5 Things Every Dog Owner Must Know to Keep Their Dog Healthy

how to keep your dog healthy

Every pet owner wants their dog to live a long, happy, and most importantly a healthy life. Therefore, besides providing love and companionship to each other, as a pet owner, you oversee the health and wellbeing of your dog. This means that you should take several measures to ensure the happiness of your pet and improve their quality of life.

A dog’s health heavily relies on their owner. If pet owners, especially the new ones, don’t take proper care of their pet, it may lead to some dire consequences. However, taking good care of your dog’s health is not simple. To make it easier for you, we compiled four simple ways you can follow to properly take care of your dog and give them a longer and happier life. Keep in mind while you are taking care of your dog’s health they are taking care of your health in return.

Incorporating a Well-Balanced Diet

Unfortunately, there are many commercial dog foods that contain preservatives that aren’t good for your dog and may even lead to the development of medical conditions if consumed often. Therefore, it is important that you incorporate a well-balanced diet to improve your dog’s health.

For example, fresh whole foods like vegetables and fruits include enzymes, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can boost your dog’s health. Other whole foods contain fiber which can also help improve its digestive system.

However, sometimes dogs at a certain age or suffering from some medical issues may need something more to improve their health. This includes various supplements such as multivitamins, antioxidants or probiotics which offer many health benefits.

For example, one common supplement is lignans which is mostly used for improving the hormonal balance and immune system of your dog. Besides this, lignans for dogs help support the cardiovascular system and they can help in preventing certain cancers and treat severe medical conditions such as Cushing’s disease.

However, you decide to improve your dog’s overall nutrition, just remember to consult with your vet first before making any changes to your pet’s diet.

Keep Your Pet Active

Doing activities with your dog strengthens your bond and provides physical stimulation which promotes your pet’s overall health. Not only will your dog be entertained but engaging it in physical activities can help prevent severe medical issues such as obesity and anxiety.

Dogs adore activity because they aren’t naturally lazy. In fact, their genetic make-up demands physical exercise which can be easily seen from the excitement they show when you mention the word “walk”. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to entertain your dog and keep it physically active at the same time.

Obstacle courses are another great training workout for your dog. Even if you don’t have any agility jumps or poles at home, you can use some chairs, broomsticks, or toys as alternatives to set up an obstacle course through which you will be teaching your dog a new trick.

Increase Socialization with Other Dogs

During their first year, puppies’ socialization skills are developed by being exposed to many new experiences. For example, going on daily walks can play a major role in exposing your dog to new sights, smells and other animals. You can take your pet to an off-leash dog park to improve both its physical health and social skills by mingling with other dogs. This is a perfect opportunity to see how your dog will behave when put in a new and unfamiliar environment.

Also, your dog’s socialization skills can be improved when surrounded by humans. For example, you can invite your friends over and host them in a space like your living room or backyard where your dog can feel comfortable. The point here is for your dog to make the first move and approach your friends which will show that he is relaxed around them. The key is to keep a positive environment to avoid uncomfortable situations in the future.

By doing these activities this helps prevent things like separation anxiety in dogs which can be a more common problem than you might think. Click here on how to help a dog with separation anxiety.

Stimulate Your Pet’s Brain

If you have moved past the basic commands, you can look for new mentally challenging tricks that will be both interesting and stimulating for your dog.

For example, one trick you can start with is having your dog work for its food. Instead of just handing it over a few times a day, you can make a fun game out of it. Since all dog’s love exploring, you can take a few treats and hide them in different parts of your home so your dog can find them by sniffing around.

Another way to keep your dog busy and entertained is by getting it a puzzle toy. Such interactive toys can help keep your pet focused on a task which goes a long way for some extra mental stimulation. In addition to this, dog puzzles can help alleviate problem behaviours, especially in temperamental dogs. Doing these puzzles and games can improve the longevity of your pet and things like how long their memory is.

Regular Check-Ups

Regular health check-ups can also help you stay on top of your dog’s health and put your mind at ease about any issues. Ideally, vets usually recommend coming in at least once a year. However, as your dog gets older or if it suffers from some medical problems, these check-ups should be more frequent to prevent their progression.

Besides measuring the weight and assessing your dog’s overall body condition, these check-ups are great for treating any behavior issues. For example, if you notice excessive barking, biting, or chewing, then these unusual behaviors can mean something more serious, so it is important that they are caught in the early stages. In this case, your vet may prescribe extra training classes to help manage these behavioral issues.

Also, with annual check-ups, your dog gets all vaccinations that are necessary for the prevention of diseases that might harm its health. For example, one type of vaccination that dogs must get every one to three years is the one for rabies. This viral disease can invade the nervous system and can be deadly if not treated properly.

Conclusion

If for any reason you notice any unusual behavior in your dog or feel like its health may be in jeopardy, don’t wait too long to take it to the vet. Your dog’s health is just as valuable, so by handling it correctly, it can live a long and fulfilling life.

Therefore, make sure you follow the tips mentioned in this post to ensure the health of your furry companion and improve its overall quality of life.

Related Posts –

How to Put Weight on a Dog

How to Use a Training Lead

Dog Boots for Injured Paws – Top Choices

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top