Tag Archives: pet ownership

Trust and Pet Ownership

It requires a lot of trust to own a pet. Have you ever noticed that? I didn’t understand how much trust is involved in pet ownership until all this stuff with Murphy’s paw happened. Now I realize how many people and institutions a pet owner must trust on a daily basis. Here’s a few to show you what I’m talking about. 1. Trusting Vets We trust our vets to administer the proper vaccinations annually for our pet’s health. We also trust that the vet knows how to do this and that the vaccines they’re administering are safe. When our pets … Continue reading →

Learning From Our Mistakes as Pet Owners

Accidents don’t make you a bad pet owner… as long as you learn from them. I was catching up on posts in one of my favorite pet communities and saw a scary story. A young child knocked a lamp off a bedside table, which scared the family dog into making a run for it. When the dog jumped from bed to floor, she landed on the shards of the lamp and ended up severing nerves and tendons in one of her back legs. After emergency surgery, it looks like the dog will be okay. Thank goodness! Do I think this … Continue reading →

How To Have People Approach Your Dog

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As a responsible dog owner, you will need to educate people about the correct way to approach your dog. These five steps will help friends, family, and strangers get to know your dog safely and appropriately. Ask before you touch. Ask the owner if you can pet their dog. If the dog is unsupervised, think twice about approaching. Ask the dog if he wants to be touched. Offer your hand for sniffing. If the dog doesn’t come forward to check you out, don’t pursue him. Move slowly and be gentle when you pet the dog. Pet the dog on the … Continue reading →

If A Dog Is Aggressive Towards You

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Thousands of dog bites are reported each year; just as many may go unreported. If a dog is acting aggressively towards you, here’s what you can do to protect yourself from a bite. Different things can make a dog bite: fear, food guarding, neglect, abuse, or a simple lack of training and socialization. Watch for various signs of aggression, like growling and snarling, snapping, flattened ears, bared teeth, or barking. If a dog is threatening you: Stay still. Moving objects and limbs can activate the prey instinct — a dog is naturally wired to chase things in motion. Stay calm. … Continue reading →

If Your Dog Attacks Someone

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Owners are liable for their pets’ behavior. If your dog bites someone, you will be held accountable by the law and/or the insurance company. Dog laws do vary from state to state and even from one community to another. What can happen if your dog bites someone? You can lose your dog — it may be taken away and euthanized. You can lose your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. You may have trouble obtaining homeowner’s or renter’s insurance in the future. You may be responsible for paying for treatment for the bite victim. If you have children in the house with … Continue reading →