If you have a dog, they’re probably one of your best friends in the world. And everybody wants their best friend to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. When you have a dog, it’s down to you to face the responsibility of providing the best life for them. Building your relationship with your dog will improve your bond and help both of you to live a happier life together. The food that you feed your dog, how much exercise you give them, and how you interact with them every day, will shape your relationship and have a huge impact on your dog’s health and happiness as well as your own. Whether you want to improve your relationship with your existing dog or are soon to be adding a new puppy to your family, here are some of the main things that you should consider.
Feeding Your Dog:
As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and the same is true for your dog. The food that you choose for your dog will have an impact on a huge range of aspects of their lives, including their weight, temperament, energy levels, risk of diseases, mental focus, coat condition, and more. Whether you’re soon to be bringing a new puppy home or feel that your dog’s current diet could be improved, spend some time researching the different options and speak to experts like your vet to determine which type of food would be the most beneficial for your dog. Remember that all dogs are individuals and certain foods that other dogs do well on might not be as good for yours, so it’s important to find something that is a good fit.
Supplements and Treats:
Adding dietary supplements to your dog’s meals or providing them with healthy treats is a great way to boost their intake of several key nutrients and vitamins. Making sure that your dog is getting the correct amount of omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, for example, is crucial for their health and wellbeing, especially when a dog is getting on in life. Older dogs tend to be more prone to experiencing problems like stiff and sore joints or arthritis, and there are various dietary supplements that may be able to help with this. Check out the dog joint supplements available from Yu Move, which can be beneficial for dogs of any age. Yu Move offers high-quality supplements made from sustainably sourced ActivEase Green Lipped Mussels that may help your dog stay more active as they get older.
Training:
Good dog training isn’t just for puppies. In fact, many dogs benefit from obedience training at all stages of their lives, particularly when it comes to breeds that require a lot of mental stimulation. Boredom caused by a lack of things to do in dogs can lead to some problem behaviors that you will usually want to avoid such as chewing household items, problem barking, or pulling on the lead. A good training program with experienced Huntsville K9 trainers not only gives your dog a sense of purpose and something to work towards, but will drastically improve your relationship with your pet by helping them learn better obedience and good behavior.
Mental Stimulation and Thinking Activities:
It’s not just training that can be an excellent source of mental stimulation for your dog. Most dog owners are unable to spend all day working on different training exercises with their dogs. If your dog needs something to keep him busy when you’re unable to spend time with him, there are plenty of puzzles, games and toys available to keep him occupied and provide him with something to focus on. The game that you choose will depend on your dog’s level of intelligence. There are several games that require your dog to think a lot and will likely keep them occupied for a long time trying to figure out a puzzle to get a treat, or simpler toys like Kongs that you can stuff with treats, freeze, and give to your dog to keep them entertained for a while trying to get to the food inside.
Consistent Exercise:
A dog who doesn’t get enough exercise is likely to be bored, have too much energy, and can often display problem behaviours or aggression. It’s important that dog owners are under no illusion to how much exercise their dog is going to need. If you are thinking of adding a puppy into your family, do a lot of research into their breed first to determine how often and for how long you will likely need to walk them. High-energy breeds could require a couple of hours of walking every day while lower-energy breeds might be happy with a short half-hour walk around the park. Your dog’s age will also affect the amount of exercise that he needs; older dogs will need shorter and gentler walks than a younger dog who might require regular opportunities to get off the leash and run around.
Access to Water:
Just like humans, dogs need to stay hydrated to stay healthy and happy. This is especially important during the warmer times of the year when dogs are often at a much higher risk of suffering from heat exhaustion due to the fact that unlike humans, they can’t sweat. Certain dog breeds can also be more prone to problems in the heat than others, so if you have a flat-nosed breed, it’s crucial to be even more careful about their temperature. In warm weather, you can provide your dog with cooling toys that are filled with water and frozen or add ice cubes to your dog’s water bowl to help them cool down.
A Safe Space:
Dogs feel more comfortable when they have a safe space that they can call their own. Crate training is the best way to provide your dog with somewhere like this in your home. While a crate might not look like the most appealing place to spend the night to a human, your dog will actually enjoy having his own comfortable bed and sheltered area that he can retreat to. Training your dog to enjoy being in his crate is also a very useful skill for him to have since you can use it when travelling or if you need to keep your dog safe in your home for any reason. Using a crate at night is often essential for puppies as it helps to prevent any accidents in the home and keeps them away from chewing anything that they shouldn’t when you are asleep. Make sure that the crate is a comfortable environment with a bed and toys for your dog.
A Consistent Routine:
To really thrive in their home environment, dogs do best when they have a consistent routine and know what is coming next. Being out of sync with the routine or something new happening all of a sudden can cause your dog a lot of stress, so it’s important to keep things as consistent as possible. Feeding and walking your dog at the same time every day are just some simple things that you can do to give him a sense of consistency and help him feel safe.
Providing your dog with everything that he needs for a healthy, happy life will improve your relationship and bond, helping you enjoy your life as companions even more.
