Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Dogs have always been our constant companions. Since times long gone, they have been by our side, hunting together with us, living together, and protecting us. They are our buddies, our confidants, our friends, and sometimes even the only ones who really seem to care about us. Dont dogs deserve the best treatment from us that we can possibly give?

We all want our time and relationship with our pet to be as long as possible. That means we want our dog to be a healthy pet. We should all try to do as much as possible to keep our canine companion as healthy as we can. Our own health is important and so should our pets be.

Keeping your dog healthy does not just rely on one thing. Of course, the food that you feed him has a lot to do with how healthy he is. If you just ate junk food you wouldnt be very healthy, and the same is true of your dog. Feeding him according to dog health standards is an important part of keeping him healthy. He needs nutritious food that is geared to his canine anatomy (so dont just feed him human food), and also food that is geared to his age as well.

There are many different types of dog foods on the market that are aimed at a particular age group of dogs. There are puppy foods, foods for highly active dogs, foods for aging dogs who many not be as active as younger dogs and even diet dog foods for those over-weight pets. Choosing the right type of dog food for your pets particular circumstances is one way to ensure your dog is getting what he needs from his food. Commercial dog foods try to incorporate all the vitamins into their dog food products to help keep your dog as healthy as possible.

Your dogs mental health is also important. You may have a depressed dog without even knowing it. Being a companion to your dog and showing him love is one sure way to keep him happy, but dogs also need to have some sort of activity for their minds as well. This activity could include taking him for walks where he gets stimulation from varying surroundings, playing ball with him in the yard, giving him puzzles to solve (like in a game of hide the bone) or even giving him a job to do (as in a seeing-eye dog or a sled dog). A mentally health dog is less apt to get into mischief.

Another part of dog health is the amount of exercise he gets. Every dog, young or old, needs some form of exercise to keep him healthy. Exercise keeps his joints moving (in an older dog), keeps his mind active and helps his body function properly. It also helps to keep him trim and slim, which helps him fight off disease, like heart disease or cancer, which dogs can get as easily as humans. Getting your dog involved in some sort of healthy exercise routine, whether it is daily walks, trips to the dog park, a backyard doggie-gym set-up, doggie daycare, or whatever, is essential to your dogs health and long life.

If you love your dog, you will want to keep him healthy so that you can enjoy his love and companionship as long as possible. Adhering to the basics of dog health as mentioned above can keep your dog well and healthy for a long time.