How to keep your family dog healthy

Even though pets are members of the family, they unfortunately are not the same as a child or even a baby. There are a few important factors that go into keeping a family pet healthy and happy that you should remember whether you’ve had dogs your entire life or you’re about to adopt for the first time.

Here are a few of the important considerations when looking after your dog.

Insurance

Just like all valuable things, a pet should have good insurance in case of an accident but also as a form of preventative care. Proper vaccinations, medication, and check-ups will keep your four-legged friend from developing problems later on in life. While it can be easy to skip this step – don’t! Veterinarian care for a pet is probably the best treat you can give your dog. A vet will prescribe medication for things like fleas and ticks, heartworm, and run blood tests that all will help your pet live the longest, most enjoyable life.

Maintaining your family pet’s health

While insurance is important, going to the vet can still be expensive. That’s why it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re doing your part to keep your dog in good shape. Here are some important things to pay attention to in order to manage your pet’s health this:

Exercise

Exercising with your pet prevents all kinds of health issues in your dog’s youth but especially when they get older. Whether you’re playing fetch, going for a walk, or even taking your dog to the beach to swim, physical activity is a great way to not only manage your dog’s health but also bond with them.

Diet

Diet plays a monumental role in almost every aspect of your dog’s life. Picking a good dog food that is free of fillers, grain, and other ingredients is the first step. Other things to consider about your dog’s diet is how often they get treats, what those treats are, and if they are fed human foods like leftovers.

Mental health

Mental health is also another, often looked-over factor of your dog’s health. Just like humans, dogs need socialization and to have the ability to build trust with humans and other dogs. This could be as simple as taking your dog to the park a few times a week, inviting family and friends
to bring their pets over, or even adopting more than one dog.

Company

Because dogs are animals that move in packs, it’s important for them to feel welcomed and not alone. It massively helps with a family dog that there are kids around, as they are likely to help with dogs not feeling too lonely, but other dogs are just as important to your pet too.

And make sure your kids know the dog’s boundaries too – this is important. Encourage them to be affectionate, but not in a way that upsets your dog.

Routines

Routines are also an easy way to establish a good state of mind in your pet. Dogs are great at managing routines, and can even remind you when you get off track. Setting daily times to feed, walk, and play with a dog can help ease any stress they’re having by letting them know that there is a time and a place for everything they need.

Neutering/Spaying

Whether your dog is male or female, spaying/neutering is an important aspect of being a responsible owner. The good news is that this is covered in most insurance plans! Because you can’t always control where or what your dog does all the time, all of these things will help you to be the best owner you can be!

We hope that you have found these tips useful. If you have any others, why not drop us a note?

Thanks so much for coming to see us today,

Helen

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