5 Healthy Ways to Improve Your Dog’s Health

Our furry friends are not just our companions. After a while, they become our beloved children, needing proper care and attention. Your dog’s health depends on a lot of factors, such as its diet, the amount of exercise it receives, and its grooming schedule.

If any mishap occurs, your dog will not only fall prey to illnesses but you’ll also have to end up paying hefty bills. Did you know that in the US, every 6 seconds, a dog owner has to pay a vet bill of $1000? If you want to keep your little baby happy, here are five ways.

1. Exercise daily

Just like humans, dogs, too, need to exercise every day in order to maintain a healthy weight. One of the commonest problems dogs face later in life is obesity. Daily workout sessions with your dog will keep both of you fit and prevent a host of heart and cholesterol diseases in your baby.

Depending on the breed that you have, you need to set a specific time limit for exercising. Larger breeds require almost a full hour of exercise, while small or toy breeds need just about 20-30 minutes.

You can either take your dog for a walk in the park every evening or play a few games like fetch or jump-over-the-obstacles in your backyard (if you have one).

2. Take it for regular checkups

Regular checkups are a must to see how your dog is doing. Most owners only take their vets once or twice every year to the vets for vaccinations. But this is a mistake you must avoid.

Dogs can suffer from many underlying diseases like diabetes or arthritis that cannot be detected early if you don’t take it for regular checkups. Ideally, you must go to the vet about once a month but once in two months is also acceptable.

On top of this, make sure your pet undergoes an annual wellness exam that consists of some health screens. Your vet will check your pet’s temperature, heart rate, paws, and fur to see if anything is wrong or not.

3. Vaccinate it

Along with regular checkups, vaccination is another big area of concern. Dogs can suffer from deadly diseases like parvovirus, rabies, or canine distemper.

If you’ve brought home a puppy, take it to the vet and get it vaccinated as soon as possible. If you have rescued an adult dog, make sure its vaccinations are all up-to-date. If not, then you must schedule vaccinations periodically.

Some of the common diseases against which your vet will provide a vaccine are bordetella, canine hepatitis, coronavirus, and heartworm. It’s important to remember that there is no fixed vaccination schedule for a dog. It will vary depending on where you live and your pet’s individual risk factors.

4. Provide nutritious food

Dogs have a pretty restricted diet but you’ll have to make the most out of all the options that you have. Depending on the breed and age, you need to provide a balanced and nourishing meal so that your puppy or dog can stay healthy and happy as long as it lives.

Like humans, dogs require a balance of proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals, along with ample amounts of water.

With so many different kinds of dog foods on the market, you might get confused as to which brand to go for. https://www.petstock.com.au/dog has an amazing collection of not just dog food, but also dog essentials to keep your pooch happy.

5. Make it social

Socializing skills of your dog also have an impact on its physical and mental health. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, early socializing skills and proper exposure to various people can help to keep your dog healthy.

The more people your pet meets, the less fearful it will be. It will also reduce tendencies like antisocial behavior, aggressive barking, and biting strangers.

So make sure to get your dog accustomed to your family members, friends, or other people. You may also wish to socialize your dog with other dogs in the neighborhood so that they can play together and stay fit.

Over to you…

These are the five healthy ways in which you can improve your dog’s health and make sure it lives a long, happy life. If you see any discomfort in your dog, rush to the vet immediately before things get worse.