10 Mistakes That First Time Dog Owners Make

1. Getting a dog before you're ready

The idea of adding a new furry friend to your household can be super exciting, but it's important to take a step back and think about what it entails to have a dog and if you are ready for it. So before running down to the nearest pet shelter or researching breeders, think about these things.

• Time: Taking care of a dog takes A LOT of time out of your day and is a HUGE commitment, especially at the beginning. Do you have time to walk, train, and care for your new puppy?

• Lifestyle: Is your current lifestyle suitable for a new furry friend? Do you need to alter your current lifestyle or schedule?

• Living Space: Does your living space have room for a dog to live? Do you have room for their supplies? Do you have a space to give your dog exercise, whether that be a backyard, a nearby park, or something similar?

• Cost: Taking care of a puppy involves A LOT of both upfront costs and long-term cost commitments. Are you in the financial state where you can make that commitment?

• Type of Dog: The type of dog you get can make a HUGE difference in your experience with having a dog. Think about the size, trainability, shedding, activity level, and more. Think about how the lifestyle of the dog will fit into your current lifestyle.

Thinking about these factors will help you decide if you are ready to add a puppy to your household and, if you are ready, help you prepare for the day when they come home!

2. Not creating a plan for house training

House training is very, very important for puppy owners. I cannot stress this enough: it is CRUCIAL to make a plan for house training early on because it will be much harder to house train your puppy once they've already gotten used to bad habits.

House training helps prevent accidents in the house and allows you to be able to leave the house and not be (as) worried about leaving your dog alone.

Before your dog comes home, make plans for potty training. Choose a specific spot where you will take your puppy to go potty and think about a potty schedule. Of course, you will have to adapt to your dog's needs and this may change.

When your dog comes home, the biggest, most important thing you can do for your potty training to be successful, it STAY CONSISTENT. Consistency is key. It allows your puppy to create habits and understand when and where to go potty or not.

If you decide to crate-train your puppy, they can be a useful tool for house training. Using a crate takes care of your dog's "denning instinct" which means that they are less likely to go potty where they eat or sleep and will want to use the bathroom further away.

3. Not properly socializing your dog

Socializing your pup is crucial to them becoming a happy, healthy, and well-behaved dog. Socialization makes your dog less likely to become scared or anxious in unfamiliar situations and makes it less likely for them to develop aggressive behaviors.

As a puppy, your dog should be introduced to as many new sounds, people, places, and experiences as possible. This is especially important during their first three months but you should continue to reinforce these positive experiences as your pup grows up.

There are many ways you can socialize your dog. Try walking down the street, taking them to a pet store, a dog park, a puppy playdate, or anything that allows them to experience a new, positive experience. One thing to keep in mind is that if your dog is going to be interacting with other dogs, they should have received all the necessary vaccines to your dog and other dogs safe!

4. Skipping basic obedience training

Achieving basic obedience training early on is very important. As your pup grows up, it will become harder to train them if you have not completed basic obedience training. This training is the foundation for a lot of the training you may teach your dog in the future, so it is very important.

Even if you weren't planning to teach your dog any advanced training or tricks, early-on obedience training is very important. Socialization and leash training can help your dog stay safe in all situations. Basic commands like "sit," "stay," and "come" allow your pup to be a well-behaved, well-mannered companion and make it easier for you and your pup to stay safe in different environments.

You may want to train your dog at home with treats and a clicker, but if you don't feel comfortable with that, you could try hiring a trainer or attending a dog training class.

5. Overfeeding

As a first-time dog owner, you may think giving your pup your table scraps or being generous with their meals won't hurt them or will make them like you more, but it is important to recognize their health and how overfeeding can lead to many health problems.

Just like us, it's important for our pups to have the right dietary balance of essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals for their bodies to function. Dogs that aren't fed a balanced diet can develop a number of health problems like bone malformation and poor density, heart issues, and more.

One of the biggest issues when it comes to overfeeding is obesity in dogs. According to Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 59% of the dogs in the US are overweight or obese. And, according to American Veterinary Medical Association, a dog that is overweight may live a shorter life and have more difficulty managing common health problems as they age, such as arthritis, joint pain, and injuries.

Additionally, keeping your dog at a healthy weight can help lower the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, respiratory disease, kidney disease, and some forms of cancer.

6. Forgetting regular vet visits

Once you've already attended your pup's first few appointments like their vaccinations, for example, it may be easy to forget annual checkups. They are extremely important and not something to forget!

Vet checkups are an extremely important part of your pup's preventative care. It makes sure that your pup is healthy and if there is anything wrong, it can be resolved.

As your dog gets older, these visits become even more important. Because of their age, they become more likely to develop health issues.

Your dog may not really like their visits to the vet, but they are crucial to making sure they stay healthy and happy!

7. Not getting enough exercise

Depending on the breed of dog you have, their necessary activity levels will vary. However, no matter what type of dog you have, exercise is crucial to keeping your pup happy and healthy.

Without activity, they are more likely to develop weight and behavioral problems. Additionally, if your dog is not provided with physical activity, they may express that need in other ways, like barking, chewing, or other destructive behaviors.

The recommended time for dogs to be active every day is 30 minutes, whether that be walking, running, swimming, or just playing outside. Keep in mind that depending on the dog breed you have, they may require more or less activity.

Mental exercise is extremely important as well and is something people often forget about. Mental stimulation allows dogs to work on their minds and release some energy as well. Playtime and training or some examples of this. There are some puzzle toys on the market that my dog loves! They make him use his head and keep him occupied for a long time!

8. Overlooking behavioral issues

As puppy parents, it is easy to overlook behavioral issues because we want to believe the best in our pups. You might think, "Oh, it's just a puppy phase, they'll get over it." While sometimes that can be true, it is important to recognize that they may be a problem.

There are many reasons your dog may be exhibiting these behaviors. They may be trying to communicate that they are anxious or upset, have health issues, or something else.

No matter what the reason may be, it is important to recognize what's going on and get it resolved. Some common behaviors can be resolved with basic training procedures like separation anxiety, barking, or chewing. However, there are some issues where you may want to contact your veterinarian or a professional trainer for advice. These may be something like biting, growling, or any other aggressive behaviors.

9. Not getting your dog comfortable with grooming/handling

Grooming may seem like an easy task, but it may not be for your pup. Simple tasks like bathing your dog, trimming their nails, brushing their teeth, or brushing their fur are all important parts of health care.

Trimming your pup's nails prevents health and mobility issues. Brushing their teeth prevents them from developing dental disease. Depending on your dog's coat, brushing their fur removes dead fur and prevents matting.

Many dogs become anxious and protective in these types of environments so getting them used to grooming is not always easy. It is important to help introduce them to these environments early on so that they can get used to them.

The best way to do this is just to introduce them to these types of environments and other unfamiliar situations. And always remember positive reinforcement!

10. Not preparing for emergencies

In the craziness of adding a pup to your household, it's easy to forget to think about the future of your pup's health. Its always best to be prepared.

One way you can be prepared is by getting your dog microchipped. This is extremely helpful if your dog ever gets lost or hurt and can't be identified.

You could also prepare an emergency kit. It is important to be prepared for an evacuation where you have to act fast, so you will have all the supplies you need. In your emergency kit, you could include dog food, a dog bed, a water bowl, some toys, a blanket or towel, a leash, dog bags, medications (if your dog has them), and information about local emergency responses.

Another thing to consider is pet insurance. If your dog ever needs to go to the vet for sickness, an emergency, or something else of the sort, pet insurance will help you pay for it. Then, you can focus on your dog's health and don't have to worry as much about the money aspect.

Sources:

Kriss, Randa. “10 First-Time Dog Owner Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.” Pumpkin®, June 18, 2022. https://www.pumpkin.care/blog/first-time-dog-owner-tips/.

Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.petobesityprevention.org/.

“Your Pet’s Healthy Weight.” American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/your-pets-healthy-weight.