Be a Better Dog Owner
We all love our dogs but there is always a small adjustment that we can add to the way we care for them. Just a small tweak can bring on fantastic health results and make you into a better dog owner.
I put together a series of concise bullet points that I use with my own dogs. Links are included to more detailed posts from this blog if required.
I hope you find them useful.
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How is your dog’s diet?
- Give green beans instead of treats. They can be raw, cooked or even frozen.
- Add coconut oil to the food. Just half a teaspoon to start with, they do seem to like the taste.
- Add some fish oil to their diet by occasionally adding sardines (my dogs favourite) tuna or salmon.
- Make some healthy dog treats. Using just a few ingredients, tasty and healthy snacks can be made instead of shop bought treats. There are hundreds of recipes online and they are all super quick and inexpensive. My dogs love frozen dog treats in the summer
Natural and Healthy Weight Loss For Dogs
Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Your Dog
2. Does your dog get enough exercise?
- Next time you go for a walk, take a ball with you, the dog will cover more ground chasing after it and you can get some recall training done at the same time.
- Change your route, your dog will pick up different scents and get more stimulation from a different area.
- Walk with a friend who has a dog, this will make your dog more sociable.
3. Is your dog Insured?
Take out a policy or open a savings account for your dog’s care and add to it each week. Many health problems can be solved if spotted early. With insurance in place you can get symptoms checked as soon as you spot them, and save valuable time.
4. Is your dog mentally stimulated?
We know how important physical exercise is for your dog. However, mental stimulation through play is just as important. Boredom busting toys are widely available and stop destructive behaviour. Interactive puzzles keep the dog’s brain active and make playtime fun.
- Make your dog work for his food or treats by adding a food puzzle.
- This interactive dog toy has kept my miniature dachshund amused for hours. I bought this two years ago and it is still in good working order.
- Use a dog enrichment toy, like a snuffle mat, to hide food. This acts as a slow feeder, increases brain power and is great fun for your dog.
Dog Enrichment Toys For Instincts and Senses
5. Is your dog chipped?
- All dogs should be chipped by the breeder. Ask when you pick up your puppy for all chip details. This will help you get your dog back if he/she is lost or stolen.
- Always check chip details are up to date with your vet. My own rescue dog has been chipped twice by different owners, we needed to ensure that the correct details were on file.
Things To Do When Your Dog Goes Missing
6. Grooming.
- Brushing or combing will not only improve the dog’s appearance. It will give you the chance to get a close look to see if he has any skin irritations, fur loss, hot spots, sore paws etc
- Keep your dog’s nails trimmed with specially designed dog clippers. If you struggle with nail clipping ask your groomer or vet to show you.
7. Massage.
You don’t have to be an expert to massage your dog. Just gently stroking and running your hands over the dog’s muscles will make both of you feel bonded and relaxed.
8. Toys.
- Buy good quality, durable dog toys that cannot be destroyed or chewed up, possibly causing a blockage in the intestine.
- Try to buy toys that will stimulate the dog and relieve boredom.
- Toys designed for puppy chewing will save money in the long run by stopping destructive chewing. Many are designed to put in the freezer to soothe sore gums.
- Ball throwers will vastly increase how much exercise your dog gets on a regular walk.
9. Teeth
Dog dental health is so important. By cleaning your dog’s teeth regularly you will save money on expensive surgical doggy dentals.
I find the dog finger toothbrush easier to use than a normal toothbrush. They are gentle on gums and my dogs prefer them.
Check your dog’s teeth and gums regularly, brush with some special doggy toothpaste if you can.
Everything You Need To Know About Dog Dental Health
The following post shows how to recognise a healthy dog’s mouth. It gives a checklist of symptoms to look out for by checking the tongue and gums.
Make sure they have regular dental chews. Mine love fish skin cubes, they are natural and work on teeth, gums and improve the breath of your dog.
Coconut oil will help with dental hygiene.
Just the addition of some raw carrot or apple can cut down on dental plaque and freshen breath.
10. Observe.
Always keep an eye on your dog and watch out for anything out of the ordinary.
Check that the dog is eating, drinking, urinating, emptying bowels and playing as normal.
Detecting early signs of illness could save his life.
Conclusion to How To Be A Better Dog Owner
Small changes can really help you be a better dog owner.
Take care of nutrition and dental health to keep your dog healthy.
Keep dog’s minds and bodies in tip top condition with exercise and interactive toys.
Observe, touch and use your intuition to spot signs of illness and get symptoms checked early.
Do you have any tips to keep your dog healthy?
I would love to know in the comments.
A note to my readers.
You may have noticed that I have added Amazon affiliate links to my blog, this has not affected my opinions in my reviews and I will continue to provide honest assessments of all products. I hope this doesn’t affect my follower’s enjoyment of my blog.
This is great!! I love all of these tips so much!!
Thank you.
We’ve recently made a new rule in my house: no cell phones on walks! They stay with us for safety but more than once I caught myself looking at my phone on walks and that’s just crazy. It’s HER time she deserves that and it’s better for us also! <3
I know what you mean. I have lovely chats with my dogs when we are on our walks. People must call me the Crazy Dog Woman! Thank you so much for commenting. Have a lovely day.
I’m right there with you! We have a fence and when we moved the new neighbors just assumed we had a toddler because of the way I talk to her lol! It’s a compliment!!
You too!!
Love this! Siggi’s a big fan of coconut oil and gets a bit through his coat after grooming. Interactive toys are also the best. We love coming up with weird creations from household waste, like sealing up cardboard boxes full of his kibble. Keeps his brain working, tires him out and deals with his natural urge to rip stuff up! Thanks for the post 🙂
I must try this!, Darcy also has an urge to rip things up, usually my post! Thank you for your comment, have a lovely day.
I had no idea green beans and coconut oil were safe for dogs! Interesting! I had found out a few years ago that grapes and garlic were a no no.
I know surprising isn’t it? Chocolate also really bad. Thank you for stopping by.
Oh yeah. Definitely knew about chocolate! I remember learning that you could give dogs benadryl if they ate chocolate.
now thats handy to know because I have a little dachshund who likes to pinch things!
Lol. I don’t remember where I heard it, but a kid’s dose is supposed to help as long as its not a huge amount of chocolate.
Thank you