Safety Tips for Dog Owners

Learn to Treat Them

Accidents can happen even if your four-legged friend is usually gentle and playful. Animals shouldn’t be treated like possessions that can be moved and touched at any time as if they were toys. And while this is crystal clear for some people, others may ignore it as is often the case with children.

Like humans, dogs have their own schedules for eating, playing, and sleeping. So, whether it’s an adult or a kid who approaches and attempts to play with your furry friend, especially when they’re resting, going to the bathroom, or doing another activity they want to do alone, this could end up in a bad situation. Not respecting their personal space can trigger a defensive response and don’t be surprised if they bark, push, scratch, or bite to let you know that they don’t want to be disturbed at that moment. The trick here is to learn to respect your pet’s space and routine, take the chance to play with them while they’re up, looking for play and interaction and everybody will surely enjoy a very fun time.

Socialize Them

Although dogs almost always seem adorable and friendly, not all of them are used to interacting with people or other animals. In fact, it depends on some things like their personality, how they’re raised, and the way they’ve been trained by their owners.

Pets can be introverted or extroverted by nature, and the environment they grow up in also has an impact on their behavior. Either way, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be trained to socialize. A simple tip to help your dog become familiar with strangers is to go to places where they can interact with people and animals, such as parks or almost any public space. Give him a treat when he behaves well as a reward, and stay firm and say no with verbal and body language when he does something wrong, so eventually, they’ll stop doing that. You can also look for professional pet training. This option is especially recommended to people who own aggressive dogs.

Read Their Body Language

Animals are intelligent and they communicate with us in many different ways, with their facial expressions, vocalization, repeated movements, among others. So you can learn to read their emotions and identify when they’re happy, hungry, sad, stressed, scared, or angry.

Note that you can’t predict a dog’s behavior only based on its size or breed. So, focus on observing their behavior instead. If they look relaxed and are acting friendly, moving their tail and teasing you to play with them, it’s a clear sign that they feel happy around you. On the contrary, if they try to get away when you approach them and avoid letting you touch them, or start to growl and bark loudly and keep a distance from you, they’re advising you to leave them alone. Anyway, accurately interpreting a dog’s body language can be challenging, but if you’re cautious you’ll avoid potential accidents.

Conclusion

We call them our furry family for obvious reasons, their loyalty and unconditional companionship make them truly special in our lives, and we care a lot about their well-being. That’s why we must ensure that they’re treated well and behave well with others as well, and it’s essential to protect them from getting in trouble.

It’s important to be aware of our pet’s behavior as they’re always communicating with us. This applies to all situations, whether our dog is in a playful mood or even when he reacts aggressively because he feels threatened. It’s smart to be alert to the animal’s body language to avoid unwanted situations. In addition, it’s advisable to take out an insurance plan that covers you financially in case of any accidents in which your four-legged friend may be involved. At PSIC we offer animal liability coverage as an endorsement for our insurance policies such as Homeowners, Condo, Renters, and Personal Liability, among others. With this additional layer of protection you’ll have the comprehensive support you need to keep yourself and your beloved pet safe at all times.