4 Lessons Every Pet Parent Should Learn to Help Give Their Dog a Healthy Life

If you have a dog at home, you probably have a loving relationship with your canine friend. Many people consider their pets to be part of the family and look after them the way they would care for family. However, you may unknowingly be reducing your pooch’s lifespan or causing avoidable health problems. Want to know more? Read on!

• Daily exercise and weight watch: Dogs are energetic animals and need physical activity to stay healthy. It is, therefore, important to ensure regular exercise for your dog. Exercise can include running around off-leash, playing with other dogs, taking long walks or runs with you, or playing with Frisbees and other toys. A note of caution here is that different breeds of dogs need different amount and intensity of exercise, so understand your dog’s requirements to ensure you do not over-exert your dog. Regular exercise also ensures that your dog stays at a healthy weight and avoids obesity and related problems.
• Balanced diet fit for a dog: A balanced dirt for a dog looks a lot different from a human balanced dirt understand that your dog requires a different kind of nutrition and plan your pooch’s meals accordingly. Dog diets should be heavy on proteins and light on carbohydrates, while ensuring there is a good amount of vitamins and other micro-nutrients in the daily food. Avoid feeding your dog scraps from your plate or any food meant for humans. Consuming human food can lead to a variety of health problems in dogs.
• Regular de-worming and check-ups: Dogs need to be checked regularly to spot hidden health issues so that they can be treated and cured on time. Dogs are also susceptible to worms, fleas, and ticks, all of which need to be treated in tie to avoid complications. Skipping vet visits or not vaccinating your dog against known and preventable infections can cause a lot of health problems and even early death of your pooch.
• No secondhand smoke exposure: Just like humans, cigarettes are bad for dogs, inhaling secondhand cigarette smoke while you smoke can cause a multitude of health problems in your dog, including respiratory issues and cancer. The ideal solution is to quit smoking altogether. If this is not a viable option, ensure that you avoid smoking around your dog to ensure there is no secondhand smoke to affect your dog.

Remember these basics about caring for your dog. Loving them is one thing, but ensuring that love does not interfere with keeping them healthy is another. Keep your dog’s health and well-being in mind at all times, so you do all that is required to keep your pooch healthy and happy for a long time.