How to Keep Your Dog Fit and Healthy

When you have a little fluffy dog companion at home, you want the best for them whether it is buying the latest toy, organizing a fun game to play, or reading up on Freshpet dog food reviews for the very best nutrition, every decision you make is usually regarding their optimum welfare. 

Let Them Roam in Green Open Spaces

Alarmingly the number of overweight or even obese pets has increased significantly within the last few years which suggests that many pet owners are either overindulging their pets or not providing much exercise.

In 2019 over 51% of dog visits at Banfield Veterinary Clinic were deemed overweight.

Even when some of them were successful at losing weight they were 40% likely to regain the lost weight within a year despite breed or age.  

Dogs really do need to exercise several times a day in the park.

This enables them to run around in a large green open space whereby they can play fetch to their heart’s content or explore their surroundings by utilizing their sniffing senses. 

Feed Them A Balanced Diet

Some pet owners, particularly those that are vegetarian or vegan themselves might be inclined to do the same for their pets but this would be an error as dogs should be eating an omnivore diet, which includes both meat and vegetables.

It is not deemed healthy for them to not be given any meat at all, as they need this as part of a healthy balanced diet. 

Necessary Nutrients 

The reason why a vegan diet is not healthy for a dog is because they rely on certain nutrients that only meat or animal-derived products can provide.

They include the following; 

• Calcium, a necessary nutrient for healthy bones. 
• Taurine is needed to maintain a healthy functioning heart. A lack of it can lead to heart strain or failure. 
• Vitamin D3, which contributes to a healthy immune system. 
• A vegan-only diet can cause an imbalance in a dog’s natural immune system. 

Vegetables alone are not enough to maintain a healthy dog’s nutritious diet, they need a good balance between meat and vegetables.

This is not too unreasonable considering dogs are directly linked to wolves who naturally hunt for their prey in the wild. 

Dental Care

Just as humans need to take good care of their teeth and gums, so do dogs.

As their owner, you are responsible for ensuring that their teeth are in good and healthy condition as often as possible by physically checking for any signs of bad breath or damaged teeth. 

There are dental products available for dogs such as toothpaste, breath freshener, and water additives that you can easily obtain.

They are all designed specifically to get the best possible dental hygiene for your little furry friends, who I’m sure would thank you if they could speak to you personally.