How can I be nicer to my dog? The Ultimate Guide

Bonding with Your Pet

Question How do I choose healthy dog food? Brian Bourquin, DVM Veterinarian Brian Bourquin, better known as “Dr. B” to his clients, is a Veterinarian and the Owner of Boston Veterinary Clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, South End/Bay Village, the Seaport, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston Veterinary Clinic specializes in primary veterinary care, including wellness and preventative care, sick and emergency care, soft-tissue surgery, dentistry. The clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. Boston Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) accredited hospital and Boston’s first Fear Free Certified Clinic. Brian has over 19 years of veterinary experience and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. Brian Bourquin, DVM Veterinarian Expert Answer Look for dog food that has ingredients you recognize and can pronounce, like chicken, beef, fish, and grain. Avoid foods that have a lot of unfamiliar additives, dyes, and colors. Also, make sure youre choosing the right kind of dog food for the breed you have. For example, giant breeds like Newfoundlands need special large-breed dog food so they get all of the nutrients they need.

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Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility, so make sure you’re ready for a long-term commitment before you getting one. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

If your pet is misbehaving, try to have patience. Give it more opportunities to burn off energy, and work on training it to obey commands. Obedience classes may also be helpful for both dogs and cats. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Never hit your pet; it’s an ineffective punishment. Rewarding good behavior and ignoring your pet when it misbehaves is more effective than hitting it. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 18 Not Helpful 0

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Try An Exercise Accessory (For Both Of You).

Keeping your pet in good shape usually requires getting a little exercise yourself. If you ever feel yourself struggling to get off the couch and walk your dog around the block, try this: Invest in a wearable fitness tracker for you and your pet.

By setting daily activity goals for the both of you, you’ll feel more motivated to get outside—even on your laziest days. Some pet-friendly fitness trackers also monitor sleeping patterns and generate reports of your pet’s overall health.

Bonus: Make your own braided dog leash! (Instructions at the bottom of this page.)

It’s hard to walk down a pet food aisle without being bombarded by labels claiming a brand is the best option for your pet. But just because a product is vegetarian, grain-free, or certified organic doesn’t automatically make it healthy. Portion size and calorie density are vital parts of your pet’s diet that many owners pay little attention to. For instance, more expensive brands that replace grains with meat products claim to be healthier but are usually higher in calories and should be portioned out accordingly. Instead of eyeballing your pet’s serving sizes at mealtimes, find a pet calorie calculator online, which you can use to calculate the exact amount of calories your pet should be consuming each day. Use this information and the nutritional facts on the back of the dog food package to measure out the perfect amount of food for them.

Socialization is important for kids to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults, and the same goes for your pets. Especially if your dog is still a puppy, you’ll want to introduce them to unfamiliar people, animals, environments, and experiences early on. If you’re fairly new to your area or if you don’t know many other pet owners who are local, try joining a pet playgroup through social media. (There are even apps that can help you find a playmate for your pooch.) Not only is this a good way for pets to make new friends, but it can provide you with some opportunities for socialization as well.

You can’t be responsible for keeping your pet entertained 24/7. To prevent your pet from getting bored when you’re not around (or not in the mood play), fill your home with toys and products designed to stimulate their senses. Food-dispensing toys are a great option for both cats and dogs, especially if you’re looking to keep them occupied for long periods of time. For pet owners who want something that will distract them for even longer, try this neat trick: Freeze a scoop of peanut butter inside of the toy instead of filling it with dry treats. Don’t be surprised if your pet spends the whole day trying to lick out every last bit.

Listen to what your dog is saying

People tend to get pretty offended when their dogs tell them no.

But why? I mean, if you ask a human friend to do something, and she says no, do you take it as a personal insult and worry that she’s trying to dominate you? Probably not – you just figure out the reason. Maybe she’s not feeling well. Maybe she’s busy. Maybe she doesn’t understand what you’re asking. Maybe it’s something that makes her uncomfortable.

Often times, a dog who is anxious and high strung got that way because no one ever listens to him. If he refuses to do something, his trainer either jerks on the leash or waves cookies in his face until he complies. He has no control over what happens to him.

Next time your dog tells you “no, I can’t do that,” figure out why. Maybe something about the situation is scary. Maybe he isn’t feeling well. Maybe he didn’t even hear you. If a dog gets very distracted, your insistent calls or tugs on the leash may literally go unnoticed.

Or maybe he isn’t saying “no,” he’s just saying “hold on a minute.” He might be sniffing a really fascinating tree or playing with his doggy friends, and he doesn’t want to leave yet. If this is the case, train your dog. But in the meantime, don’t get offended. Instead, note that it is just something you need to work on better, and figure out a way to work through the problem with your dog.

See also: How to Train a Stubborn Dog

How to Make a Dog Like You in 10 Easy Steps