As dog owners, we are responsible for ensuring our furry companions’ well-being and happiness. Exercise and diet are two key factors that play a crucial role in maintaining a dog’s overall health. Just like humans, dogs require regular physical activity and a balanced diet to thrive. In this article, we will provide you with some unique tips on how to keep your dog healthy through exercise and diet, allowing them to lead a vibrant and fulfilling life.
High-quality dog food, regular exercise, and trips to the vet are keys to your dog living a happy, healthy, and long life. In this article, we have shared some tips on how you can keep your dog healthy with proper exercise and diet.
Tips to keep your dog healthy
Exercise and diet are two key components of keeping your dog healthy and happy. Properly exercising your dog can help them stay physically fit, increase their lifespan, and help reduce behavioral issues. A healthy diet can help to prevent many health issues, provide essential nutrients, and keep your pup feeling energized. Here are some tips for exercising and feeding your dog to keep them in tip-top shape.
Dogs need to exercise on a daily basis.
Daily exercise is essential for maintaining your dog’s health and happiness. Exercise can help to reduce a wide range of behavioral issues, such as excessive barking or chasing. It can also help to improve your pup’s physical health, as regular exercise can help to prevent obesity, joint pain, and other health issues.
There are various exercises you can do with your pup, depending on their size and age. For small dogs, a game of fetch or a walk around the block should be enough. For larger dogs, trips to the dog park where they can run a lot or a longer hike are recommended. If your pup is a senior dog, a slower-paced walk, game of hide-and-seek, or tug-of-war are great alternatives. You can also set up an obstacle course at home and reward them for completing the course.
Add mental stimulation games to your dog’s daily routine
Dogs are highly intelligent creatures who require activities that can mentally stimulate them as much as they need physical exercises. Sniffing around during walks allows them to explore their surroundings, which stimulates their mind.
Apart from that, you can also incorporate other games and activities into your dog’s daily routine that will keep them mentally stimulated at home. Chew toys and interactive puzzle toys like kong and activity flip boards are a great way to keep your dog occupied for around 30 minutes to an hour. It also gives them an opportunity to use their natural problem-solving abilities.
Choose the right diet for your dog
Right after you bring your puppy home, the very first decision you need to make is choosing a suitable diet for them. With so many options for dog food available on the market and all of them claiming that they are the best, choosing one can be overwhelming.
The only thing that you need to remember is that the best dog food is the one that will satisfy your dog’s nutritional needs. Like us humans, dogs also have different nutritional needs at various stages of their life.
For instance, a new puppy requires high calorie food that will support its growth, whereas an adult dog needs food that will help it to maintain its energy levels. Here are some of the factors that determine a dog’s nutritional requirements –
- Age
- Breed
- Medical conditions, if any
- Weight
- Exercise levels
- Sterilization status.
Your vet is the best person to ask regarding your dog’s nutritional needs, and he or she can also advise you on the best time to bring changes to your dog’s diet.
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Keep certain foods away from your dog
Keep in mind that certain foods can be dangerous for your pup. Chocolate, caffeine, onions, grapes, and raisins are some of the foods that should be avoided. But dogs can have some human food like unsalted and unsweetened peanut butter, plain popcorn, cheese, and yogurt in small quantities. You can also fruits and vegetables like carrots, green beans, pumpkin, watermelon, and apples to your dog’s daily diet.
Don’t overfeed your dog
We know it’s hard to resist those adorably large puppy eyes when they are staring at you and asking you for a second dinner. But you should, as it can lead to a lot of unnecessary weight gain and cause a lot of health issues. Remember, an overweight pup is not a healthy pup.
Additionally, you should never feed your pup table scraps, as this can lead to nutritional imbalances. You should also make sure they are getting enough water and provide a few healthy snacks throughout the day.
The amount of food that should be given to a dog depends on its age, breed, pre-existing health issues, if any, and how active they are. Ideally, the food given to dogs should constitute around 2-3% of their body weight.
Puppies have a small stomach and should be fed 4-5 small meals each day, whereas adult dogs should be given 2-3 meals per day. The chart below gives an idea of how much to feed your dog based on weight.
Weight of Dog | Cups per day |
3lbs | ⅓ cup |
6lbs | ½ cup |
10lbs | ¾ cup |
15lbs | 1 cup |
20lbs | 1 & ⅓ cup |
30lbs | 1 & ¾ cup |
40lbs | 2 & ¼ cup |
50lbs | 2 & ⅔ cups |
60lbs | 3 cups |
70lbs | 3 & ½ cups |
80lbs | 3 & ¾ cups |
90lbs | 4 & ¼ cups |
100lbs | 4 & ½ cups |
Final Thoughts
You depend on your dog for unconditional love and companionship, and your dog relies on you to stay healthy. Exercising and feeding your pup properly can have a major impact on their health and happiness. It will prolong their life span and keep them feeling energized enough to embark on more adventures with you.
Author Bio:
Hey, I am Amelia, a versatile content writer passionate about storytelling. With a background in journalism and a love for words, I am creating engaging and informative content that connects with readers. I have worked with numerous clients, including startups, established businesses, and leading publications, to create content that captures their brand voice and engages their target audience. She has experience at the Pets Magazine, Essay Writing Guides, theparentsmagazine, Gossipment,
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