\nNot everything about owning or caring for a pet is as straightforward as we\u2019d like it to be! There are plenty of things that we get wrong as pet owners, but we can avoid making big mistakes if we know what to avoid.\n
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The decision to add a furry friend to your household is a big one, and it shouldn\u2019t be made lightly. While it can be tempting to bring home that cute kitten or puppy ASAP, it\u2019s more important to take your time so you can make the right decision for you, your family, and your new pet!\n
Take time to consider all the factors, including costs, time commitment, exercise and activity requirements, temperament, and more. And make sure to involve the whole family or household in the decision to ensure everyone is on the same page!\n
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You may be nervous about allowing your new puppy to interact with other pups, but socialization is an important part of a puppy\u2019s development! It can also prevent your dog from exhibiting fear or aggression towards unfamiliar animals or people.\n
There are a lot of ways to give your puppy the opportunity to socialize with other dogs, from a trip to the dog park to daycare at the local kennel. If you have an adult dog who could use some help with its social skills, search for local dog trainers in your area with experience in socialization issues.\n
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While people generally prefer to meet face-to-face, that isn\u2019t always the case with dogs. If the dogs don\u2019t like each other, it only takes a split-second for one to bite or attack the other, even if you\u2019re standing right there.\n
If you want to introduce your dog to another dog, start by asking its owner if it\u2019s okay. If you get the go-ahead, allow the dogs to approach each other\u2019s tail ends (the preferred method of introduction for dogs) instead of meeting face-to-face.\n
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Humans aren\u2019t the only ones who benefit from regular teeth brushing and dental care! Dogs and cats should both have their teeth brushed regularly, or even daily in an ideal situation.\n
That\u2019s often easier said than done though, especially if your pet isn\u2019t a fan of the process. So brush their teeth at home as often as you can manage, and make sure to take them to the vet for regular dental cleanings.\n
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Having your pet spayed or neutered is one of the most effective things you can do to help control pet populations and reduce the number of homeless pets in your community. It can also help prevent your pet from developing health issues that commonly affect pets who aren\u2019t spayed or neutered, such as testicular cancer and breast cancer.\n
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If you have cats at home, you may be unknowingly skimping on litter boxes! It may be surprising to hear that many cat experts recommend providing one litter box per cat plus one more.\n
Providing plenty of clean litter for your cat will help ensure they don\u2019t go looking for other places to urinate or defecate (like the floor or your personal belongings.) Once a cat develops bad bathroom habits, it can be really hard to change them, so it\u2019s best to avoid it becoming a problem in the first place!\n
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Every pet needs exercise, regardless of species or size! Lack of exercise is one of the biggest causes of both health and behavioral problems in pets, so it\u2019s important to provide plenty of opportunities for exercise in the form of walks, playtime, and toys.\n
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A lot of people seem to think that a smaller animal, such as a lizard, guinea pig, or fish, might be easier to care for than a dog or cat. But in reality, the size of an animal isn\u2019t a great indicator of how much time and effort they require to care for!\n
For example, many fish require specific water temperatures and precisely timed feedings, and lizards need very particular conditions in their environments too. Make sure to do your research before bringing home any type of pet, regardless of their size or species!\n
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In the wild, cats get the majority of the water they need from the food they eat. Domesticated cats, on the other hand, are often fed dry food, which can lead to chronic dehydration and a variety of health problems later in life.\n
To keep your cat healthy and hydrated, it\u2019s important to provide them with plenty of freshwaters that can access freely throughout the day. If your cat seems to prefer moving water, they may prefer a water fountain to a standard bowl. And of course, choosing wet food or wet treats for your cat will help keep your cat hydrated as well.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Not everything about owning or caring for a pet is as straightforward as we\u2019d like it to be! There are plenty of things that we get wrong as pet owners, but we can avoid making big mistakes if we know what to avoid. 1. Getting A Pet Impulsively The decision to add a furry friend\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14989,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"None of us are perfect, including when it comes to caring for our pets. Here are some big mistakes that pets owners make.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[176,30,149,6,111,31],"class_list":{"0":"post-14988","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-home-tips","9":"tag-household-hacks","10":"tag-household-problems","11":"tag-life-style","12":"tag-pet","13":"tag-tips"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/mistakes.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}