We all want the best for our furry friends, of course, but there are some things that we often do that our precious furbabies probably don't like! Read on to find out what some of those are...
1. Great big snuggly hugs!
Lots of us love to hug our precious pooches, and because they seem to put up with it, one might assume your dog enjoys the close contact as much as you do. But guess what; Hugging a dog makes them feel trapped, thus stressed out, scared and anxious. Hugs restrict their movement and can feel intimidating, particularly if you’re getting right up close with your face. So what can we do instead to show our affection? Next time your dog snuggles up to you, use one hand to give them long loving strokes. Pawwww-fect!
2. Not allowing them to sniff around on walks
A canine's strongest sense is their smell; they see their environment through their noses and sniffing around is how they stay connected to the world around them. It’s super important to allow your dog to doddle a bit and absorb all the smells instead of pulling them to walk on forcefully. McCue-McGrath says. “Sniffy walks give your dog an opportunity to check their ‘pee-mail,’ catch up on all the neighbourhood dog news, or see what wild critter skittered by just a few hours prior,” she says. So while it might feel a little annoying to have to "paws" and wait, think about how happy your pooch is, getting all that stimulation!
3. Dressing them up
Look, we know, we get it, seeing a gorgeous doggy kitted out in a hoody and little paw-booties can seem suuuper cute, but more than likely, the dog doesn't agree. Many dogs hate the feel of restriction of clothes/footwear, and also the smell! So unless the weather is extreme and your dog needs extra protection, maybe give the tutu a miss.
(Obviously we couldn't show a photo of a real dog in clothes so instead we put shoes on our teddy dog, Biscuit!)
4. Waking your dog up
Yes. Even if they seem to not mind! Before you shower adoration upon your snoozing doggy, take a moment to think. “Do I enjoy being awoken suddenly out of my deep slumber?" Of course you don't! The same goes for your dog. Turns out there’s truth to the saying “Let sleeping dogs lie.” When your precious pooch wakes up they'll be only delighted to come to you for attention, until then best to leave them sleep in peace, eh?
5. Wearing perfume/cologne
Did you know that a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than yours? So can you imagine how that perfume of yours smells to them? Overpowering much! To negate this as much as possible for your beloved pet, make sure to spray your perfume away from them, preferably outdoors, and make sure the product is non-toxic. Trust us, your dog loves your natural scent more than any of the synthetic stuff! Oh and it goes without saying, don't spray your dog directly with anything unless it is clearly labelled as dog-safe.
These are just a few things that we tend to do without realising that our beautiful bow-wows may not particularly like it. Always good to know though, eh?