12 Harmful Things You Do to Your Dog Without Realizing It

How to Keep Your Dog Healthy. If you're a dog owner, you surely want your pet to be healthy and to live a long and happy life. But you might sometimes do things that can potentially harm your canine companion without even realizing it. Here are some common mistakes people unintentionally make when it comes to taking care of their doggies.

SUMMARY
-There are several types of collars, and you need pick the one that best suits the needs and character of your pup, as well as a place to attach his license. Whether you've settled on a harness or gone for a collar, the second (and just as important!) step is making sure it’s the right size. If a collar or harness is too big, your pooch may escape.
-Dogs don't sweat like people do, so they can overheat much faster than you’d think. And since they lack this crucial ability to cool themselves off, the consequences of staying in a locked car can turn out fatal.
-A dog’s teeth need to be cleaned just like people’s teeth do. Don't use toothpastes and toothbrushes designed for people! There are special ones made just for dogs, and they’re pretty different from the human kinds.
-Never feed human food to your dog! It's way too salty, too spicy, and too fatty for them. In fact, most dishes you eat are severely toxic for them.
-To start with, dogs can sometimes be passive carriers of diseases. Secondly, grown-up dogs, especially large ones, can be incredibly rough when playing and running around.
-Physical punishment doesn’t work and actually does the opposite of what you want – it makes your dog scared of you. Reward-based training is much more effective than physical discipline.
-Just like you, dogs need constant mental and physical stimulation-, especially working breeds, which is why regular walking is a must.
-If you don’t secure your dog in the car and you end up in an accident, your pet can get seriously injured or even killed.
-Dogs don’t understand “NO”, so it only freaks your dog out, especially if you’re ticked off about something that happened a while ago.
-Some people say you can take a break from flea, tick, and heartworm medicine in winter if you live in a cold climate, but you really should discuss it with your veterinarian.
-Dog-proof your house by putting away anything your pet can chew or swallow. Things like medications, screws and nails, magnets, coins, and batteries should never be within your pet’s reach.
-Always do your research before you get a pet so that you’ll know how to best take care of it and what problems to look out for.