Dr.Behshtian
10-23-2010, 07:10 PM
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/aa9BStXnD3j/photos/fdb9e55e2e849cd9a131491a3361176f/ori_ce876485bc1a16.jpg?ug_____DGLeSMoFX
Mistake 1: Buying a Pet Spontaneously
Why this is a mistake: That doggie in the windowmay be darling, but he might not be the right fit for your familyor lifestyle.
Related: How to Choose a Pet (http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/how-choose-pet-10000001727103/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Fully inform yourself before youbring home a pet. Every dog or cat has its own needs, some of whichare specific to the breed. Terriers tend to dig; Abyssiniansexplore and climb. If there’s a breed that interests you, read upon it (try the website of the American Kennel Club, at akc.org, orthe Cat Fanciers Association, at cfainc.org), talk to owners, andget to know someone else’s Border collie or Persian. That said, notevery dog or cat is typical of its breed, so “ask about the pet’shistory, health, and temperament,” says Stephanie Shain, a directorat the Humane Society of the United States. When dealing with abreeder, you should be shown where the pet was raised and meet hisparents.
Mistake 2: Skipping Obedience Training
Why this is a mistake: Bad habits can be difficultto train out of a pet. So unless you have the know-how to school ananimal, you need the help of a pro.
Related: The Best Pet Brushes (http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/inside-magazine/road-tests/best-pet-burshes-00000000027694/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Even before a puppy starts formaltraining, teach him simple commands, such as sit and stay. A puppycan begin formal training at eight weeks (and ideally before 12weeks), after he has had his shots. “Between the ages of 8 and 16weeks, puppies readily absorb information about the world aroundthem,” says Andrea Arden, author of Dog-Friendly Training ($19,amazon.com). To help a dog stick with good behaviors, every fewyears take him for a refresher course. (Find one in your area atthe Association of Pet Dog Trainers, apdt.com.)
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/DI86OZgvo3Cm/photos/483bec42df0f9d65043fb8a1097206bc/ori_434c6d9c9b0323.jpg?ug_____Dhk2p5Ovg Mistake 3: BeingInconsistent With the Rules
Why this is a mistake: If one child lets Fifi onthe bed and another punishes her for it, the animal will beconfused. Bad behavior is inevitable.
How to avoid it: Make sure everyone in your householdknows―and follows―the rules, says Arden. “You want your dog to sitbefore eating a treat? You don’t want your kitten to pounce on yourhands? Then figure out a system that will help your pet succeed.”Pets thrive with a sense of order, so discuss with your family whenyours should be fed, exercised, and even given a treat.
Mistake 4: Dispensing Too Many FreeTreats
Why this is a mistake: Treats lose their trainingvalue if your pet gets them for no reason.
Related: 8 Things Your Pet Shouldn't Eat (http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/eight-things-your-pet-should-not-eat-00000000021816/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: “Think of treats as currencygiven to a pet to reward good behavior,” says Marty Becker, aveterinarian and a coeditor of Petconnection.com. Assign each typeof treat a value, and pay according to how well your pet behaves.Kibble is worth a dollar; a chicken strip, five; bologna, 10. “Butit’s important to not pay off the good behavior all the time,”Becker says. “That way, your dog will always hope he might get thatpiece of bologna, and he’ll eventually perform without seeing atreat.”
Mistake 5: Neglecting to Socialize YourPet
Why this is a mistake: Pets that aren’t exposed toa variety of animals and people at a very young age can developfears and aggressive behavior.
How to avoid it: Introduce your pet to adults,kids, animals, and environments so he’ll take every novelty instride. It’s optimal for a pet to start the process before youbring him home, since the critical socialization period is early inlife. “For a dog, it’s between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. Forcats, it’s between 2 and 8 weeks,” says Nicholas Dodman, directorof the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Tufts Cummings School ofVeterinary Medicine, in North Grafton, Massachusetts. The breederor the shelter’s adoption counselor can tell you how muchsocialization an animal has had.
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/mznFGTavcS_Q/photos/567eb578c1722c38d8f50f0ea6b401ce/ori_3f125949217449.jpg?ug_____DatDrJ2Mp Mistake 6: Skimping onExercise
Why this is a mistake: Pets have pent-up energythat needs to be unleashed through physical activity. Otherwise itwill be channeled into barking, jumping, or even hostilebehavior.
How to avoid it: “Walk your dog at least twice a day for aminimum of 30 minutes each time,” says Cesar Millan, host of TheDog Whisperer, on the National Geographic Channel. “To your dog,that’s a primal activity―birds fly, fish swim, and dogs walk.”Pamela Reid, vice president of the ASPCA’s Animal-Behavior Centerin Urbana, Illinois, recommends that dogs get at least 40 minutesof aerobic exercise daily. “Dogs need more exercise than peopledo,” says Reid. Try running or biking with your dog or playingfetch or Frisbee. With a cat, “you can’t take her jogging, butbefore and after work, give her 10 to 20 minutes of playtime,” saysReid.
Mistake 7: Neglecting to Keep Your Pet MentallyActive
Why this is a mistake: Bored pets are more likelyto get into trouble.
Related: The Best New Pet Gear (http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/best-new-pet-gear-10000001628383/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Give your pets something to do. For adog, that can mean having him hunt for food. Place a meal or treatsin spots around the house for him to sniff out, or “feed him out ofa food-dispensing puzzle toy instead of his bowl,” says AndreaArden. Keep a cat engaged with simple amusements, like a toy mousedangling from a string. “You can stimulate your cat visually byplacing a bird feeder outside a window, or setting a lava lamp on ashelf,” says Arden Moore, author of The Cat Behavior Answer Book($15, amazon.com).
Mistake 8: Leaving a Pet Alone for TooLong
Why this is a mistake: A lack of propercompanionship can lead to separation anxiety and destructivebehaviors.
How to avoid it: “Don’t leave a puppy alone foreight hours,” says Reid. Hire someone to watch him or drop him offat a doggie day-care center. Your puppy will need to learn how tobe alone for a few hours each day, however, so “teach him toself-pacify almost immediately,” says Andrea Arden. Put him in acrate (or leash him to a stable object) a foot or two away fromyou, then gradually increase the distance over the course of aweek. Then make sure that he spends escalating amounts of timealone in his crate or confined to a room. Break up the day for dogsof any age with a visit from a dog walker or a neighbor, and giveyour pet access to toys and visual stimuli. Unlike puppies, kittenscan be left alone, but they should have access to toys and visualstimuli.
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/mTG6JhEvuhCz/photos/3b060ec1f6a80c411c6d6a2f49030d7c/ori_c82c1bee239ab0.jpg?ug_____DDgBS_S62
Mistake 9: Failing to Make Your HomePet-Friendly
Why this is a mistake: A cat without a properlitter box will just use the carpet. A dog without a cozy bed willend up on the couch.
Related: Pet-Themed New Uses for Old Things (http://www.realsimple.com/new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-pets/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Location is key with a litter box. “A catdoesn’t want to travel a long way to go to the bathroom any morethan you do,” says Mieshelle Nagelschneider, a feline behavioristand a consultant at the Cat Behavior Clinic, near Portland, Oregon.Place litter boxes (one per cat, if you own a few, plus one boxthey can share, says Moore) in quiet areas throughout your home.Plug in a night-light beside each one so your cat can find it inthe dark. Cats dislike strong odors (even air freshener), so useuncovered boxes and unscented litter and scoop out each box everyday. Dogs are far less persnickety about where they relievethemselves, but do them the favor of regularly picking up the poopin the backyard. Cats and dogs also need spots where they cancuddle up and feel safe. “A dog needs a crate like a teenager needsa room,” says Dodman. Provide a crate or a cozy bed, and make ittaboo for your family to pester the dog while he’s in it. Catsnaturally want to climb to an optimal vantage point, so set up aplace where yours can look out a window.
Mistake 10: Punishing Your Pet
Why this is a mistake: You might think Chewieknows you’re screaming at him because he ate the loaf of bread onthe counter, but he won’t connect your behavior with hisaction.
How to avoid it: Never physically punish your pet;he’ll just learn to fear you. It’s OK to startle a pet out of abehavior, but only if you catch him in the act. Command him with afirm “No!” or “Down!” and he’ll connect the reaction with what he’sdoing and learn that it’s not OK. Otherwise, the punishment shouldcome from the environment. Teach a cat or a dog to stay off thecounter, say, by arranging sheet pans in a pile that will clatterto the floor if he jumps up. The counter, not you, will become thething to fear.
Mistake 1: Buying a Pet Spontaneously
Why this is a mistake: That doggie in the windowmay be darling, but he might not be the right fit for your familyor lifestyle.
Related: How to Choose a Pet (http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/how-choose-pet-10000001727103/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Fully inform yourself before youbring home a pet. Every dog or cat has its own needs, some of whichare specific to the breed. Terriers tend to dig; Abyssiniansexplore and climb. If there’s a breed that interests you, read upon it (try the website of the American Kennel Club, at akc.org, orthe Cat Fanciers Association, at cfainc.org), talk to owners, andget to know someone else’s Border collie or Persian. That said, notevery dog or cat is typical of its breed, so “ask about the pet’shistory, health, and temperament,” says Stephanie Shain, a directorat the Humane Society of the United States. When dealing with abreeder, you should be shown where the pet was raised and meet hisparents.
Mistake 2: Skipping Obedience Training
Why this is a mistake: Bad habits can be difficultto train out of a pet. So unless you have the know-how to school ananimal, you need the help of a pro.
Related: The Best Pet Brushes (http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/inside-magazine/road-tests/best-pet-burshes-00000000027694/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Even before a puppy starts formaltraining, teach him simple commands, such as sit and stay. A puppycan begin formal training at eight weeks (and ideally before 12weeks), after he has had his shots. “Between the ages of 8 and 16weeks, puppies readily absorb information about the world aroundthem,” says Andrea Arden, author of Dog-Friendly Training ($19,amazon.com). To help a dog stick with good behaviors, every fewyears take him for a refresher course. (Find one in your area atthe Association of Pet Dog Trainers, apdt.com.)
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/DI86OZgvo3Cm/photos/483bec42df0f9d65043fb8a1097206bc/ori_434c6d9c9b0323.jpg?ug_____Dhk2p5Ovg Mistake 3: BeingInconsistent With the Rules
Why this is a mistake: If one child lets Fifi onthe bed and another punishes her for it, the animal will beconfused. Bad behavior is inevitable.
How to avoid it: Make sure everyone in your householdknows―and follows―the rules, says Arden. “You want your dog to sitbefore eating a treat? You don’t want your kitten to pounce on yourhands? Then figure out a system that will help your pet succeed.”Pets thrive with a sense of order, so discuss with your family whenyours should be fed, exercised, and even given a treat.
Mistake 4: Dispensing Too Many FreeTreats
Why this is a mistake: Treats lose their trainingvalue if your pet gets them for no reason.
Related: 8 Things Your Pet Shouldn't Eat (http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/eight-things-your-pet-should-not-eat-00000000021816/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: “Think of treats as currencygiven to a pet to reward good behavior,” says Marty Becker, aveterinarian and a coeditor of Petconnection.com. Assign each typeof treat a value, and pay according to how well your pet behaves.Kibble is worth a dollar; a chicken strip, five; bologna, 10. “Butit’s important to not pay off the good behavior all the time,”Becker says. “That way, your dog will always hope he might get thatpiece of bologna, and he’ll eventually perform without seeing atreat.”
Mistake 5: Neglecting to Socialize YourPet
Why this is a mistake: Pets that aren’t exposed toa variety of animals and people at a very young age can developfears and aggressive behavior.
How to avoid it: Introduce your pet to adults,kids, animals, and environments so he’ll take every novelty instride. It’s optimal for a pet to start the process before youbring him home, since the critical socialization period is early inlife. “For a dog, it’s between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. Forcats, it’s between 2 and 8 weeks,” says Nicholas Dodman, directorof the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Tufts Cummings School ofVeterinary Medicine, in North Grafton, Massachusetts. The breederor the shelter’s adoption counselor can tell you how muchsocialization an animal has had.
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/mznFGTavcS_Q/photos/567eb578c1722c38d8f50f0ea6b401ce/ori_3f125949217449.jpg?ug_____DatDrJ2Mp Mistake 6: Skimping onExercise
Why this is a mistake: Pets have pent-up energythat needs to be unleashed through physical activity. Otherwise itwill be channeled into barking, jumping, or even hostilebehavior.
How to avoid it: “Walk your dog at least twice a day for aminimum of 30 minutes each time,” says Cesar Millan, host of TheDog Whisperer, on the National Geographic Channel. “To your dog,that’s a primal activity―birds fly, fish swim, and dogs walk.”Pamela Reid, vice president of the ASPCA’s Animal-Behavior Centerin Urbana, Illinois, recommends that dogs get at least 40 minutesof aerobic exercise daily. “Dogs need more exercise than peopledo,” says Reid. Try running or biking with your dog or playingfetch or Frisbee. With a cat, “you can’t take her jogging, butbefore and after work, give her 10 to 20 minutes of playtime,” saysReid.
Mistake 7: Neglecting to Keep Your Pet MentallyActive
Why this is a mistake: Bored pets are more likelyto get into trouble.
Related: The Best New Pet Gear (http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/pets/best-new-pet-gear-10000001628383/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Give your pets something to do. For adog, that can mean having him hunt for food. Place a meal or treatsin spots around the house for him to sniff out, or “feed him out ofa food-dispensing puzzle toy instead of his bowl,” says AndreaArden. Keep a cat engaged with simple amusements, like a toy mousedangling from a string. “You can stimulate your cat visually byplacing a bird feeder outside a window, or setting a lava lamp on ashelf,” says Arden Moore, author of The Cat Behavior Answer Book($15, amazon.com).
Mistake 8: Leaving a Pet Alone for TooLong
Why this is a mistake: A lack of propercompanionship can lead to separation anxiety and destructivebehaviors.
How to avoid it: “Don’t leave a puppy alone foreight hours,” says Reid. Hire someone to watch him or drop him offat a doggie day-care center. Your puppy will need to learn how tobe alone for a few hours each day, however, so “teach him toself-pacify almost immediately,” says Andrea Arden. Put him in acrate (or leash him to a stable object) a foot or two away fromyou, then gradually increase the distance over the course of aweek. Then make sure that he spends escalating amounts of timealone in his crate or confined to a room. Break up the day for dogsof any age with a visit from a dog walker or a neighbor, and giveyour pet access to toys and visual stimuli. Unlike puppies, kittenscan be left alone, but they should have access to toys and visualstimuli.
http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/mTG6JhEvuhCz/photos/3b060ec1f6a80c411c6d6a2f49030d7c/ori_c82c1bee239ab0.jpg?ug_____DDgBS_S62
Mistake 9: Failing to Make Your HomePet-Friendly
Why this is a mistake: A cat without a properlitter box will just use the carpet. A dog without a cozy bed willend up on the couch.
Related: Pet-Themed New Uses for Old Things (http://www.realsimple.com/new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-pets/index.html?xid=yshi-rs-petmistakes-101810)
How to avoid it: Location is key with a litter box. “A catdoesn’t want to travel a long way to go to the bathroom any morethan you do,” says Mieshelle Nagelschneider, a feline behavioristand a consultant at the Cat Behavior Clinic, near Portland, Oregon.Place litter boxes (one per cat, if you own a few, plus one boxthey can share, says Moore) in quiet areas throughout your home.Plug in a night-light beside each one so your cat can find it inthe dark. Cats dislike strong odors (even air freshener), so useuncovered boxes and unscented litter and scoop out each box everyday. Dogs are far less persnickety about where they relievethemselves, but do them the favor of regularly picking up the poopin the backyard. Cats and dogs also need spots where they cancuddle up and feel safe. “A dog needs a crate like a teenager needsa room,” says Dodman. Provide a crate or a cozy bed, and make ittaboo for your family to pester the dog while he’s in it. Catsnaturally want to climb to an optimal vantage point, so set up aplace where yours can look out a window.
Mistake 10: Punishing Your Pet
Why this is a mistake: You might think Chewieknows you’re screaming at him because he ate the loaf of bread onthe counter, but he won’t connect your behavior with hisaction.
How to avoid it: Never physically punish your pet;he’ll just learn to fear you. It’s OK to startle a pet out of abehavior, but only if you catch him in the act. Command him with afirm “No!” or “Down!” and he’ll connect the reaction with what he’sdoing and learn that it’s not OK. Otherwise, the punishment shouldcome from the environment. Teach a cat or a dog to stay off thecounter, say, by arranging sheet pans in a pile that will clatterto the floor if he jumps up. The counter, not you, will become thething to fear.