9 Tips to Improve Your Dog’s Health and Happiness. It’s hard to describe how much we love our dogs! They come into our homes and hearts so quickly. We want to spend time with them, spoil them with treats and toys, and also ensure they live a long quality life.
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Our four legged family member’s health is important for many reasons! It breaks our hearts to see them sick, in pain or die from disease. As responsible dog owners we desire for them to live long healthy lives.
The moment we bring our new dog (or puppy) into our home, they are completely dependent on us for their health, training, and welfare. I will share 9 Tips that will help us all keep a healthier pet.
Please keep in mind, that I am not trained in treating dog illness. I’ve been a dog owner for most of my life, and have learned many lessons along the way to improve their health.
Not Perfect: Our History
Learning to improve our dog’s health and happiness has been a process! It’s been truly eye-opening for me. I was for many years trusting of the dog food industry and thought they would know what is best for my dog. Apparently I was wrong, most dog food companies take short cuts and make decisions based on profit, not the nutritional quality of their food. Quality dog food is a huge component for a healthier pet.
I wish I had learned many of the following health tips sooner! And here is why …….
Our family loves our animals!!!! Have no doubts! We have lost our share of animals to illness as well. We lost our fun & loving chocolate lab Max due to a cancerous tumor on his brain. Our Akita, Suma, suffered for quite a few years with colitis and reduced quality of life. And when our black lab Tahn developed Cushing’s disease, I thought we have to do better for him.
Tahn ate one of the worst rated dog food’s for half of his life. And I had no idea!! Once I started doing research on dog food quality and dog nutrition, I found many tips to improve Tahn’s life. He was happy to have homemade chicken broth and venison broth on his dog food. Fresh cooked venison and chicken were other great additions to his meals.
If you’re like me, you’ll be tempted to feel guilty. Instead I’m using it as motivation to educate myself on dog nutrition/health. It also helps to focus on what I’ve learned and move forward!
9 Tips to Improving Your Dog’s Health and Happiness
Features of a healthy dog: appropriate weight, muscle tone, shiny coat, clean teeth, appropriate energy.
Balanced Nutritious Diet. Read dog food labels and do your homework. I found Dog Food Advisor to be helpful when choosing a dry dog food. Personally, I use Naked Essential’s Bison and Lamb dry food for the morning feeding and homemade raw food for the evening feeding. I’ll share more on this later.
Exercise. Very important! It’s necessary for muscle development, expending mental energy, and physical energy. Exercise and training compliment each other. While going for a walk, work on heeling and eye contact. Exercising your dog in the form of a walk strengthens the bond between you and your dog.
Healthy Stimuli. Dog’s love training! Plan to work on training your dog. Practice recall, heeling, and calming activities. Check out “21 Simple Tricks to Make Your Dog Happier, Smarter, and Less Bored”. Our dogs enjoy training such as; off leash heeling, hide & seek with treats, and quietly working on toys stuffed with food.
Proper weight. Please consult your vet for the proper weight for your dog. “Is My Dog Fat, Skinny or Just Right?” by The Dog People. Overweight dogs are the number reason for a shortened life span.
Grooming. Give your dog a bath with non-toxic shampoo such as Indigo Wild Y.U.M Wash Doggie Liquid Soap.
Regularly clean their teeth with tooth sprays or dog toothbrushes. Keep your dog’s nails trimmed. I like to trim our dog’s every two weeks, and bathe them once a month. Note: In a small spray bottle, fill it with half apple cider vinegar & half purified water. Shake & spray on your dog between baths. It’s great for their skin and fur plus it’s a natural deodorizer.
Hydrate. Our dogs need to be hydrated as much as we do to stay healthy. If you feed dry dog food, consider adding in moisture like chicken broth, pumpkin, cooked chicken or fresh vegetables. Our dogs love homemade broth and fresh cucumber.
Cleanliness. Clean dog dishes every day with warm soapy water. Wash dog bedding and dog bed covers frequently. Toys can be cleaned by soaking them in vinegar and hot water. I even toss a favorite “stuff less” toy in the washer almost once a week.
Lower Stress. Key in to what your dog is communicating. Try to read their body language when they are exposed to new situations; especially when company comes over and new loud noises. I highly recommend this book by Dr. Patricia McConnell: For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend.
Reduce toxic load. Our dog’s are exposed to toxics every day; both indoor toxics and outdoor toxics. Reduce their exposure to toxics when possible. Dr. Karen Becker recommends “10 Steps to Detox Your Pet.” Consider using a non-toxic flea treatment like Only Natural Pet Easydefense Flea And Tick Control Collar Tag For Dogs. Chose treats that are free of refined foods, corn-free and contain no artificial colors or flavors.
Balanced Fresh Diet
Preparing homemade raw food for your dog will need to be an entirely different post. I’ve been feeding our dog a well rounded raw food diet for one year now. He’s a healthy weight, shiny coat, beautiful teeth, and full of energy.
He gets a variety of proteins like venison, turkey, chicken, beef, and bison. Vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, zucchini and cauliflower go nicely with any meal. I don’t necessarily enjoy adding in the oysters, sardines, beef liver and chicken hearts, but they are key to a well rounded diet. The authors at That Mutt.com have a DIY Raw Feeding Guide.
Reduce Toxic Load with Natural Dog Toys & Treats
Natural dog toys: I recommend Elk Antler chews. You can order the antlers according to the breed of dog, size of your dog, and how hard they chew. The owners of Michigan Antler Art harvest fresh elk antlers every year. They are gently washed and contain nothing artificial.
We ordered a “hard antler chew” for our dog that could easily destroy any toy at the local pet store. For our black lab we order medium to medium-hard chews. They provide hours of enjoyment and helps clean their teeth at the same time. The prices are the best!
Healthier Treat Options: Grain Free Beef Jerky Bite Treats. A fragrant treat that works well for training is Wellness Chicken & Venison Soft Bites. Do you need treats for fresh breath? Try Fresh All Rover Fresh Breath Bones.
Implement 9 Tips to Improving Your Dog’s Health and Happiness
Besides feeding your dog nutritious meals and healthy treats, set aside time for them to get exercise every day. Keep your dog feeling and looking their best with baths, brushing, and nail trimming. Spent time quietly petting them, and you’ll both benefit.
A truly fascinating subject that will enhance your relationship with your dog is learning their body language. By knowing your dog and reading their cues better, you can reduce their stress. I recommend a blog called The Other End of the Leash. The author is a certified applied animal behaviorist, Patricia McConnell.
Your feedback is valuable! Which tips were the easiest to implement? Did any of them surprise you?
Pursing Better Health Together,