Dogs are loving, easy-going pets who love spending time with the humans they love. Some breeds love exploring the outdoors. Others find more joy cosying up to their owners indoors. Depending on breed and personality, each dog has different lifestyle preferences. Moreover, each dog has different needs in terms of nutrition, exercise, grooming, or socialisation. Monitoring your pet’s health and energy levels can help you tell if everything is alright.
Here are a few tips to help you keep your furry companion healthy and happy.
Tips to keep your dog happy and healthy
Prioritise nutrition
Like humans, dogs need adequate nutrition and exercise to stay healthy and avoid chronic health conditions. A diet rich in nutrients and vitamins with no additives can prevent obesity, diabetes, anaemia, and other severe medical conditions. Thankfully, many pet food brands have moved to high-quality, natural ingredients.
This also applies when feeding your dog treats. Natural nutritional dog treats that work in harmony with your dog’s broader diet are the way to go. Please ensure you factor the number of treats you feed into your dog’s overall diet calculations—it’s easy to overfeed.
Read the labels before purchasing dog food to ensure your furry friend will be well-fed.
Learn to identify signs of sickness
Many health issues do not cause severe symptoms immediately, so many dog owners fail to notice the subtle warning signs. How can you tell if your dog is sick or only acting weird? How often should you schedule a visit to the vet? Everyone dog owner struggles with these questions.
When they get sick, dogs generally tend to hide their condition because they feel vulnerable. However, you can expect behavioural changes such as scratching or head shaking. Excessive thirst, lack of appetite, lethargy, dramatic weight changes, and red eyes are other warning signs to look out for. Learning to identify signs of sickness is critical. If you go to the vet early on, your dog will suffer fewer complications.
An essential thing to know is that you can maintain your pet’s health with insurance. The right insurance plan will alleviate the high costs of veterinary treatment and care. Compare policies to discover the best option within your budget.
Encourage physical activity
Some dogs are highly energetic and love going for walks. Others are slower to embrace exercise. However, some level of exercise is beneficial for all dog breeds. Even if your dog is not eager to go outside, encourage physical activity through play. Lack of physical activity can cause various health issues in dogs, including obesity.
The breed and personality will influence the level of physical activity your dog needs. If you love camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities, you need a high-energy dog. Forcing a low-energy dog to keep up with your active lifestyle can be harmful to the dog and frustrating for you.
Some dogs are happy with multi-day hikes, but others prefer short daily walks. Find out what your dog likes before making plans that include him.
Final Words
For your pet’s personality to shine through, you must ensure that his needs are met. Adequate nutrition, exercise, playtime, socialisation, grooming, and regular health screenings are essential for long-term health and well-being. If you’re not sure what your dog likes or needs, you can discover a lot by learning more about the breed. It’s also important to pay attention to his behaviour and reactions to various activities.
Featured image: Jamie Street/Unsplash
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