4 Common Doggie Myths Debunked

Ever heard someone say something about dogs and wonder if it’s really true? Maybe you aren’t quite sure about this whole dog thing and want to get some answers on some common misunderstandings all of us have thought about dogs from time to time. Well, today, I’m going to talk about common misunderstandings between dogs and their people. Check them out below.

“All dogs are the same. It doesn’t matter what kind you get.”

This can’t be farther from the truth. A great example of how untrue this is can be found in how many dogs are brought home that are not suited to the lifestyle of their new owner. This is an epidemic, and one visit to the animal shelter will show you just how often it happens. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone with a 600 square foot apartment and busy lifestyle get a border collie (which are typically high energy, working class dogs). Be realistic. If you don’t see yourself exercising your border collie for (at the very least) an hour a day rigorously, putting in hours upon hours of training, and investing in new things for your dog to do, don’t bring home that high energy, working class dog. Understand that every dog breed has its own set of unique needs that you will need to take into account before deciding to bring it home.

“All dogs need is food and water; that’s it.”

While this is true as far as the basic, mandatory needs your dog has to live, dogs actually need a lot more than those two things alone. Like people, dogs need to be exercised daily, taught manners, and mentally stimulated. Without these things, you’re setting your dog up to be difficult to deal with, which makes the long term relationship you’ll have with your dog harder than it has to be. Do a lot of research on what it takes to have a healthy and balanced dog before you get one. It’ll set you and your dog up for a long, successful life together.

“My dog doesn’t need any obedience training.”

Obedience training is important because there’s nothing more frustrating than an ill-behaved dog you can’t take anywhere, or worse, an ill-behaved dog that is a danger to yourself or others. Please understand that your dog is a product of the time and training you pour into them, and that you are their best shot at having a good reputation. It’s not fair to confine your dog to your home all day, every day because you can’t take them anywhere due to their lack of training. If anything, teaching your dog proper manners is the best gift you could ever give to your furry friend, even if it’s simple like not jumping people, being gentle with children, and taking treats gently. Every little bit helps!

“My dog did that just to spite me.”

Dogs live in the present and aren’t capable of keeping grudges against people, which is why they have a famous reputation for being very forgiving. If you forgot to feed your dog breakfast, your dog isn’t going to turn around and poop on the floor just to “make you pay.” Chances are, they pooped on the floor for a variety of other reasons, like lack of potty training, skipped a needed potty break outside, marking behaviors, etc. I can assure you that spite is definitely not one of them. If anything, when a dog misbehaves, it’s simply a miscommunication in expectations between you and your dog.

Hope this is helpful and thanks for reading!

About the author: Hannah Croscutt is a dog lover from Atlanta, Ga. She enjoys learning all about dogs from her furry buddy, Piper. She blogs at http://thefurryteacher.wordpress.com.

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