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Is Your Dog in Prime Health?
By Dog Lover | September 30, 2009
Whether you have owned a dog before or are embarking on the journey for the first time, dogs have certain needs that should be met. Many pet owners are unaware that their dog’s needs aren’t being satisfied. In this article, we’re going to discuss some tips that can help make raising a healthy dog an easier task.
First, we’re going to talk about the importance of exercise. All dogs, no matter what breed, need a certain amount of exercise to be in optimum health. A common excuse among pet owners is the lack of time for exercise. What most of these people fail to see is that adequate exercise doesn’t have to be time consuming. Step into the backyard or visit a park for twenty minutes so you can toss your dog’s favorite toy around. Let him fetch it and gain the exercise he needs while you don’t exhaust yourself. If you aren’t pressed for time, consider taking your dog on a nice walk in the mornings or evenings. This is a great way to wake up or wind down, depending on the time of day you walk, plus it shows your willingness to spend special time with your dog, which is terrific!
One aspect of caring for a dog that a great deal of pet owners take for granted is that of the emotional sort. Dogs require a great deal of companionship, but they also need someone to take control—or they will. Spoiling a dog can be nearly as harmful as neglecting him, so it’s important that you find a balance between the two. Set aside special time when you and your pet can chill out or play around. Let him know that you value him as a member of the family, but correct him if he becomes too demanding of you or another family member. Remember that dogs naturally move in packs, which is what your family resembles. If you do not establish yourself as the leader of the pack, the dog will attempt to. This is usually a concern among puppy owners.
How and what you feed your dog has a big effect on your pet’s health and over-all behavior. There are so many commercially available dog foods to choose from that making the right decision can be somewhat impossible. For a change, look beyond the labels and advertisements and look into what exactly your dog food contains. The five main items that need to be in your dog’s food are: protein, carbs, polyunsaturated and saturated fats, and vitamins and minerals. If the dog food label doesn’t list a source for these (ie: source of protein should be listed as beef, chicken, lamb, etc.), then the source probably isn’t very healthy.
Learn to read dog food labels by visiting Dog Food for Life and reading the Confidential Dog Food Report.
Raising a dog shouldn’t be taken for granted. Your dog’s life is still that: a life. The health and happiness of your pooch directly depends upon how you raise him. We encourage you to apply these tips to your lifestyle and help your dog live the fullest and healthiest life possible.
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