7 Most Important Things for Dog Owners

In 2024 there are a lot of people who own a pet, and some of us own even multiple. Dogs, cats, birds, or fish, every single one of these has a unique and cool side that we’re more than happy to accept into our own lives. We’re not biased when it comes to which pet is “better” to own, because they’re all equally beautiful, and great gifts from nature to us.

However, today’s article is going to focus on first-time dog owners, and we’re going to make sure that you learn everything you need to know about keeping your pet the right way. Some of these things can be useful for all of you who keep cats or other types of pets, but the main focus will be on dog needs and how to make their stay enjoyable.

Since it’s a very cool subject and we have a lot to talk about, we assume that you’re as excited as we are, so let’s end this intro right here and get straight into the informative content.

1. You don’t have to adopt a puppy

Although a lot of first-time dog owners think that adopting a baby puppy is the best way to go, it doesn’t always have to be like that. Sure, if that’s what you want you are more than free to go for it, but there are a lot of older dogs that need love and attention, and they’re left out on the streets or at an animal shelter waiting for someone to pick them up.

Now we know that most of you think that adopting a puppy has a lot of advantages, and it’s true to some extent, but we want to assure you that the difference is not so drastic. Even an older dog can be taught discipline and order, and with stray dogs that or ones that have been abandoned for a very long time, this can be even easier to do.

Once you feed them and show them some love, they start listening to everything you say, which makes it easy for you to teach them about your principles.

2. Make sure that your home is ready

Something that’s called “pet-proofing” has to be done to your home before you go to the store and purchase your first puppy. It is a lot easier than it sounds, but you’ll have to put some time and effort into it.

This doesn’t include anything more than creating a resting spot, a place where they can eat, and maybe removing some sharp objects or securing them so that they don’t get hurt while running around the home. Pretty easy stuff and you can find a lot of online guides about it. If you require a dog-crate and you’re interested in finding the best one on the market, you’re more than welcome to check this extensive list.

3. Begin the training procedure early

If you finally decide to go with a puppy, then it’s better to gain the full benefit of it and start with your training as early as possible. You don’t have to force things, but the earlier you start the easier it will be for you to teach your pet about discipline, meals, and how to listen to orders.

There are numerous ways to do this, and we’re not going to get into detail, but you can find a lot of information and good videos on it on YouTube, for example, so make sure to check them out. What matters is to understand that the earlier you start, the higher the chances that you’ll achieve perfect discipline.

4. Early socializing is important

Have you ever wondered why experts always advise you to take your puppy at pet-friendly parks and allow them to interact with other animals as early as possible? Well, it’s because the earlier you do this, the fewer chances for your pet to start fearing other humans and dogs later on. And yes, this is very possible. Dogs that are isolated at an early age are behaving weird a year later when they have their first interaction with other humans and pets.

5. Regular vet visits

Now, this doesn’t only apply for dogs, but for every other type of pet that you can own these days. It’s really important for a human to regularly visit a doctor, so why neglect the importance of your pet visiting the vet regularly? Make sure that you have scheduled appointments and do this at least once in every three months. Even for a regular checkup, it’s still very important to go. You never know when a regular checkup appointment can prevent a larger problem from happening in the future.

6. Prevent bad habits

Once your pet starts learning some bad habits, it’s really difficult to get them to quit later on. This is why it’s so important to invest time and effort into preventing any of this from happening as early as possible. Some bad habit examples are jumping on other people and possibly scratching their clothes or legs, accepting food from strangers, and eating stuff from the ground without your permission. Stop these things from happening early, and you’ll have a much better human-pet relationship later on.

7. Never physically punish

You might be thinking that the only way to discipline your pet is by hitting them and showing how stronger you are, but that’s never the right thing to do. Sounds and visual action such as movements with your hands are more than enough to transfer the message that they did something bad.

This is why a very common trick is to roll a newspaper and use it to either lightly hit their rear side or the ground right next to them. This doesn’t cause any pain at all, but it makes a loud noise that scares them off and lets them know that it’s a punishment for a previous bad action. Afflicting physical pain is a hideous thing and you should never do it, no matter how “wrong” you think that your pet is at the moment.