Loving your dog is one of the best ways to keep them healthy. But if you want to take how you care for them to the next level, you’ll want to read this post. In it, we describe some of the things that you can do to keep them at their very best.
10 Ways to Improve Your Dog’s Health:
Keep Them Safe
Many owners’ biggest fear is that their dog will get a chronic disease and die young. But that’s not usually what happens – at least for most breeds. Instead, the biggest risk for puppies and young dogs is their own physical safety.
Remember, dogs don’t have an appreciation of how the human world works. What’s more, it’s hard to train them. You might be able to get them to walk along the sidewalk so that they don’t run out in front of traffic, but you can’t protect them from all eventualities. They won’t always know what to do.
There are many ways to keep your dog safe. Microchipping them is a good idea. This way, you can find them if they wander away from home. Tracking them down quickly reduces the likelihood that they will consume anything poisonous.
Also, be sure to keep your home free from toxic substances. If you must keep dangerous chemicals, keep them locked away in cabinets that dogs can’t access.
When walking close to roads, always keep your pooch on a leash. Let them off the reins in the park when it is safe to do so.
Get A Sense Of What’s Normal
As you and your dog spend time together, you’ll get a sense of what’s normal. You’ll learn their behaviors and what you should expect from them. If something changes, take note: it usually means that something’s gone wrong.
Unless you can immediately see the source of the problem, take them to the vet for an examination. Common issues include infections in the paws and swallowing household items that the stomach cannot digest.
Groom Them More Often
Grooming your dog is essential. Trimming their nails and giving their coat a good brush keeps them in tip-top condition.
Grooming also gives you a chance to catch skin and fur problems early.If you notice scabbing, pus, bad smells, or fleas, seek treatment immediately. You may also discover lumps and bumps that could be painful cysts or cancer.
Show Them Affection
Believe it or not, dogs are highly sensitive and emotional beings. The way you behave towards them has a profound impact on both their physical and mental wellbeing.
The easiest way to show your pet affection is to greet them when you get home in the evening. Cuddling up with them, patting or giving them a treat causes them to feel good.
You can also build positive emotional connections in other ways, such as taking them for walks or just hanging out with them for a while. The more attention they get, the safer they will feel.
Provide Raw Food
The growth of raw dog food brands over recent years has been nothing short of extraordinary. But the reason for it is simple: owners want their dogs to eat a natural diet, similar to what their wolf ancestors would have eaten in the past.
Dogs can survive on all sorts of foods, but raw meat is what makes them thrive. It should comprise at least some of their diet, alongside other forms of chow.
Get Them Neutered
Spying both male and female dogs offers benefits. For females, spaying reduces the likelihood that they will go into heat and start demonstrating unwanted behaviors, such as yowling and urine spraying. For males, it can cut down on aggressive behaviors and even extend their life expectancy.
Give Them More Exercise
There are all sorts of innovative ways you can exercise your pooch. You don’t just have to take them for walkies. For instance, you could build a fun obstacle course in your back garden, or you could allow them to run alongside you on bike rides, as long as it is safe.
To keep your dog interested in exercise, take them to new places. Avoid walking them around the block every day. Try going to parks where they can meet other dogs and splash around in the water.
Start Them On Preventative Medications
Just like people, dogs can benefit from taking preventative medications. These prevent things like tick-borne illnesses, heartworm and so on. Your local vet should be able to tell you which medications your dog needs to take, and why.
Let Them Hang Out With Other Dogs
While spending time in human company is relaxing for dogs, they also benefit from being around their own kind. Exposing dogs to social situations from an early age reduces the likelihood of fearful behavior and aggression.
Puppies’ formative period runs from just a few weeks old to around four and a half months. During this time, you’ll want to make sure that they have plenty of human and animal interactions. They’ll soon learn that other creatures in their environment are not a threat and that they can trust them.
Maintain An Adequate Diet
Not only do you need to feed your dog the right kinds of food, but you should also try to dispense them in the right amounts. If you feed your dog too much, they’ll become overweight or obses, which can reduce lifespan.
To counter this, feed a diet of quality food. Make sure that the portions you offer are what the vendor recommends for your dog’s size and breed. Try to keep treats to less than 10 percent of your pet’s daily calories. If they go above this, it can lead to weight gain.
As you can see, there are multiple things that you can do right now to improve your dog’s health. Just adopting one or two items from this list can make a difference. However, you’ll notice the most profound transformations when you do them all together. The more you improve your dog’s health, the more fun it will be to have them around.
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