How To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy

Quality Food
The most obvious thing you can do to make sure your dog is healthy is to feed it a high-quality, nutritious diet. It is estimated that a dog's diet should be roughly 40% meat or protein, 50% vegetables and 10% carbohydrates. It is important to look at the ingredients listed in your dog's food. Are there protein sources, such as lamb, chicken, or venison, listed in the top five ingredients? Is the grain used in the food in whole form, such as barley, rolled oats and brown rice? Is there a high fat content? These are things you should be paying attention to as you search for your dog's food. Sure, a brand of nutritional dog food might cost a few more bucks, but the long-term health benefits of such a brand will be rewarding for both your dog and yourself.

Exercise
The second thing you can do to ensure your dog's health and longevity is making time for regular exercise. You already know how important exercise is for yourself; a quick jog, bike ride or swim leaves you feeling energized and revitalized. Your dog, however, doesn't have the capacity to understand the positive benefits of exercise. It is up to you, then, to make sure your pooch is in proper physical shape. Of course, it's important to consult a veterinarian before starting any new exercise program for your dog.

Walking your dog is probably the most common and easiest way to keep it healthy. A brisk ten- to fifteen-minute walk can help a dog calm down before bedtime and be a great start to a day. Swimming is also a fun, easy way to get your pooch out and active; that is, if you have access to a lake or river. Most pool managers don't look kindly on dogs in the water. Taking your dog to a park for a game of fetch or to a dog play area are also great exercise options, assuming your dog is trained and well behaved enough not to bother other park-goers.

It's important to monitor your dog closely, especially when starting a new exercise routine. Look for any abnormal changes in breathing or eating habits. Make sure not too push your dog too hard too fast, and keep his or her exercise pattern as regular as possible. You might be able to take a week off from exercise without skipping a beat, but dogs weren't meant to be fair-weather athletes. Also, remember to go easy on the pooch in extreme weather.

Love and Attention
The last, but certainly not least, important thing you can do to improve your dog's health is so simple it is often overlooked; provide loving, individualized attention. Loneliness, depression and aggression are common traits of dogs that have not received proper attention and socialization. In fact, authorities in the field state that if a dog hasn't been socialized in a loving, trustworthy environment by the time they reach sexual maturity (about 14 – 15 months), the dog may never have close, trusting relationships with people or other animals. Luckily, providing loving attention is, for most people, the best part about being a pet owner. Whether you are giving your dog a bath, playing a game of tug-o-war, or simply scratching behind your dog's ears, providing respectful, loving contact is easy and rewarding for both you and your dog.

Owning a dog is a big responsibility, and not everyone has the time or resources available to be a successful pet owner. The easiest way to make sure your dog is happy and healthy is to treat it as you would yourself. Provide a nutritious diet, make sure it gets plenty of exercise, and make time for special one-on-one time between you and your pup. These actions, coupled with regular veterinary check-ups, will help guarantee that your dog will be loving life for years to come.