Things to Make Your Dog Live Longer and Healthy

Nothing in this world can match the unconditional love which dogs offer to us. They are indeed the best companions one can ever ask for. If we have them at our house, it becomes our duty to provide them with the best care possible.

There are so many posts on the internet that lay out tips on how to keep the dogs healthy. But hardly any of them are practical or even simpler to implement in reality.

This article will discuss some highly practical yet more comfortable ways to make our beloved dogs live longer and healthy. So, let us get started

1) Feed Nutritious Foods

You can't expect your dogs to stay healthy if you are feeding them foods that offer zero nutritional value. These are just filler foods that will only make your dog lethargic and unhealthy in the longer run. Providing them with a nutritionally fulfilling diet in the starting step in building superior health in them.

Those who are already feeding their dogs holistic kibbles, try supplementing it with raw meat, fruit and vegetables. Dogs savour boiled eggs, and it acts as a rich source of protein too. Protein helps in repairing body tissues and to help your dogs fight bacterial and viral infections. Also, try not to feed junk foods to them as they can hamper their overall health.

2) Daily Exercises

Physical exercise provides all dogs with mental stimulation and also keeps them fit and strong. Daily exercises also play a huge role in promoting the longevity of the dogs as well. If you are leading a busy lifestyle and cannot indulge in a long playing session with your dogs, you can at least make them walk for at least 20 minutes a day.

Fetch is a game that is liked by almost all dogs. It is also a physical activity that will help them to burn a lot of calories. With exercises, you can also eliminate undesirable behaviour like excessive barking and unnecessary chewing. Allow your dogs to play you shall definitely make them happy as well as healthy.

3) Socialize Them

Apart from nutrition and exercise, proper socialization also plays a huge role in ensuring superb health in dogs. If one is not socializing his dogs thoroughly, they may become hostile to unknown circumstances. You don’t want your dog to have an adrenaline rush when you are taking him for a walk in the park, as it can be dangerous to you as well as the fellow pet walkers.

To start with socializing, introduce your dog with fellow dogs in the street while having a muzzle on their mouth. Remember not to pull back their leash when they become aggressive, as it can only increase their excitement.

4) Be Regular in Their Checkups and Vaccines

Regular vet visits and routine health checkups are an integral part of keeping your dogs in good health. Firstly, they help you ensure that your dog is ultimately disease-free. Going a long period without these two measures can be dangerous as you won't be able to analyse your pet's health condition.

With routine checkups, you can avoid chronic diseases in dogs like diabetes and arthritis, as you can diagnose it much earlier. Vaccination is also essential for dogs as you can ward off the risk of rabies occurring within your family.

5) Avoid Giving Them Antibiotics

Over-administration of antibiotics can make some of the surviving bacterias in your dog develop resistance against the antibiotics. This bacteria can pass off the strong resistance to other bacterias, rendering the medications you give to them ineffective. Too many antibiotics can also induce problems itching and stomach irritation in the dogs.

If you think your dog has an infection, consider using natural methods to treat them. Antibiotics can be used if the above method is not working, but only within the prescribed limit.

6) Filter Your Dog’s Water

The quality of the water your dog is drinking has a huge role in determining their overall health. Most of the time, tap water and many bottled water consists of contaminants that invite several diseases like Giardia and Leptospirosis. They can be really hard to treat and may even put the lives of your dogs at great risk. Water from random sources may also contain elements like cysts, heavy metals, chlorine and pharmaceuticals that are extremely bad for your dog’s health.

Firstly, try to give your dogs filtered water if possible. Secondly, use a stainless steel or glass bowl for water as ordinary aluminum bowls can be a good host for bacteria.

7) Provide your Dogs with Prebiotics

Do you know that your dog’s digestive system is home to the largest number of immune cells in their body? Yes, this is completely true as these immune cells protect your dogs against infection and diseases. Dogs with a healthy digestive system tend to live longer than dogs who are having a weak digestion.

Enzymes are critical for having robust digestion, and these enzymes are not found in your ordinary commercial diet. Hence, it would help if you bought them diets having good prebiotics levels. Apart from facilitating good digestion, prebiotics also maintain good gut health.

Conclusion

Dogs may not be your whole life but for them, you are their whole life. For their incredible affection and unparalleled love, you can do your bit to keep them healthy and happy. The above mentioned tips shall be of great help to you to promote longevity and excellent health in your dogs. Watch them grow happier as you become regular with these strategies.