Everyone wants their dog to stick around for as long as possible. It is important for your pet to be happy, but healthy also. Here are some tips to ensure that your dog lives a long life:
1. Measure its meals
A big mistake that dog owners make when it comes to pet food is “guesstimating”. If you don’t measure your dog’s food, there’s a good chance that you are pouring too much into the bowl. Too much food equals an overweight dog and nobody wants that. Find out how many calories your dog needs to determine how much food you should feed it each meal. Calorie intake will vary depending on the dog’s age.
2. Cut down on the treats
Don’t stop giving them, just don’t give too much. Every dog deserves a treat for doing a trick, but an excess amount will surely tack on weight. Instead of giving your dog a whole treat, next time he rolls over, give it just a fourth of it. Smaller portions will result in a slimmer, healthier, and perhaps even happier dog. Breaking up one treat into little pieces will save your dog and even your money—here’s a hint, the bag will last longer.
3. Give them veggies
Just like humans, evens pups need vegetables to get proper nutrition. Highly processed store bought treats are often loaded with excess calories and fats. Baby carrots, green beans, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, sliced apples, and bananas are great nutritious alternatives to these and many dogs love them. Let’s be honest. They pretty much eat everything! Try giving your dog a small portion of the veggies to start out with and get accustomed to.
4. More walks and runs
Walking your dog once a day simply isn’t enough. Depending on its size, most breeds need an average of two or more walks a day to maintain a healthy weight. Just 20 to 30-minutes of brisk walking boosts a dog’s immune function, improves it’s cardiovascular health and can reduce many behavioral problems. Take a trip to the park or open space a few times a week to give your dog a proper work-out
5. Daily Supplements
Dogs can benefit immensely from taking a daily omega-3 fatty acid supplement. These powerful fish oils are loaded with potent anti-oxidants, that if taken over time, can help prevent and treat numerous diseases according to some studies. Another supplement, L-carnitine, has been shown to benefit dogs as well by aiding weight loss and promoting lean muscle mass.
6. Give it wet food
Wet food has more moisture in it which is great for dogs that don’t drink a lot of water. This will help your dog to better digest food, promoting a healthier diet.
7. Go to the vet more often
By taking your dog to the vet often, it will have an easier time sticking to its diet. Your vet can give you recommendations on the proper amounts of food and exercise that your dog needs. It will be healthier in no time.
8. Socialize your dog with others
Take your dog to the dog park where they can socialize with other dogs. They will be more encouraged to play and run around, giving them loads of exercise. You can also find out what other dogs live in your neighborhood and try to schedule play dates with their owners.
9. Avoid cooking meats
When we cook food, it loses essential nutrients that can benefit the health of both people and dogs. If you prefer to cook meat for your dog, lightly sear it instead of cooking it all the way through to retain its nutrients.
10. Avoid gluten
Dried residue made from corn is added to pet food to prevent unstable fats from becoming rancid. However, this isn’t the best kind of food for your dog because it retains waste products and hurts the liver and kidneys. Next time that you’re in the pet store, check the ingredients of dog food brands to see whether or not they have gluten.
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