Mental Floss has compiled a list of eights ways you may be harming your dog without even realizing it. Here they are:
- Leaving them alone in the car. Internal car temperatures go up by 20 degrees in 10 minutes, regardless of whether you're parked directly in the sun or not.
- Choosing the wrong collar size. The general rule is that you can fit a finger between the collar and dog for small and medium sizes, and two fingers for big dogs.
- Taking a puppy to a dog park. It’s better to keep their play area in a controlled setting until they're bigger.
- Yelling at them when they’ve done something wrong. It won't seem like punishment for what they did wrong; they'll just see you as the enemy.
- Physically punishing them when they do something wrong. Using a reward-based system to train your dog is the key to a well-behaved doggo.
- Neglecting breed-specific health requirements. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the specific needs of your dog's breed, as well as warning signs associated with health issues they may be more prone to.
- Not brushing their teeth. Your dog's teeth should be brushed almost as often as yours. Just be sure to use dog-specific toothpaste.
- Not keeping them mentally and physically stimulated. You should be regularly walking your dog and making sure they're exposed to a mix-up in their routine every so often.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/559899/ways-you-might-be-endangering-your-dog-without-knowing