For the best tips and tricks for looking after a dog, the best people to ask are other dog owners.
They too have had issues with feeding – or stopping their dog from eating, training, stressful encounters with other dogs and owners while walking and expensive health issues.
So 9honey put the call out to dog owners to pass on their words of wisdom and here is what they said.
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Combat stinky breath
”Sounds really weird, but get doggy mouth wash! Especially if your dog is a breed that inherently has teeth problems, like a cavoodle. It doesn’t stop it from happening and neither does brushing, but if you start early it can buy you some time before you have to have the expensive surgery to remove them,” Bronte suggests.
“Just put the mouthwash in their water.”
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Consider pet insurance
Amy says, “As an owner of a ‘designer dog’, [I recommend] getting pet insurance. It may be expensive but my God, it will save you so much in the long run.
“For anyone who’s looking at getting a dog breed that’s known to have health issues, like French Bulldogs and breathing or their airways, get pet insurance as soon as you get your dog.
“Dogs can get serious injuries too, like tear their ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and some breeds are more susceptible to doing it, so by getting pet insurance early you’re going to be covered and it’ll save you so much in the long run.”
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Train your dog to come when called
”The most important command a dog should know is recall – forget roll over, jump and spin, having your dog come back to you when you’re outside with lots of different stimuli is so important (especially when you have a labradoodle that likes to run away and eat poop),” Sindy recommends.
Avoiding meltdowns
Chloe says, ”I put a sign on my my front gate so that the postie doesn’t ring the doorbell, otherwise my dogs goes off – [he’s] a pomeranian cross chihuahua so he’s tiny but mighty.”
Getting dogs comfortable with the outside world
“My biggest tip would be to socialise your dog as soon as you can and not just with other dogs,” Chantelle says.
“It’s so important to get them out and about in all kinds of environments as soon as they have their vaccinations and can safely go outside. Learning to walk past other dogs without a fuss, getting used to cars, bikes, weird house decorations and literally everything makes life so much easier when they grow up.
“If you socialise them in all kinds of environments from a young age you’ll have an unfazed dog you can take anywhere.”
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On-leash time
“Don’t let them greet other dogs while they’re on the leash! It causes all kinds of problems when they’re older and go on walks wanting to greet every other dog they pass,” Taylor recommends.
“Teach them that while they’re on a leash their focus should be on you, and when they’re taken off the lead at a dog park, then it’s time to greet and play with the other dogs. It’s awkward to tell other owners that their dog can’t say hi to yours when you’re out and about but SO worth it.”
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Treat treats with caution
“We have a Beaglier. The Beagle in him is a breed that is notoriously food obsessed and struggle with weight issues. My biggest tip is to not overdo it with treats and to look at healthier substitutes on occasion for some variation (he will literally eat anything!),” Ella advises.
“Instead of giving him liver treats all the time, when we stop for coffee on a walk we give him carrots to eat which he LOVES! Cucumber and apples are also very popular with him!”
Leash hack for big dogs
Gabrielle says, “My biggest tip is one that’s likely best for people who have big dogs. If your dog is prone to pulling while on the leash, get yourself a dog harness with a front leash attachment.
“Exactly as it sounds, its a harness where you connect the leash to a clip at the front of the dog’s chest rather than on it’s back (like most normal harnesses and collars do). Having the leash attached at the front means if your dog tries to pull it they will automatically be spun around to face you making it difficult for the dog to pull.
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“We have a Great Dane cross Mastiff who is still quite young and we’re trying to train her not to pull on the leash. Using a front attach leash harness has made a world of difference, when we use the front attach leash she knows not to pull, but sometimes when we use a normal leash excitement will sometimes get the best of her and she’ll forget the training we’ve done.”
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