What Does a Dog Need To Be Healthy And Happy?

For our pets, just as for us, good health is one of the most essential keys to happiness. Through thoughtful and careful actions by owners, dogs can thrive while leading healthier, happier, and longer life.

A non-exhaustive list of all the things you need to take note of, for maintaining your dog’s good health is mentioned below.

Diet

What should you feed your dog?
Being adapted to an omnivorous diet, dogs can meet their nutritional needs by eating an appropriate amount of a well-balanced diet which is a combination of plant and animal foods

How much should you feed your dog?
The calorie intake is dependent on how much your dog’s ideal lean weight should be. Your veterinarian can help determine the ideal calorie intake based on weight, age, and lifestyle.

Exercise

Regular walks, hiking, playing fetch, and swimming can keep your pet physically active and fit. But don’t forget about mental stimulation! Providing toys to play with, hiding treats, building obstacle courses, and practicing new tricks all keep your dog or cat interested and engaged. You can also change up your walking routine to expose your pet to new scenery and smells.

Immunization

Vaccines help prevent many illnesses that affect pets. Not only are there different vaccines for different diseases, but there are also different types and combinations of vaccines.

Core vaccines are those that your dog should have as a puppy. This includes rabies, distemper, Parvovirus, and Adenovirus while non-core vaccines are required based on environment and lifestyle.

Clean water

Most animal experts agree that humans and animals should be given the same quality of water; bottled or filtered. Pets can be severely harmed by the contaminants of unfiltered water. Tap water also has high contents of minerals which can cause havoc in the digestive tracts of your dogs.

Routine

Dogs are creatures of habit. In order to have a positive outlook on their life and to be able to deal with any changes that come their way, they must have an established routine so that they know what to expect. Dogs that do not enjoy a sufficient routine or feel insecure about the consistency in their lives are more likely to feel stressed, anxious, or depressed.

Attention

If your dog is regularly left alone for more than four hours a day, aim to spend an extra hour with him to help compensate. You could also ask a friend or relative to visit your home to give your dog some company.

Place to sleep

An adult home dog sleeps for nearly 12 hours a day. So, where he sleeps becomes important to his emotional and physical health. Since dogs thrive on a certain routine, assigning a designated place for your dogs’ sleep is important. The spot chosen could be on your bed, in a basket, or on the floor, as long as the place is clean and keeps him warm.

Place to hide

Hiding is a common response for canines. Usually, dogs hide because they need a place to make them feel safe, secure, and comfortable. They feel secure if there is a designated place that the dog knows he/she can hide.