Your dog makes your life better. Even science support claims that owning a dog enriches your life in various ways.
Owning a dog and being a responsible dog owner can make your life happier, longer, and full of unexpected and funny moments.
When you get a dog, you will spend more time outdoor, be more active, and even became more organized in your life.
Every family wants their canine to live as long as possible. It’s no secret that dogs live significantly shorter than their owners do and that people have to learn how to cope with the dog’s death.
Responsible dog owners try to provide high-quality food, the best toys to stimulate the dog’s mind, and a fair amount of dog playtime.
Still, even they want them the best, dog owners can sometimes do wrong without knowing so. To provide the best care, the right information is needed.
Here are a few common mistakes to avoid that can shorten your dog’s life.
You Don’t Exercise Your Dog Enough
You may take your dog out at least three times per day, or you have long-running sessions during the weekend, but it still doesn’t mean a lot if you have a Border Collie.
Plus, running hard this weekend doesn’t mean you should take your dog out every weekend for long exercise sessions. Dogs need to exercise every day to stay healthy.
Regular exercise keeps them busy, makes a part of the routine, and helps them stay longer healthy, by making their joints stronger.
On top of that, daily exercise keeps your dog obesity-free and provides much needed mental stimulation. Know how much exercise your dog breed needs daily.
You Don’t Take Care Of Your Dog’s Teeth
The veterinarian will always tell you how healthy your dog by looking at his teeth. Dog’s teeth are a strong indicator of internal health.
If you want to keep a dog healthy, you need to focus on the dog’s teeth and gums.
Check gums every week, and if you notice white gums, contact your veterinarian. In the meantime, feed your dog foods that promote teeth health and learn which human foods can threaten your dog’s health.
Gum disease or periodontal disease is common in dogs. Actually, it’s so common that 85 percent of dogs who are over five-years-old suffer from periodontal disease.
When left untreated, gum disease can lead to serious health problems, such as heart valve problems and kidney infections. Talk to your veterinarian about how to maintain your dog’s teeth.
Taking Pets To The Vet Less Often Than Once A Year
Visiting a veterinarian more than once in six months may sound like a lot. After all, you need to organize your time, find the parking spot, and pay for the check-up. Still, it’s mandatory to have a regular practice of visiting your veterinarian.
Although it may sound like a lot sometimes, in reality, regular vaccination and check-ups are the best to save your money.
When you miss regular check-ups, you are putting your dog at risk of underlying medical problems that could be easily spotted. Fast reaction and immediate therapy will help your canine faster and save you more money.
Don’t neglect regular vet visits, because this is the only way to avoid certain diseases, and discover them and cure them on time.
Get your dog vaccinated and spray/neuter the canine, and microchip your dog.
If you follow these steps, you will extend your dog’s life span and even be able to find him faster if he gets lost.
Giving Food From Your Table
Veterans across the globe would agree that the best dog diest should include table scraps. Yes, some of the human foods are great for dogs, such as yogurt, egg, and even broccoli, inappropriate amount of course.
Dog’s everyday diet should be rich in vegetables or fruit (safe to dogs) and should make not more than 10% of the total food amount. The stomach of people and dogs are completely different, including the gastric juices.
The digestive system of dogs can’t handle most human foods. So, it would always be a wise decision to avoid feeding your dog table scraps.
This way, you can give your dog something that he should be eating, such as onion or garlic. A good diet for dogs should consist of food that doesn’t require any heat treatment.
You Allow Your Dog To Gain Too Much Weight
Obesity in pets is a rising problem across the States. Dogs are designed to be active, and to use food as fuel to keep them running – should similar like humans house use it, right?
Still, some dog owners or house visitors tend to feed dogs more than its needed. Some people just have a hard time saying ‘no’ to those puppy eyes. Still, weight gain can lead to numerous medical problems, and it can put you on a path of weight loss that will ask for extra time, energy, and meal prep.
Obesity in dogs can lead to:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Breathing difficulties
- Osteoarthritis
Overall, obesity will shorten your dog’s lifespan.
Not Giving Enough Attention
If you are a dog owner already, you know just how much love and attention demand on a daily level. Some are more emotional than others, while some are more cat-like and need silence and their corner.
Still, no matter the size and the age, your four-legged canine needs your attention, your love, and enough time for shared activities, such as regular grooming.
Dogs crave your attention, and it’s natural for them to be socialized at an early age. Your best plan to have a well-behaved dog is to have structured training, enough exercise, and proper socialization.
Dogs need socialization and human interaction to develop physically, emotionally, and socially. Otherwise, they may become bored, destructive, and aggressive. Don’t forget to tell your dog every day how much of a good boy he is.
Think About Prevention On Time
Taking your dog to a veterinarian regularly is great, but you should think about prevention as well.
If you miss to protect your dog on time, he may suffer in the long run. With that on mind, always protect your dog with heartworm, tick, and flea prevention. These parasites may be tiny, but they can cause huge problems.
There are many prevention methods; you need to see what works for your dog the best. From oral medications to collars, you can choose what works the best.
If you are not sure what to use, talk to your veterinarian for a professional recommendation. Stop treatable problem on time, before they turn into serious or even life-threatening problems.
Last but not least, don’t forget about spaying or neutering. In most cases, this decision is personal, but resonant advice is to spay or neuter your pet.
Veterinarians are always ready to stand behind this claim because it can affect your dog’s lifespan, help them live longer and healthier.
You should know that responsible breeders will also suggest these procedures, and your veterinarian will inform you when it’s ok to perform this.
The only thing that you should care about after spaying or neutering is the dog’s weight.
Some dogs may gain more weight afterwards, while the problme of post-operation obesity is more frequent in kittens – they tend to becoem lazy, but it’s always individual thing. Still, care abotu dog’s diet and provide enough physical activity.
The Bottom Line
Your dog may have a specific job role in your surroundings, but in the first place – he is your friend. Therefore, you will give your best to keep your canine healthy and happy.
Still, sometimes it is hard to resist those puppy eyes, your dog may not follow your boundaries, or you might give him table scraps that aren’t part of the dog’s diet in general.
Those simple things can harm a dog more than you believe. With that in mind, make sure that you follow the points listed above and provide your dog a longer life.
