Is Your Dog in Prime Health?
Even if you have owned dogs before, it is possible that not all of your dog’s needs are being met, even if inadvertently. We’re going to talk about a few of the things that you should endeavor to spend extra time and attention to.
First, we’re going to talk about the importance of exercise. All dogs, no matter what breed, need a certain amount of exercise to be in optimum health. A common excuse among pet owners is the lack of time for exercise. What most of these people fail to see is that adequate exercise doesn’t have to be time consuming. Step into the backyard or visit a park for twenty minutes so you can toss your dog’s favorite toy around. Let him fetch it and gain the exercise he needs while you don’t exhaust yourself. If you aren’t pressed for time, consider taking your dog on a nice walk in the mornings or evenings. This is a great way to wake up or wind down, depending on the time of day you walk, plus it shows your willingness to spend special time with your dog, which is terrific!
Your dog’s emotional needs are also not to be forgotten. You can probably think of a few dogs you know (possibly even your own!) who are either very spoiled or simply unsociable. Making sure your dog has plenty of interaction with other dogs and humans will help him to understand how to behave around others properly. This not only will help to make your dog well-rounded, but he will likely be a much happier dog.
How and what you feed your dog has a big effect on your pet’s health and over-all behavior. There are so many commercially available dog foods to choose from that making the right decision can be somewhat impossible. For a change, look beyond the labels and advertisements and look into what exactly your dog food contains. The five main items that need to be in your dog’s food are: protein, carbs, polyunsaturated and saturated fats, and vitamins and minerals. If the dog food label doesn’t list a source for these (ie: source of protein should be listed as beef, chicken, lamb, etc.), then the source probably isn’t very healthy.
Learn to read dog food labels by visiting Dog Food for Life and reading the Confidential Dog Food Report.
Raising a dog shouldn’t be taken for granted. Your dog’s life is still that: a life. The health and happiness of your pooch directly depends upon how you raise him. We encourage you to apply these tips to your lifestyle and help your dog live the fullest and healthiest life possible.
