As humans, we all like to believe that we have enough common sense that there are just some things we don’t need advice. However, this is far from the truth.
We have met, heard and read about some “Out of this World” questions and reasoning with regards to pets by pawrents!
And no, this article is not meant to belittle these pawrents but to hopefully, make us all “think” and question.
Without further ado, here are some real life cases.
when it comes to feeding
Pawrent 1: “But the instruction says only feed one cube per meal for her weight. We are also changing the brand of food.”
Pawrent 2: “The breeder told me to feed 6 kibbles a day.”
If you are transitioning your dog’s food from one brand to another, you never underfeed them. Transition simply means to add the new food in slowly and reduce the old brand, thereby still maintaining the same amount of food.
As for the second pawrent, REALLY? Before you decide to take on the RESPONSIBILITY of another life, please do your research!! Do not just BLINDLY follow what people tell you to do. Always ask questions to get a clear understanding.
Rule of thumb is when you can see your pet’s ribcage protruding or visible, then you are definitely underfeeding it.
free consult on Social media
I have nothing against asking for advice. But please consult people who have actual knowledge and expertise! Not go straight on social media and ask every Tom, Dick and Harry to give you their two cents of thought which may help or could possibly lead you to a horrible decision resulting in your pet’s health.
On facebook, I’ve read things like:
My dog has just been attacked by another dog, what should I do? Seriously, what do YOU think this pawrent should do FIRST?
The government is givng away top quality hand sanitizers. Now, I use them to clean my dog’s paws after every walk. Really? Do you know how much chemicals there are in hand sanitizers?
the know-it-all syndrome
On numerous occasions, we’ve met dog owners who walk their dog without a leash. And when we suggest that they do, automatically without fail, they’ll say that “my dog is very good, always listen and won’t fight.”
Oh yeah? Have you ever stop to THINK what will happen if a bigger dog comes along without a leash too or even a stray? Or what if there was a sudden movement that caught your dog by surprise? How do you think your dog will react then?
There are so many possible scenarios that can happen when your dog is not leashed. And when your dog gets injured, WHO WOULD YOU BLAME THEN?
Last but not least, here’s another case when we advised the pawrent to reduce the pet’s food as it was pretty overweight which could lead to health issues.
The pawrent answered, “but I give him vitamins to strengthen his bones!”
*Seriously? facepalm*
“Common sense is the most widely shared commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it.”
Rene Descartes