Having a pet to look up to you isn't just about feeding them, playing fetch with them, or cuddling them. You ought to know that having a pet comes with a whole lot of responsibility. Pet owners should freshen up on some etiquette to avoid making some common mistakes.

1. Too Little Exercise

It isn’t only humans that require exercise to stay healthy, pets need exercise too. Lack of exercise for pets can lead to obesity which can in turn increase their risk of respiratory and joint-related problems. The right amount of exercise for a dog depends on the breed and size, but vets recommend at least a half-hour each day. On regular basis, take brisk walks with your dog to help you and your pet stay in shape.

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2. Allowing Your Dog Walk You

Thousands of people end up in the Emergency Room on yearly basis because of accidents sustained from walking their pets. Allowing your dog to be in front of you during walks can cause you to trip over a dog or to be pulled or pushed by one. Your dog should undergo obedience training to ensure your pet remain on track.

3. Overfeeding your pet

Always keeping the food bowl of your pet full with the best intention of not allowing their four-legged furry friend go hungry for even a minute, is wrong. Dogs and cats will often eat more than they need. If food is constantly available, they will take in too many calories and put on unnecessary weight. Follow the instructions on the pet food label or ask your vet for guidance on feeding your pet, to avoid having a fat, lazy pet lying around.

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4. Too Little Attention

Not paying regular attention to your pets will cause them to get bored stiff. Bored pets have the tendency of taking up offensive behaviors like digging, chewing, whining and barking. Bored cats may resort to scratching and meowing excessively. Help your pets overcome boredom by hiding treats for them to find around the house. Provide toys your cat can chase. Teach dogs to play tug-of-war, hide-and-seek or fetch.

5. Feeding only Milk to Cats

Most people believe cats thrive well on milk. This is a wrong assumption because most cats can’t properly digest the sugars in milk. Your cat can develop symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, if you feed them only milk. Though some cats can digest milk easily, they don’t need it. So, it is best to occasionally avoid milk or as recommended by your vet.

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6. Giving Bones to Dogs

Bones aren’t ideal treats for dogs, contrary to what most people would believe. Always giving your dog bones to chew can harm their teeth, tongue, or mouth. Bones can also get stuck in the digestive tract, which will require surgery to remove. It lead to death in some cases. Ask your vet for safer chewing alternatives that doesn’t include bones.

7. Feeding Only Dry Food to cats

Naturally, cats have a low thirst drive, so they may not drink enough to stay well hydrated. Chronically under-hydrated cats may be at risk of urinary tract disorders. Encourage your pet to drink by adding a water fountain designed for cats. Canned food is a good option too, but not every cat likes it. A fluid-rich diet is mostly important for cats with a history of urinary tract problems.

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8. Leaving Pets unsupervised with Young children

Young kids may play too rough by pushing a dog or cat, causing the pet to strike out in self-defense. Be sure to supervise play time when a new pet joins the family. Old family pets are not excluded too, they still needs supervision when around kids. Set rules for children on how to treat the pet and teach them to watch out for signs that a dog or cat wants to be left alone.

9. Overlooking Ticks

Don’t form the habit of carefully checking only yourself for ticks after a walk in the woods without doing same to your pets. Tick bites can cause Lyme and other disease for dogs. They can also cause serious illnesses in cats. If your pet has infected ticks, it may eventually infect your family. Look for ticks and carefully pull them out with tweezers. Ask the vet about tick control.

10. Not deworming your pet

The most common parasites in both dogs and cats is roundworm and they cause diarrhea and vomiting and may lead to serious illness and even death. An infected pet can contaminate soil or sand with tiny eggs and kids can unintentionally ingest the eggs by putting dirty fingers in their mouths. Hence, not deworming your dog can be a threat to your family. These worms can lead to blindness and other tissue damage in humans. Ask your vet about regular deworming.

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11. Not Spaying or Neutering Your Pet

Lots of cats and dogs live on the street and have unwanted broods. Most of them end up being euthanized. Still, many people are reluctant to spay or neuter their pets. It is a healthy choice to spray and neuter your pet as it reduces the risk of breast cancer in females and testicular cancer in males. Neutered males are also less likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors such as marking their territory or running away from home.

12. Forcing Cats to Be Vegetarian

Most Vegetarians wrongly force their pets to share same lifestyle with them. Cats are carnivores in nature. They belong to the same family as lion, tiger, cheetah etc. They need meat to survive because they depend on nutrients, such as the amino acid taurine, derived only from animal tissue. Dogs may be able to handle a well-balanced vegetarian diet, but consult your vet first.

13. Letting Dogs Eat Spoiled Food from Garbage

You should never leave your dog unattended to, up to the extent of rummaging through a garbage in search for food. Spoilt food is very unhealthy for pets than it is for people. Pets who consume garbage are at risk of getting bacterial food poisoning or pancreas irritation. Spoiled food contain toxic mold, which can cause a pet to experience severe tremors, seizures, vomiting, and even death.

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14. Making Your Cats Share a Litter Box

Multiple cats sharing one litter box can lead to quick spread of disease, especially if they pee or poop on the floor. Cats can be very fussy about their litter box. Cats may not use a litter box that is dirty or that smells like other cats. It’s best to have one litter box for every cat in your home.

15. Feeding Dogs Table Scraps

It may be hard for you to resist the temptation of feeding your dog food from the table, especially when you look into those big soulful eyes. However, it is wrong to reward your dog’s whines or barks with table scraps as this will only encourage more begging in the future. If you want to share table scraps as an occasional treat, do it away from the table — and use the food as a reward for good behavior. Also, some human foods can be poisonous to your pet.

READ ALSO: 13 Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog

16. Setting No Rules

Your pets cannot be able to discern right from wrong unless you tell them. Even humans need rules. Human manners does not come naturally to pets, you have to make them understand the rules. Be consistent about the house rules, and reward your pets with treats for good behavior.

Source: http://healthdiary365.com/16-risky-mistakes-cat-and-dog-owners-make/

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