There’s much to love about having a dog in your life, but it would be wrong to think that it was all just one long and pleasant stroll through a park. As when you’re looking after any creature, things can become problematic from time to time. Sometimes, these are minor issues; at others, you’ll need to work hard to put them behind you. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the most widespread and common problems that dog owners can face, as well as offer some tips on how to overcome them.
Scared Friends and Family
You might know that your pooch is nothing but a big ball of love, but not all of your friends and family members will be convinced. There are some people who are terribly afraid of dogs, for any number of reasons, and this can make socializing difficult. Of course, if you have a person who’s terrified of dogs living in your home, then it’s probably best to avoid getting a dog in the first place. For friends and other people outside of your home, you should wait until your dog has been trained and keep him or her on a leash or in dog enclosures when others are around.
Lack of Flexibility
When you’re thinking about getting a dog, it’s tempting to think ahead to all the good times that you’ll enjoy. But there’s also a strong chance that they’ll put an end to some good times, too. For instance, if you’re suddenly invited to a gathering after work, you may have to say no, because your dog needs you back home. Having a creature that can’t be left alone for too long does impact your flexibility and your ability to have spontaneous fun. Of course, it’s possible that one day your dog is so well trained that you can include them in your plans, but for the few months at least you may have to spend more time at home than you’d like.
House Trained
You may have a beautiful and clean home, but your dog won’t see all the hard work you’ve put in to making it that way. When they’re gotta go, then they’ll go. You can expect to have plenty of accidents in your house when your dog is young, though with training it’ll pass. If you have the option, look at getting stain-resistant covers for your furniture, so that any accidents can be cleared away without fuss.
Excessive Barking
All dogs bark from time to time, and it rarely causes any problems. However, there are instances where a dog could be barking excessively, and that can be a problem. It can make your home much less peaceful than you’d like it to be, and your neighbors are likely to complain too. It’ll also be more awkward going for walks if your dog is barking at every little thing that they see. The good news is that this is one annoying trait that can be trained out of existence. It might take a little bit of time, but bark/quiet commands do work. In the future, your pooch will only bark when they have good reason to do so!
Traveling Options
If you’re one of those people that loves nothing more than setting off on a big adventure, then you’ll have to be prepared for the fact that getting a dog will influence how freely you’re able to travel, including where you’re able to go. That’s not to say that your traveling days will be over, but you will need to be adaptable. For example, a last minute journey is probably out of the question, unless you’ve got an RV and can take the dog with you. You’ll have to take one of two options: either take your pet with you, or have a friend/professional company look after him or her for you while they’re aware. This can be expensive. As such, it’s usually best to travel somewhere that doesn’t include flying and stay at a hotel that has pet-friendly rooms.
Walks in the Rain
You’ll have visions of going for a walk with your dog on a beautiful Spring day, but as well as know, not every day is beaming sunshine. There’ll be times when the rain is battering on the ground, when it’s windy and cold and so on. And guess what? On those days, your dog will still need to go outside. You can fight this reality, or you can just embrace it -- you’re going to have to do it either way. It’ll be best if you invest in some warm and waterproof gear, and make the best of the experience.
Dog Health Issues
Like all creatures, your dog will be susceptible to health issues. What the risks are will be largely dependent on the breed of your dog, while the actual conditions will be specific to your pet. While you should do things like ensure they’re eating well and getting enough exercise, which will help to reduce chances of health problems, you never know what’ll happen -- and for that reason, it’s important to keep an eye on their overall well-being, and to take them to see the vet if you think that something could be wrong. Most minor conditions can be cleared up with medication.
Common Injuries
It’s not just underlying medical issues that can cause problems for dogs, either. If you’ve got a lively and energetic pooch on your hands, then there’s also a chance that they’ll suffer an injury that can compromise their mobility. In some cases, these injuries will be minor and will mend themselves. Others will require more specialist care. A torn ACL in dogs won’t magically heal itself, for example. Surgery or braces will help to make your dog feel more comfortable, and can put them on the path towards getting back into the outdoors.
Chewing Up the House
In the picture perfect scenario, your dog would work alongside your home; they’d be the cherry on top of a well put-together space. Alas, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, they actively work against your home, such as when they chew things up. There may be a period when it seems like every morning, you’re waking up to a freshly chewed item. They can’t help it! But you can. If your dog has to chew on something, then give them something to chew on. There are plenty of high-quality chew toy options out there, which will appeal to your dog a lot more than, say, the television remote.
Sad to be Alone
Your dog could be the happiest pup in the world...until you leave for work, and then the whining starts. This is a real problem for many dog owners, especially if the dog barks loudly when you’re not there. There are ways to overcome this hurdle, however. For example, you can practice leaving your dog alone when you’re there. Start with ten minutes of alone time, and then slowly build up. Eventually, they’ll get used to spending time alone. It’s too much to expect them to be happy staying in the house all day if they’ve never spent any time without humans around.
Interacting With Other Dogs
Most dogs will happily bound over to other dogs and engage in some playtime, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, dogs can, for various reasons, have trouble with other dogs, and this can make going for walks difficult. If you’re finding that your pet is always getting aggressive with other pets, then it’ll be vitally important that you’re taking precautionary steps -- for his or her sake, and the sake of other dogs. Keeping your pet on the leash, fitting them with a muzzle when walking, and going for walks in areas that aren’t too busy with people or dogs will help to keep the chances of problems to a minimum.
The High Cost
There is, alas, a cost factor to having a pet dog -- they require a lot of food, toys, trips to the vet, and so on. Before you get a dog, you’ll want to check that there’s enough money in the budget. It’s also important to remember that there are many ways to reduce your dog expenses.
Hairs in the Home
Finally, there’s the matter of hairs in the home, which can be a little frustrating. The best way to solve this problem is to get a high-quality hair brush for dogs, and groom them on a regular basis. It’ll make a huge difference.
Conclusion
While your dog may frustrate or annoy from time to time, and even make life more inconvenient on occasion, it’s always worth remembering that this is only one small part of what they bring to your life. They also bring a lot of love and good times, too! Studies have shown that dog owners are healthier, happier, and even live longer. Additionally, and as we’ve shown, all of the issues that we’ve outlined above can all be overcome with a little bit of work.
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