about how to raise a puppy so you can learn all the things you should do when you bring your new puppy home.

World Dog Finder team