A Dog Mom’s Guide to Your Dog’s Healthy Life

For any dog mom, seeing your babies, even your fur babies,  grow healthy and strong is always satisfying.  Making that dreaded trip to the vet can be scary especially when you realize that their life is literally in your hands. To help keep your dog free of all the toxins that it may encounter in its life, follow this dog’s health guide and take a little bit of worry off your shoulders.

Feed Them Right

The key to keeping your dog healthy is to feed them the right food. If your dog has allergies, consult with your vet as to what they are and what food is right for them. Also, you need to ask your vet for the best food for your dog, which is based on their age, activities, and breeds.

All dog breeds can be your best friend, but keep in mind that each of them will have unique dietary needs. This is especially important if you’re looking after puppies. Aside from their food, you will need to feed your puppies with the right type of milk to ensure that they grow healthily.

Filter Their Water

Giving your dog tap water and most bottled waters isn’t the best idea. This water is often full of contaminants that could irritate your dogs such as heavy metals, chlorine, and other chemicals. These can affect your dog’s skin, coat, and overall health. You can remove these contaminants with a simple water filter.

Also, use a stainless steel or glass bowl for your dog’s water dish because plastic can leach into the water, contaminating it with carcinogens. Pay attention to this especially if your dog’s bowl is outside in the sun all day.

Feed Them an All-Natural Diet

Ingredients like wheat, soy, corn, sugar beets, by-products, and generic animal fats are detrimental to your dog’s health. Consider switching your dog’s diet to holistic dog food, which has a balanced nutrition profile that can help your dog’s skin, coat, eyes, heart, intestines, bowel movements, energy, and allergies. Remember that a mixture of proteins is essential to your dog’s diet.

Add Enzymes and Probiotics

In order for your dog to digest food properly, they need digestive enzymes. If your dog is eating dry or canned food, adding a digestive enzyme is essential because of the lack of enzymes found in these foods. When your dog’s gut bacteria is balanced, they have healthier digestion and a stronger immune system.

Make Them Happy

 

Have Bonding Time

Just like humans, dogs are incredibly social beings. They need attention and love just as much as we do.  Studies have even shown that a human-animal bond is beneficial to the wellbeing of animals. Try scheduling some time out of your day to have a bonding session with your dog because it will most likely make you feel better too.

Socialize Them

Studies show that if a dog is properly socialized from puppyhood, they’re less likely to exhibit behavioral problems in their adulthood. Poorly socialized dogs are often fearful in new situations, setting off the secretion of hormones like adrenaline that increase heart rate and blood pressure. Extended and repeated periods of stress can then lead to stress-related health conditions.

A great way to socialize your dog is to set up play dates with friends or family member’s dogs. Playing with another dog is a fantastic way to get your canine friend the mental and physical stimulation they need.

Keep Them Active

Exercise needs to be a priority if you own a dog. If you limit the walks, runs, fetching, or any rigorous physical activity that your dog does, they become more at risk of health conditions related to being overweight and obese.

If you’re not very activity-inclined, at least take a few minutes a day to walk your dog. If you have more energy, you can start a running or cycling routine with your dog. You’ll not only be giving your dog the exercise they need, but you’ll be getting it too!

Pamper Them

Human beings get stressed every once in a while. After accomplishing a complex task at home or work, you will look forward to rewarding yourself – probably by spending time in your favorite spa or salon.

Dogs also deserve to be pampered because they too can get tired. Being active all the time can be very beneficial to their overall health, but when they have this routine every single day, they will eventually get tired and lose the interest to do it moving forward.

If you want to break the monotony and ensure that your dogs are treated right, invest in the best dog bed for Shih Tzu or one that’s suitable to the dog breed you have. After a long day at the dog park, this bed can help your furry friend relax and sleep well throughout the night.

When choosing a bed, pay attention to the materials used and the durability of the product. Most dogs like to chew on things, which is why you should pick a dog bed that is chew-proof. And most importantly, it should fit your dog comfortably. Buying a bed that is too small for your dog is a clear waste of time and money.

Regardless of the breed of your dog, it’s also important to regularly send them to the groomers. If you have full confidence that you can bathe and groom your dog on your own, buying the best grooming kit for Shih Tzu or any dog breed might be more appropriate for you.

Manage Their Health

In addition to a healthy diet, there are many natural supplements that you can give your dog. Whether you’re treating a specific ailment or you’re promoting general wellness in your dog, there’s a natural supplement that you can use.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Just like in humans, this natural supplement is a powerful antibacterial and antifungal solution.
• Coconut Oil: This helps a dog’s skin as much as it’ll help yours. Coconut oil is a great natural remedy for dry, itchy skin, lesions, and ringworms.
• Honey: This sweet supplement helps with dog allergies and digestive problems when eaten. You can also apply it topically to help with burns, wounds, hot spots, and general skin problems.

CBD Oil for Dogs

One of the best new natural supplements that you can give your dog is a CBD supplement. CBD for dogs is extremely popular in the pet-health world and for good reasons. The benefits are astounding and are supported by research in the medical field.

• Anti-Inflammatory: Studies show that CBD has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, which is why it’s such a good pain killer as well.
• Stress Reliever: New research suggests that CBD oil for dogs may aid in stress relief because of its ability to increase serotonin levels in the brain.
• Fights Skin Allergies: According to a 2005 study, CBD oil applied to a pet’s skin was shown to reduce itchiness, dry skin, and inflammation

Takeaway

Having a dog is a huge commitment, so you need to be prepared to take it head-on. Unfortunately, there are risk factors that may be detrimental to your dog, so it’s best to stay aware of what you need to be giving and not giving your pet to maintain its health. There are many ways to keep your dog healthy, but always be sure to check with your vet to make sure that any new diet or supplement is right for them.