5 Ways to Keep Your Dog in Shape

Dogs are full of zest for life. Whether its their next meal or an evening walk, dogs manage to be enthusiastic for just about any activity. Keeping this in mind, it only makes sense to plan your routine in such a way that your pup stays engaged. It may seem like a daunting task which will involve rescheduling your whole day, but with just a little planning,

Here are five ways you can keep your dog in shape.

1.Give Your Dog a Complete Diet

Nothing beats a good home cooked meal, piping hot and delicious to boot. If you’re going with store bought food, choose a reputable, high-quality pet food brand, as cheaper brands often use fillers and low-quality ingredients. This means little to no nutritional benefits and the risk of unknown health effects. Reputed pet food brands spend time on the research and development of pet foods to provide balanced nutrition.

2.Day-to-Day training

Training and playtime can go hand in hand, especially if encouraged by treats. A fixed daily routine for training will help reinforce any taught commands and speed up the learning process. Remember to reward good behavior and be patient during the training process, as any negative reinforcement will only add time to the learning process.

3.Socialize Your Pup

Dogs are social animals, and as such they need to be taught basic social skills. Socializing your pup around other people and animals when they are young will help their development. Play dates, walks with other people, visits to a dog park, and social training at home will help your pup thrive in public and cope with stressful situations in public. As social creatures, dogs must be frequently stimulated to ensure proper growth and development.

4.Visit Your Vet Regularly

A veterinarian is a pet healthcare specialist. Once you’ve visited your vet and had an examination done, they can judge your pet’s health during each subsequent visit. As specialists, vets can identify and diagnose issues that pet parents would ordinarily miss. Regular health checkups can remedy this, since a veterinarian is a specialist and can spot potential issues by monitoring a set of indicators every visit. A vet can also conduct blood tests, stool tests, and urine tests to aid in diagnosing serious conditions in their early stages, which spares your pet the pain of illness in the long run. If you’re making a diet change, have observed your pet behaving weirdly, or are unsure about your pets’ vaccinations, head to your vet for a consultation at the soonest.

5.Regular Exercise

It’s no secret that a healthy mind requires a healthy body to truly blossom. Different dog breeds require different levels of exercise daily, so do your research before setting up a routine or timeframe in which you will be outdoors. Some particularly active breeds will require a proper work out to be stimulated, while others will be fine with a 15-minute walk twice a day. It all depends on the breed of dog you have. The other thing you must consider is the prevailing weather conditions in your area. If you live in a particularly hot or humid area, exercise can easily cause dehydration, which is a serious problem if left untreated. If you live in a cold or snowy area, it is unlikely your dog will be willing to head outdoors (unless it’s an arctic breed) and you should plan alternative activities indoors.

Being in shape is especially important for pets. While a kilogram or two does not make much of a difference for humans, the effects on a pet dog are dramatic since they only weigh a fraction of a person. The good news is, with a little time, effort, and patience, you should have no issues maintaining your dog’s weight at a healthy level. Just make sure you support the process with lots of love and treats.