Today’s guest post comes from Sarah Walker, founder of dogfooddesire.com.
Don’t worry. We dog moms usually have a hard time petting a dog. It is even harder when you get one with little idea what to do with your furry guy. Since we all go through the same struggles and thoughts, why not share our experiences and learn better about our pooch’s behavior?
If you are a mom of a cute dog, here are 7 things you must know about your canine friend!
Your Dog Is Not Allergic To Everything
We dog moms often hear that our dogs may be allergic to human foods or most foods in general. We fear feeding them a new ingredient just to prevent our dogs from getting a severe allergic reaction or rushing to the nearest hospital.
The biggest thing I struggled with my poodle was what to feed him?
The question kept me thinking and exploring for days until I finally realized that my dog is not as sensitive as I thought.
In fact, all that time, I thought I was saving him from an allergic reaction; I was actually preventing good nutrients from going into his body.
It is tricky to understand allergies, even in humans. And there is no denying the fact that some dogs are more prone to allergies than most. However, this does not at all mean your dog is one of them.
Talk to your vet about what you can feed them and what you should do if a reaction occurs. If your dog is fine with most ingredients, chances are he will be fine with other foods, too.
Your Dog’s Body Language Says A Lot
Dogs can’t speak. But they do have other ways to hint you about their mood and behavior. It indeed needs experience before you can tell what you want or what he is feeling. Every dog is different. Even if you are a mother of more than one dog, you can’t compare your dogs in this matter.
Furthermore, there are some obvious signs that your dog may give away that need no experience for you to understand if something is wrong.
Your dog could be excited, sad, anxious, scared, or even sick. You don’t need apparent cues to understand what your dog wants during these times, or do you?
As dog moms, we learn to understand our dog in no time and interpreting emotions to become our strength. So why not give a tad more attention to your dog’s body language? There could be a couple more things your dog might be trying to tell you.
It Takes Time Before You Learn Their Behaviour And Habits
This is an extension of what I previously mentioned. This time, give yourself credit for being a good dog mom because it is not an easy job. Don’t be tough on yourself because you interpreted your dog wrong.
Or maybe you are just having a hard time getting along with him. I would like to mention one thing here: to go step by step in learning about your dog. This is particularly important for new dog moms.
There is no other opinion on this. You simply need to follow your dog’s mood patterns and behavior. With time, you will know everything about him even before they need to ask for it.
Training A Dog Is Hard
When I got my pooch, the first few months were a disaster. I know I should have researched and gotten a few tips from vets and trainers about training my dog. I could not curb my dog’s behavior.
He would pee wherever he deemed suitable or run out the front door whenever an ice cream van was in the neighborhood. He once even slashed all the dog treats I had for him in the cupboard. But I realized it was my fault, and I was in a hurry trying to train him.
What I didn’t realize was that dogs need their due time to learn new habits. Training is the best investment you can make, so don’t go cheap on it.
Your Dog Needs All The Love In The World
You adopted a dog because you wanted someone to stay loyal to you and love you regardless. Your dog has the exact requirements.
What I learned through these years was that my dog sought the same amount of love and affection as I had wanted from him. Even after some mistakes he made, I would still be a good mother to him because I can only expect love from him when I’ll shower him with my love.
Understand That Your Dog Also Has Needs
The worst you could do to your dog is trying to restrain him from doing what your dog likes to eat. Just because he is a dog does not mean dog moms can choose what they should and should not do.
Most dogs love playing around the house or going out for a walk. Your dog may even ask for food outside his mealtime, and all of this is okay. Dogs crave and want things just like us. If your dog is trained well, he will never cross limits.
So, if your dog is polite and wants something from you, be generous and kind enough to give them what they want. Petting a dog is a full-time job.
Be prepared when your dog wants to go out for a walk when you want to crash in your bed after a long day at work.
Be Patient
This has to be the most crucial part of being a dog mom.
Be patient with yourself and your dog.
You both need time to know one another better, and you both need to be patient because you can’t bond with your dog if you lose your calm. Adopting a dog means you chose to go through this process, just how all other dog moms had to.
So now that you are part of the process, just be patient.
Final Words
Having a dog is no easy task. Your dog has rights over you, and it is your job to know every detail about them. This can be made easy if you read the subtle signs and pay more attention to your dog.
Things will sort out with time. Till then, be the best dog mom you could ever be!
If you want to learn more about the best dog food for your pup, visit dogfooddesire.com.
Sarah Walker is a fitness expert who blogs about fitness, positivity, and mental health. She shares pearls of wisdom in order to help individuals to live meaningful and progressive life. Her aim is to assist people in aligning their lives according to their goals and objectives.
