Whether your dog is a young dog (under 5 years old) or a senior (over 10 years old), it is important to keep them as happy and healthy as possible. When your dog is happy and healthy it will feel content, and this will be displayed through its behavior. If your dog is not content, it may exhibit worrying behaviors such as biting and chewing obsessively or going to the toilet in your home.
Read on for some tips on how to keep your dog healthy and happy.
Feed them a Balanced Diet
A balanced and healthy diet is important for all dogs, and a well-balanced diet contributes to a healthy digestive system. It also ensures that tails are wagging, skin is clean and clear, and eyes are bright.
Different breeds of dogs have different nutritional needs, and it is important that you fulfill their needs to maintain a healthy weight. Commercial and mass-produced foods are often full of ash, and minimal nutrients. This poor-quality food can impact how they act, and how they look and feel.
Making a chåange to your dog’s diet and switching over to raw dog food (that is similar to what they would eat in the wild) will be a change that you wish you had done before. A lot of nutrients and nutritional values can be gained from a raw diet, including key nutrients you can rarely get in commercially produced dry and wet food.
Ensure Access to Clean Drinking Water
Whether your dog is eating or relaxing around the home, it is important that they have access to clean and fresh drinking water. Water helps dogs maintain a healthy and well-functioning system, and ensures they are free from infections and diseases. Water bowls must be regularly cleaned and disinfected to ensure that germs are not harbored and then passed on to your dog.
Keep Up with Regular Vet Checks and Vaccinations
Dogs do not always exhibit when there is a problem, so it is up to you to ensure they have regular vet checks. Regular checkups with a vet (together with regular vaccinations and immunizations) will keep them protected against diseases such as leishmania, and keep them free from ticks and fleas.
At least one visit to the vet each year is the minimum you should be looking at, and once every six months is ideal and is more proactive. This frequency will allow you to spot any problems and issues with your dog before they get out of hand.
Ensure Daily Exercise is Carried Out
Even if you have an older dog, it is still important to exercise it regularly. When they have daily exercise they stay in shape, and they keep off any excess weight. A ten-minute walk around the block may be ideal for a smaller or older dog, whereas a one-hour run around the park may be better for a younger dog who is boundless and full of energy.
Socialize Your Dog
If dogs are not properly socialized it can have an impact on their moods, and how they feel. When they do encounter other people and dogs it can have a negative impact, and it can bring out other issues such as barking and possessiveness. Therefore, a well-socialized dog is often calmer, and easier to control.
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