Do you want your family dog to lead a long, joyous, and fulfilling lifestyle? If so, you’ve most certainly come to the right place. Below, you will find comprehensive advice and guidance on how to tend to the wellbeing of your pet pooch.
Whether you’re welcoming a new puppy into your family home or whether you simply want to brush up on some canine lifestyle tips, be sure to read on.
Here are three things you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy:
Improve your dog’s diet
What your dog eats on a daily basis will have a profound effect on its overall health and wellbeing. Just like you and the rest of your family, your pet pooch needs to enjoy a balanced diet that is full of nutrients and rich in protein.
You can take several routes to improve your dog’s diet, one of the most effective being to feed him or her fresh meat. Raw diets are becoming increasingly popular amongst dog owners, and for a good reason.This form of pet food is completely natural, which means that it is less processed than most commercialized pet substances.
When his or her dinner bowl is full of free-range chicken, raw minced beef, or air-dried fish, you can be sure to the fact that your pooch will be reaping a whole host of health benefits (improved bone structure, enhanced dental health, a strengthened immune system, etc.). For more information about raw dog food and its plethora of other benefits, be sure to check out Nurturing by Nature.
Exercise your dog
As well as providing him or her with a nutritious diet, it’s also highly recommended that you go above and beyond to keep your dog fit and active. Exercising your pooch regularly is crucial, as it will help them fend off obesity and the serious ongoing health complications that it causes. What’s more, regular exercise will help enhance your dog’s flexibility and endurance. It will strengthen the muscles around their joints, and it could even aid in improving their bowel function.
As a general rule of thumb, dog’s jump at the chance to run around and be active. If your canine companion requires somewhat of a push in this instance, however, you might want to consider putting the following advice into practice:
- Start off by taking your dog for short walks, and gradually increase the time until you are out walking for at least an hour a day
- Ask your dog to follow you whenever you go upstairs (and be sure to show appreciation whenever he or she reaches the top)
- Play a number of scent games (find the food, hide and seek, scent trails, etc.)
Show your dog some affection
Showing affection to your dog is one of the most important tasks that you face as a pet owner. By giving your furry little friend plenty of belly rubs, head pats, and hugs, not only will you strengthen the emotional connection that you share with your pet, but you will also improve its overall socialization skills. This will increase the likelihood of your pooch having the confidence to play with other humans and animals, resulting in it feeling far happier and becoming much more active going forward.
Keeping your dog happy and healthy over a sustained period of time is by no means going to be an easy task to undertake. It will require determination and dedication on a day-to-day basis. Think you’re up to the challenge? If so, be sure to heed the advice laid out above.
