As the saying goes, dogs are a man’s best friend. Perhaps the saying should instead be ‘dogs are a human’s best friend’ since men, women, and people of other genders all love them; nobody and nothing can be as comforting as a dog can. Unfortunately, dogs tend to develop serious health problems as they get older.
With animals, health problems manifest quickly and then get serious fast. Because of this, it is your responsibility as a pet owner to do everything you can to prevent serious illnesses and treat them if they emerge.
Here are some ways of protecting your dog’s long-term health:
1) Healthy Diet
Your dog’s diet is something you should devote a lot of time and attention to. According to the experts from https://woofysh.com, your dog’s diet can have a massive impact on its health and the quality of its life. Unfortunately, the average dog owner buys their pet’s food from the grocery store instead of specialist pet shops.
Tinned, processed grocery store pet food seldom contains the nutrients and vitamins needed to prolong a dog’s life. More often than not, this kind of pet food is high in salt, fat, and not much else. A healthy diet is easily achievable as long as you spend a little bit more on dog food. You can buy gourmet, organic dog food from most specialist pet stores or online if there are none in your area.
2) Regular Exercise
A healthy diet isn’t all that your dog needs. To live a healthy life, your dog needs regular exercise. Make sure that you take him or her out for a walk one or two times a day; for larger breeds, experts advise three walks a day. Instead of going on two or even three, you could just take your dog for one really long walk every day.
A walk that extends several miles should be sufficient for burning all of your pet’s energy and tiring them out. Dogs love routine, so take yours at the same time every day.
3) Veterinary Appointments
Even if you have a lot of experience as a dog owner, there are certain health conditions, illnesses, and problems that you will not be able to spot. A veterinarian’s help will prove invaluable during your time as a dog owner. Make sure that you take your pet to the vet once a month for check-ups.
As mentioned already, when dogs develop health issues, they tend to come on fast. If you do not get your dog’s issues looked at and dealt with as soon as they become manifest, then they could get a lot worse in no time at all.
4) Comfortable Life
Giving your dog a comfortable life is one of the best things that you can do. A lot of pet owners overlook the fact that causing their dogs stress can actually shave years off of their lives. Your dog’s life should be pure tranquillity and nothing more. Stress, anxiety, and fear will shorten their life and reduce the number of years that you have to spend with them.
A good way of keeping your dog’s mental health in order is to set a routine and follow it each day. As mentioned already, dogs love routine.
5) Outdoor Access
Give your dog access to a garden or backyard. It is irresponsible to buy a dog if you do not have an outdoor space attached to your property. An outdoor space gives your dog somewhere to go when it is warm or to use the bathroom. Having to take your dog out on a walk every single time they need to use the toilet will be annoying for them and you.
Your dog needs free access to an outdoor space so they can relieve themselves, urinate and play when you are not able to talk them out for a walk.
6) Monitoring Behaviour
Keep a strict watch over your dog; try to monitor them for signs of illness or infection. Watching your dog and noticing the signs of illness early can potentially save its life. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that because their dog has had no health problems, they will not have any at any point in their life.
Such an attitude usually leads to dog owners missing their pets’ illnesses when they do manifest. Watch your dog and if you have any concerns, take them to their veterinarian and get them checked out. Veterinary bills can be expensive, but you can save money on them by getting your dog insurance.
There is no friend like a canine friend; however, unless you take good care of your dog, they could end up living a lot shorter life than they might if you gave them a good diet and took them to the vet on a regular basis. Giving your dog a good life is not as expensive or hard as you might think it is, and it will also be very rewarding.
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