While we wish our dogs could live forever—that’s just not possible. What we can do is ensure that every year of their life is healthy and full of fun. But how?
Keep reading to learn how to keep your dog healthy.
How Can I Tell If My Dog Is Healthy?
There are many ways you can see if your furry friend is healthy or not. It’s not just tail wagging and drooly kisses. Signs of a healthy dog include:
Bowel movements: You can tell a lot about a dog’s health through their bowel movements. While it’s not the most fun activity, keeping an eye on their poop can tell you a lot.
Coat: Your dog’s coat should always be cuddle-ready. Whether long or short, a healthy dog’s coat is soft—not oily or full of dandruff or bald spots.
Eyes: A dog’s eyes aren’t just good for begging; they’re also a way to detect if something is wrong. The occasional mucus or teary eye is normal, but what’s not good is any swelling, yellow discharge, or consistent teary eyes.
Skin: Healthy skin is free of wounds, parasites, and red spots. Though if your dog has spotted skin, don’t panic–that’s as normal as freckles on humans.
How to Keep Your Dog Healthy and Live Longer in 5 Ways
Here are five ways to ensure your dog is happy and healthy.
1. Sleep
Dog or human, we all need sleep and get grumpy when we don’t get enough of it. Most dogs spend around half of their day sleeping—though puppies and older dogs may sleep a little more. Sleep helps with memory formation, healing, and overall development.
Ensure that your furry friend has the best sleep possible by creating a quiet space with a comfortable bed.
2. Nutrition
Dogs are omnivores, which means they need both plants and meat in their diet. Your dog needs good food to maintain their energy levels and immune system.
To keep them at their healthiest, feed them a whole-food diet. This prevents them from ingesting fillers and chemicals like they do with commercial food. Whole-food diets give dogs the full nutrients they need and taste better to them too.
3. Regular Health Checks
While it’s good to keep an eye on your dog, it’s equally important to have a professional look at them, too. Regular health checks with a holistic vet are not only good for finding any potential problems and establishing a good baseline for the vet to work from.
4. Exercise
Some dogs demand playtime while others would rather loaf around—but even loafers need exercise. Exercise not only helps get rid of energy, but it helps maintain weight, keeps muscles functioning, and boosts the immune system.
5. Weight/Size Management
It’s important to ensure your dog is at the appropriate weight. Being too under or overweight causes a variety of health problems. Obesity is a common problem with pets, mostly attributed to what they eat and how often they exercise.
Keeping Your Dog Healthy Can Be Easy
Everyone wants the best for their dog. It can be overwhelming to think about everything you need to do to keep your dog healthy and happy. In reality, the answer to how to keep your dog healthy boils down to just three words: exercise, nutrition, and sleep. Make sure your dog gets plenty of all three, and your canine friend will be on the path to achieving a long and happy life.
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