The lifespan of a dog is between nine and 12 years, depending on its size, breed, diet, and a few other factors. As a loving parent to a beautiful pup, just the thought of losing your furry friend can be painful. One way to ease your worries is to protect their health. If you want to have him around happy and healthy, this piece is for you. Here are some tips for how to ensure your dog lives a healthy life.
1. Watch Their Diet
Dogs require a healthy balanced diet, just as humans do. However, since we cannot resist the adorable look of our dogs, most of us end up feeding them excessively. However, too many calories can subject your dog to a range of health risks, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Overweight dogs tend to live a few years lesser than smaller dogs. This is all the more reason to ensure your dog gets the right portions of a balanced diet each day. This will help avoid overfeeding them while keeping nutritional deficiencies at bay. You can consult with your vet on healthy food types and portions to feed your dog, since different breeds and ages may have different nutritional requirements.
2. Exercise
Physical activity keeps a dog fit and helps to increase their endorphin levels. Just like a person, being in an enclosed space for too long can get your dog worked up. Maybe your dog needs more playtime to get loose, jump around, and boom, his energy is back. This is because exercise helps to reduce stress levels and balance emotions. Regular exercise can help protect your dog from getting overweight.
3. Beware of Mental Disorders
Some dog owners may not know this, but our canine companions are also prone to mental health issues. A dog can suffer from depression, anxiousness, or mental illness. To be precise, the most cited dog mental disorders include social anxiety, depression, and separation anxiety. In most cases, these can be traced back to boredom, change of setting, or any trigger he cannot comprehend. From this, your pup may start losing weight, shedding, and exhibiting reduced activity. Do not disregard any signs you might notice, and consult with your vet ASAP. You may also want to consider taking your dog for exercise, social interaction, or mental simulation classes.
4. Observe Dental Hygiene
As a caring pooch parent, be sure to clean your dog’s teeth regularly. This prevents diseases like gingivitis, gum inflammation, and bacterial infection. These can cause your dog so much pain that can lead to organ diseases. Provide your puppy with dental treats to keep their gums strong. This will help improve his health, plus you can cuddle without worrying about bad breath.
5. Regular Checkup and Insurance
Even if your dog looks healthy, it is necessary to see the vet regularly. Your puppy could be suffering but without any visible signs. A vet can detect this and offer a course of action before it is too late. Follow the advice given by the vet, and consider getting pet insurance.
Keeping your cuddly fellow healthy should be taken seriously. When it comes to healthy practices, do not be lenient. That extra piece of steak or a lazy week of no exercise may cost you a few years with them.
Have a super active dog and live in the city? Check out these Little Known Semi-Intense Activities You Can Enjoy with Your Pup.
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