owning a dog is a big responsibility dogs depend on us to make the best decisions for them on everything from what they eat to how their fur is trimmed although every loving dog owner has the best intentions some choices that seem harmless will actually shorten your pet's lifespan in this video we will talk about 14 common mistakes that can chop years off your dog's life number 14. bathing your pet incorrectly every dog needs a bath occasionally but bathing your dog too often when they aren't actually dirty can dry out their skin which removes the healthy protective oils that protect them from the environment it can also damage hair follicles and increase the risk of bacterial or fungal infections and while bathing them make sure the water doesn't get into their ears as moisture in the ears can lead to ear infections number 13 pushing certain dogs too hard although exercise is very important to your pet's Health it's also crucial that you know your dog's limits pushed in face breeds such as Bulldogs pugs Shih Tzus and Pekingese have respiratory issues and are more likely to develop heat stroke than their longer muzzled cousins obese dogs and those with existing medical conditions should receive Veterinary approval before beginning an exercise routine and remember senior dogs are more likely to have health conditions that might limit how much they can exercise number 12. not giving heartworm medication heartworms are internal parasites that live in the hearts of dogs dogs can get heartworms from being bitten by infected mosquitoes the worms live in the heart lungs and major blood vessels of the dog and can cause heart failure and lung disease heartworm disease is preventable by giving the dog a monthly medication heartworm disease will significantly reduce the lifespan of a dog since the infection can affect so many of a dog's vital organs number 11.
constantly pulling on the leash pressure on a dog's neck from a tight leash can interrupt the flow of blood and air leading to a number of health problems such as thyroid damage choking and brain damage in fact High rates of thyroid issues have been observed in large dogs that frequently pull on the leash proper training is key to preventing leash pulling dangers number 10. allowing them to run free according to the data from National Institutes of Health dogs are the number one animal species involved in animal related traffic accidents on average 1.
