Our furry pals are living and breathing creatures. They need to be taken care of in ways similar to how humans are properly taken care of. A dog needs to be fed, be trained, bathed, and exercised or exposed to some physical activity.
Knowing your dog
Different dog breeds have different levels of energy. A Doberman or Pointer will have more power than a bulldog. However, both breeds need to be regularly exercised and fed right to ensure they are healthy and happy. Many owners often feel that dogs, being naturally active, do not need to be kept in shape by their owners.
This is not true. A dog is an animal, and there is only so much that it can do on its own. It can only be taken care of by humans. Think of your pet as your child and think about how and what you would do to ensure that it is taken care of as it needs to be.
The steps you need to take to make sure they are happy and healthy are by no means complicated. They are the exact opposite. It would help if you did a few very simple things to ensure they are healthy and not at risk of developing any diseases.
How to keep them active
As an owner, you must create a routine for your dog that you need to make sure they follow. This includes:
A Healthy Diet
For your dog to have the right diet, you need to make sure you feed them food as close to their natural feeding habits as you can. To remain healthy, a dog needs to have a diet rich in proteins, fatty acids, amino acids, calcium, and active enzymes.
These chemicals contribute to keeping your dog healthy and energetic, which is incredibly important for them. You can opt for getting them canned foods that have all of these nutrients in them, or you could keep your dog on a raw food diet. The former is one that many experts claim is best for your dog. However, a raw food diet is not the easiest to put together all the time.
An Active Lifestyle
Keeping your dog healthy is as important as feeding them the right food. As a species, dogs are meant to be active, constantly running around, jumping over things, chasing each other, and doing all sorts of things to ensure their muscles aren’t allowed to sit idle.
The simplest way to keep your dog active is by introducing toys into their lives. Toys can include anything from their favorite balls, ropes, or chew toys. The age-old tradition of playing fetch exists for this very reason. Dogs are obsessed with chasing things, and if they can work out during this, they are having fun and staying healthy at the same time.
Another way to keep your dog active is by routinely walking them. Furthermore, train your dogs to follow commands. It teaches them to be more behaved, more composed and make life easier for the owner. Teaching them different commands keeps them mentally active, and by repeating these commands regularly, you can solidify your bond with them. As a bonus, it all reflects positively on the owner when people see that they have such a well-behaved dog who knows what to do and what not to do.
Routine Visits To The Vet
As intelligent as they are, dogs still cannot talk. They can bark, whine, and wince. For this reason, if a dog is sick or is in some pain, it won’t be able to tell you exactly what it is. They will sit there in distress or at most pace around to get rid of the pain.
Being a dog owner, you must make sure to take your dog to the vet at least once a month to make sure everything is ok. Their vaccines need to be updated, and a routine physical exam is very important. If something is wrong, the chances are that we might not be able to see it. However, a vet will be able to pick up even the slightest of symptoms and then check in detail to see if something is wrong – potentially saving your dog’s life.
Another benefit of going to the vet is knowing how to feed your dog. Most owners don’t know what it is that their dog needs. Different breeds have different dietary requirements, and these are things that your vet is best suited to tell you.
Make Other Puppy Pals
Dogs are social animals. In the wild, their ancestors hunted in packs meaning that they were not meant for solitude. If you can, try to introduce your dog to other dogs around where you live. If you don’t have neighbors with dogs, try finding dog-friendly parks around you. If that doesn’t work, there is always a group on Facebook that you could discover with like-minded owners. Get together and teach your dog to be more comfortable around other dogs.
By being around other dogs, your dog learns to be more socialized. It helps to build trust with other dogs. Furthermore, your dog is accustomed to being around other dogs, so the chances of acting out around other animals go down significantly.
Take Care Of Your Dog, The Right Way
Your dog is going to show you love, loyalty, and companionship unlike any other. They want nothing from you; they only want you to give them time, attention and for them to be taken care of as they need.
When you decide to raise a dog, you need to know what needs to be done to ensure they are happy, healthy, and properly taken care of. It is by no means difficult and only requires you to do a few things right.
by Bobby J Davidson
I love our companies and we love what we do. For more information on the Davidson Family of Companies, visit www.bobbydavidson.com/about. Sign up for my Newsletter at the bottom of this page.