Looking after your dog’s health and proactively managing it is important. When you take care of your dog from head to claw, you can guarantee you will have as much time with them as possible. Regular exercise is important for your dogs as it keeps them mentally and physically stimulated. Being proactive about your dog’s health and wellbeing is crucial, so what steps should you be taking right now?
Focus on the Food and Diet
What food are you giving your dog, and how often are you feeding it? To show your dog you love and care for it, it can be tempting to overfeed it. Being overfed is not good for a dog’s heart or joints. Weighing out and even measuring the food you give your dog will help you maintain a healthy weight for the dog. Also, think about what diet you would like your dog to have. For example, are you going to look at a raw diet, or are you looking at a mixed wet and dry diet?
Make Sure Regular Checkups Are Maintained
Like humans, dogs need regular checkups to prevent problems from escalating and to spot anything that could be a problem moving forward. If you are not getting your dog regularly checked (at least annually), then you may be putting their health at risk, both now and in the future. When it comes to having regular checkups, you need to use a local practice such as Salt water animal hospital because this way, you can guarantee that the care and quality are there for your dog on all occasions. Whether routine treatments or in emergency situations, you need to know that you have a vet that cares for your dog.
Limit Treats
Just like humans, dogs love a treat here and there. However, too many treats can be bad for them. These can add to unnecessary weight gain, and they can cause excess areas of fat build-up. If you want to give your dog treats, look at the frequency you want to give them, and look at making your own. A lot of commercially produced treats contain ingredients and additives that are not good for your dog, and cutting them out completely would be advisable. Making your own dog treats can save you money, and it can give you greater control over your dog’s diet too.
Avoid Human Food
There are occasions when you have leftover food from a meal, and it may be tempting to give this food to your dog (to avoid it going to waste). However, lots of foods that are suitable for human consumption are not always best for your dogs, such as certain nuts, chocolate, and grapes. A lot of foods can be both poisonous and dangerous to your dog, and they can end up leaving it with more than an upset stomach. Not encouraging your dog to beg at the dinner table and never giving them scraps or titbits is best, and this will help you avoid accidents.
