How You Can Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy *

*This is a collaborative post.

Welcoming a new dog into your family is a big step and one you will need to consider carefully. Choosing to introduce a dog to your home is something that you should take your time over. Taking care of a dog is a lot of responsibility and something that you should only do if you feel that you can provide your new pet with a forever home. If you decide that making a dog the latest member of your family is the way to go, then an exciting process is about to start. Ensuring that you provide your new pet with everything it needs to be happy and healthy takes time and effort but is so rewarding. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the things that you can do to keep your new dog happy and healthy, from choosing the right dog for your family to fun everyday activities.

Making the Right Choice

Choosing a dog that fits best with your family and your lifestyle is crucial. When you look for a dog, you need to consider its size, how much exercise it will require, and even its coat. If you cannot meet your dog’s need for exercise or the breed you have chosen is too large for your home, then you may struggle to meet the needs of your new pet. Your dog’s coat is an essential consideration, especially if you suffer from allergies. A dog with long fur could play havoc with your allergies, which will make life at home challenging for everyone. 

You may find it helpful to research the various dog breeds to help you make an informed decision about the right dog for your family. Statistics show the Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed, and it is certainly a breed you will see a lot when you are out and about. Take a look at this website page to find out more about choosing a Labrador Retriever. Ultimately, choosing a dog should be about how well you can meet its needs and provide it with a fulfilling, healthy life. 

The Importance of Training

Some people may feel uncomfortable trying to correct and train a cute little puppy. However, training your dog is vital to ensuring that they stay safe and healthy. Your dog needs to be able to respond to your commands and walk safely on a lead. Without these basic skills, you will not be able to control your dog in potentially dangerous situations, such as walking along a busy road or when passing horses and cattle. Training your dog is not about controlling for the sake of controlling them; it is about keeping everyone safe and having boundaries in place for acceptable behaviour.

Training your dog will ensure that you can get out and about with them more and enjoy the time you spend together exploring the great outdoors and walking around your neighbourhood. If your dog barks day and night or jumps up at every passing stranger, it will be challenging to spend quality time together. Training helps eliminate, or at least reduce these kinds of anti-social behaviours, so making an effort to spend time on training in the early days is worth it.

Taking your dog out for regular exercise is an excellent way for them to practise their newly-learnt skills while also helping them stay active and healthy.

Make Your Home a Safe Place for Your Dog

Making your home a safe place for your dog to live in is an essential part of keeping them happy and healthy. Puppies are naturally curious and always looking for fun. Unfortunately, this can put them in potentially dangerous situations, so finding ways to keep your pup safe at home is vital. Keeping wires and cords out of reach of your new dog will help to prevent them from being chewed or pulled. Keeping small objects out of reach of your dog is also crucial; items such as batteries can be particularly harmful to your pet if they accidentally swallowed them. 

To keep your dog healthy, it is also crucial to familiarise yourself with the foods that are toxic to dogs and can cause them serious harm. Foods that are perfectly safe for humans can be dangerous to your pet, so it is essential to be aware of what they are so that you can keep them away from your pet and out of their reach. Some of the foods that your dog needs to avoid may seem obvious, but others may come as a surprise. Foods that can be toxic or harmful to dogs include; chocolate, onions, chives, garlic, corn on the cob, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, and the artificial sweetener xylitol, to name just a few. So, if you are feeding your pet anything other than food specifically formulated for your dog’s needs, you will need to take care to avoid inadvertently causing them harm.

Another potential danger for dogs that many people are unaware of is the potentially toxic effects of essential oils. Essential oils have so many uses and are commonly used in homes, especially if you try to take a natural approach to home living, with natural cleaning products, toiletries and room fragrances. Maybe you use essential oils at home as an additive to your bath, for massage, or in an oil diffuser. Whichever capacity you use essential oils in, it is vital to know which ones you should avoid using around your pet. Many essential oils are believed to be toxic to dogs and cats; these include some of the most popular oils such as citrus oil, ylang-ylang, and tea tree. So, familiarising yourself with the potential dangers of essential oils is the best way to keep your dog healthy.

Making your dog’s health and wellbeing a priority will help them to thrive. Providing your pet with a balanced diet and regular exercise will enable you and your dog to enjoy a healthy companionship that enriches both your lives.