Common mistakes pet owners make, and how to avoid them

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

The benefits of having a pet are endless, from decreasing stress to improving heart health. However, caring for an animal comes with great responsibility, and many people unwittingly make mistakes that put their furry friends at risk. Whether it's misinterpreting body language or letting your cat drink milk, these mistakes can have serious consequences for you and your pet. If you're keen to discover the most common risky mistakes pet owners make, click through this gallery today.

You let your dog walk you

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

If your dog isn't leash-trained, going out for a stroll can be hazardous. Tens of thousands of people end up in the ER each year due to pet-related falls, many of which happen during walks when a person gets pulled or pushed over by a dog.

You ignore ringworm

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

If your pet has a round bald patch, ringworm could be to blame. Untreated ringworm can lead to chronic skin issues, making your furry friend feel miserable.

You skip flea medicine

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Fleas will rapidly infest the skin of an untreated pet, particularly during the summer and fall, and your home will be teeming with their eggs and larvae. Humans often get bitten by the fleas and end up covered in itchy sores.

You keep the food bowl full

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Cats and dogs often eat more than they need, and if food is always available, they'll consume too many calories and gain too much weight, which can cause health problems.

You give them too little exercise

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Without exercise, pets are prone to obesity, which increases their risk of respiratory problems and joint issues. Vets recommend at least half an hour of exercise each day, though this can vary depending on breed and size.

You don't give your pet enough attention

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Your pet will get bored if you don't play or interact with them, leading to destructive behavior like chewing, digging, and barking. 

You don't socialize young pets

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

During the first seven weeks of a puppy or kitten's life, they must get used to people. Humans should spend this time building up trust via gentle handling and play.

You don't set rules

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Cats and dogs need consistent rules. Owners need to make it clear that scratching furniture or peeing on the carpet is not ok. Reward your pets for good behavior and seek advice from a trainer if needed.

You leave young children unsupervised

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Sometimes, young kids can play too rough with their pets, causing the animals to strike out in self-defense. Be sure to supervise play time when a new pet joins the family.

You let dogs eat spoiled food

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Don't let dogs rifle through the garbage; eating spoiled food could lead to food poisoning or pancreas problems.

You give up your cat if you fall pregnant

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Cat feces contains a parasite that causes an illness called toxoplasmosis, which can harm an unborn baby. Pregnant people should avoid handling kitty litter where possible, but they don't need to give up their cat.

You adopt a pet on a whim

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

Adopting a pet should never be a spur-of-the-moment decision; owning a pet is a life-long commitment. Do some research ahead of time to decide what type of pet and breed would be best for your family.

You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

You let your dog walk you, You ignore ringworm, You skip flea medicine, You keep the food bowl full, You give them too little exercise, You don't give your pet enough attention, You don't socialize young pets, You don't set rules, You leave young children unsupervised, You let dogs eat spoiled food, You give up your cat if you fall pregnant, You adopt a pet on a whim, You take your dog for a walk on a hot day

When the air temperature is 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celcius), the asphalt can reach 135 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celcius), causing burns and permanent damage to your dogs' foot pads after just one minute of contact.

Post Related