What does responsible pet ownership entail?

Question

A lot of pets are bought and then abandoned. Another thing that many people don't know is that some pet stores simply discard female dogs after they can't give birth anymore.

Moreover, mixed breeds are generally smarter and healthier than pure breeds.

Answer 1

Responsible pet owners take care of their animals nutritionally, emotionally, and physically until the day the animal passes away. They neuter or spay their animals. They do regular vet visits. They research the animal they want prior to purchasing or adopting. They make sure that the animal fits into their lifestyle and that they can properly care for the animal prior to getting it. Don't neglect the animal or abuse it. It makes me sick how many people just get "tired of having a pet" so they dump it!!

Answer 2

What exactly is your question and what does the other garbage have to do with it? Where do you live that pet stores are able to breed their own dogs and then put them down after? I've NEVER heard of something so ridiculous.

Mix breed dogs? It depends on the mix against what breed.

You seem to have a problem with sweeping generalization.

Responsible pet ownership (as though the pet were a chair) is tailored to the type of animal. But the basics is a clean enviorment, proper food and medical care. Beyond that, one needs to ask, what type of pet? I'd say fresh water, but it is redundant if the pet is a fish and not nessisary of it is an uromastyx which doesn't drink free water. As well, exercising your newts or better, coral, is just silly.

You seem to be asking a loaded question.

Answer 3

I always thought of it as a pact between you and the animal--you are accepting full responsibility for the dependent animal, the animal is totally dependent upon you for everything. Your job as the caregiver is to keep it nutritionally well fed but not overfed (or fed a bad diet), provide clean water all the time, have a decent place for it to sleep where it can feel safe, vet care when necessary no matter what the cost, a certain amount of discipline since you both have to live together (and sometimes with other critters and/or other humans), socialization so it can trust other humans. Basically, the mission is to provide pets, who live such short lives anyway, the best life possible for as long as they live with as little stress, abuse (including expecting the animal to be something other than it is) and worry for the pet as possible. That's all. I believe that if you cannot provide that, including possible big vet bills should the pet get sick or injured, then you ought not to take on a pet and perhaps just volunteer at some animal shelter instead.

Answer 4

A responsible pet owner will meet the needs nutritionally, medically, mentally, and emotionally. They should provide adequate feeding amounts according to their specific pets need in certain nutritional values, such as protien and certain fatty acids. Such as Great Danes, they do eat just as much and sometimes more than the traditional sized dog, but they need to be fed in small increments throughout the day, or they could get a condition called "bloat".

As far as meeting medical needs, they should have regular annual vet checks, and be taken to the vet if a problem should arise. Owners with pets who are prone to certain diseases due to their genetic make-up should also take preventative measures if there are any to prevent the diseases in their pets.

Mental needs goes along with the proper excercise their pet needs, some pets are more active than others and their activity should be taken into consideration. Most pets with bad habits such as chewing, excessive barking, carpet wetting and so forth are common problems usually due to boredom, although a vet check should be made to make sure it's not a medical condition such as irritable bowel syndrome, or a urinary tract infection.

Emotional needs go hand in hand with their mental needs, playing with your pet helps meet his emotional needs, they need emotional support just as children do, although most owners are not aware of this because pets do not speak our language. Laying and petting your pet help him know he is loved, and needed.

As far as mixed breeds being smarter and healtheir than purebreeds, it goes hand in hand. Some pure breeds are generally healtheir than some mixed breeds. If you breed a Lab with a medical mange problem, with a sharpei who has tons of skin problems, if you breed the 2 together, you could end up with 2 very irritating medical conditions instead of one, ultimatly adding the cost of treatment to very high measures.

All dogs have the same learning capabilities, it's just how the owner manipulates the brain, and teaches the animal. If you apply good rewarding and praise when teaching a pet a trick he will generally learn faster, as if you didn't praise at all.

You cannot possibly scientifically say one race learns faster and is smarter than the other. Each person needs to be taught things differently, and if you figure out the best way your pet learns, the chance of a faster result in many areas will result.

Answer 5

A responsible pet owner takes care of the pets physical and emotional needs and controls reproduction so that unwanted pets are not created.

Answer 6

I'm not going to be too wordy. Love, consistency, kindness and time. With those 4 things your pet will be healthy, happy, and well cared for. Remember that whatever you take on becomes part of you and your family.
Good luck, and thanks for being caring enough to ask. You'll make a great pet owner (if you're not a pet owner already)!