Key takeaways
- Owning a dog is a big responsibility, and without prioritizing their wellbeing they may struggle to feel happy.
- As a pet parent, it's important to pay attention to both their physical health and their mental health.
- We explore how you can do just that and offer our expert tips and advice along the way to make sure your furry friends are as happy as can be!
Look after your dog's physical health
Your dog's physical health plays a big part in their overall wellbeing. Without enough exercise or grooming, it will be difficult to keep your dog happy.
Exercise
It's no secret that our dogs need a lot of exercise. They are built to run, and it's an instinctual enjoyment that's essential to experience.
Make sure you research your dog's breed to find out just how much exercise they need. For example, a German shepherd needs around two hours of exercise every day, whereas a little Yorkshire terrier would be happy with a thirty-minute stroll.
Rather than taking the same walks every day, why not change it up? Try:
- Taking your dog to a new dog park
- Off-leash exercise in fields or trails
- Playing fetch as you walk so they run further
- Going on adventures with your dog, like long trails, mountain climbs, or even camping
But, aside from their enjoyment, why is exercise important? Check out the following reasons:
- Prevents obesity
- Promotes good bone health
- Helps keep muscles and joints healthy
- Helps keep their coat healthy
Grooming
Grooming for dogs isn't just aesthetic. It serves a lot of health benefits, like:
- Helping them regulate their body temperature
- Preventing infection or soreness
- Preventing ticks and fleas
But grooming is only effective when it's maintained regularly. Follow this basic routine:
- Brushing: While dogs shed when the weather gets too hot, it's important you help them shed their coats by brushing them. This will reduce itching, uncomfortableness, and even allergies from their fur. While doing this, you can check them for ticks and fleas.
- Checking their paws: It's easy to forget to check our dogs' paws, but it's important we do. Walking every day over different terrains can cause objects to become lodged between the toes or for small cuts to appear. If these aren't treated quickly, it can lead to infection and pain. It can be a good idea to moisturize the pads of their paws, too, as dryness can lead to cracking and infection.
- Washing them: Washing your dog is an essential part of grooming. While you don't need to wash them daily, or even weekly, it's good to keep them clean. If they have rolled in something or start to smell, then get them in the bath! Monthly or bimonthly is usually a good routine, but it all depends on the type of dog you have.
- Teeth clean: Keeping your dog's teeth clean will help prevent pain, infection, and tooth decay. You should brush your dog's teeth every week, ideally at least three times. You can also use dental chew toys to prevent plaque from building up.
Regular checkups
While we can see when our dogs are in need of exercise or grooming, it's not always easy to tell when they are sick or injured. Like many other animals, dogs tend to hide their weaknesses, making it difficult for owners to know when they need to be taken to the vet.
Look out for the following signs that may indicate everything isn't perfect:
- Your dog begins to hide
- Your dog is sleeping more than usual
- Your dog seems withdrawn and lethargic
- Their eating behavior has changed
- They're developing behavioral issues
- Their coat is dull
You still may not pick up on these signs, and don't blame yourself! Instead, make sure your dog is getting regular checkups with a vet. This will help spot any potential health issues early on so they can be prevented or treated straight away.
Look after your dog's mental health
While a dog's physical health will impact their mental health, there are also ways you can make sure they’re mentally stimulated.
Mental stimulation
Dogs are incredibly intelligent and need to be stimulated in order to be satisfied. Without adequate mental stimulation, your dog may:
- Become bored
- Develop behavioral issues
- Run away
- Hide
- Become withdrawn
- Develop anxiety disorders
- Have excess energy
To prevent this from happening, you should try the following:
- Training: Teaching a dog new tricks is a fantastic way to keep your dog's cogs turning. Start with simple commands like 'paw' and see how far you can take it. Soon, they'll be replicating yoga poses and dancing with you! If you're struggling, try a certified professional dog trainer to give you advice or get you started.
- New toys: Your dog's toys are essential in allowing them to have their own fun. We can't always interact with our pups, as much as we want to, so toys can be a great way for dogs to satisfy their own boredom.
- Puzzle feeders: Food puzzle toys can teach your dog important lessons. The positive reward of a treat for figuring out a puzzle teaches them that good behavior is rewarded. This can help in your training efforts. Like other toys, these are a great way for your dog to entertain themselves for an hour or two, and you can slowly build up the difficulty of the puzzle.
- Letting them follow scents: When you're on a walk with your canine companion, you may become frustrated with their constant stopping and sniffing. However, it's a necessity for your dog! Their instincts to follow scents are incredibly strong, so allowing them to do this is very mentally stimulating.
Attention
Ultimately, to keep your dog happy, you need to give them your attention. By doing this you can build trust, your dog's confidence, and a mutual bond.
It's not enough to do the bare minimum. Dogs pick up on love and affection, so try adding the following into your routine:
- Snuggle time: A great way to spend quality time with your pup is to have extra cuddle time whenever you can. Most dogs love some extra belly rubs and affection and will likely respond positively to it. A little more snuggle time goes a long way!
- Playtime: Playing is a surefire way to make your dog happy! Little games like hide and seek with treats, chasing, or fetch can give your dog a boost of happy hormones.
Socialization
While dogs love spending time with their humans, nothing quite compares to time spent with other dogs. A dog's life is often focused on people, and we forget that they instinctually want to hang out with other animals like themselves.
To make this easier, puppy classes are a great option for a new dog. If your dog isn't a puppy but you still want them to meet other dogs, then there are plenty of meet-ups and groups designed just for that.
Socializing your dog has plenty of benefits, including:
- Relaxing your dog
- Improving your dog's confidence
- Easier training
- Help prevent behavioral issues
- Prevents fear, anxiety, and aggression
While dogs love spending time with their humans, nothing quite compares to time spent with other dogs.
FAQs
Final thoughts
By ensuring you're taking care of your pup, you'll make them happy in the process! As long as your furry friend is given love and attention, they'll be content.
If you feel as if you have tried everything you can and they still don’t seem happy, it may be worth taking them to the vet to check there’s no underlying conditions effecting their mood.
