Is your furry friend as happy and healthy as they can be? This can sometimes be pretty hard to figure out, since dogs always seem happy and are pretty good at hiding their pain. It's really dogs neediness that make them such wonderful pets- they want to be around us and they want to make us happy, however this lack if independence does mean that our dogs rely on us for all of their needs to be met. They need the right care to thrive, maintain good health and keep their tails wagging- here are a few things to bear in mind.
Health
A dog can change from happy and healthy, to very ill and distressed in a matter of minute. Illnesses that they have might be bubbling under the surface for so long, then before you know it you’re in the vets worried about what might happen next. Some things you really just can’t prevent, like doggy cancer. Other things are all on your shoulders. Let’s start with weight. A dog can either be too big, or too skinny. Both are a sign of neglect in their own way. It is so obvious to see if your dog is skinny and underweight. You’ll notice it compared to other dogs, and you’ll often see their rib cages etc. But sometimes people are just blind to the weight their dog should actually be. If you don’t take your dog to the vets for regular health checks, you’ll probably never be told that they’re underweight. But malnourishment causes so many problems in its own way. The first being their bones will become a lot weaker. They need a certain amount of calcium in their diets, just like we do. Without it their bones are going to become brittle, weak, and often painful. Malnourishment can also need to some nasty skin conditions, which is going to be so painful for them. Take your dogs to the vest regularly for health checks and to make sure they’re not underweight, it might just be that they need an extra scoop of food in their meals each day. If they’re overweight, it can often affect them more than being underweight. The pressure being put on their bones and joints is going to be immense, especially if you’re someone who talks them for long walks in the morning. Overfeeding is eventually going to lead to an overweight dog. There’s a range of different health conditions this will cause, other than the issues with the joints as well. It can often lead to stomach ulcers and sickness.
Other health issues you need to be looking out for are things that you can prevent at home. Flea treatments should be done every four to six months, but a lot of people leave them and wait until the fleas actually come. This is going to be the worst thing you can do. It is often the case that we don’t realise a dog has fleas until they’re riddled with them. The discomfort this is going to cause is horrible for them. All you need to do is buy a treatment pack such as Pet-Lock flea treatment, and apply it as instructed on the leaflet. Preventing it before it has even happened is going to be so much better for them, and for you. You don’t want fleas crawling all over your house, do you? Another thing that you need to try and prevent is arthritis. If dogs get it, it is going to be in the joints that they used to get about, which is going to be so uncomfortable as they get older. There are tablets on the internet that specialise in caring for the joints of your dog. Usually all you need to do is put it in with the food once or twice a day, and their joints will be happy and healthy for long to come. Golden retrievers and labradors are the most common breeds to have issues with their joints, so even feeding them the tablets from an early age might help to stay sprightly for longer.
Happiness
Dogs aren’t like humans, it doesn’t take much at all to keep them happy. All they’re really looking for is your love and attention, which also doesn’t require much from you really. A dogs health can affect their happiness, so making sure you’re looking after them in all the ways listed above, and more, is going to make sure that they’re happy. Other ways in which you can secure their happiness is by socialisation with other dogs through walking. Dogs are arguably at their most happiest when they’re on a walk anyway. Being able to run around and sniff the different smells and see the different sights is their equivalent to going on a holiday. But whilst they’re on the walk, it is really good for them to make friends as such. If you always follow the same route on a walk and bump into the same dogs, after a while they will begin to recognise who the dog is and often become friendly with them. You should always encourage play as well. Don’t pull your dog away from other dogs, they need to learn how to be social from a young age. Making sure you’re dedicating enough time to them during the day with things like play, or even just a cuddle and some fuss on the floor is so important. They’ll have a bond with you like no other, and times like that should be precious to the both of you.
