8 Tips for a happy dog

A dog truly is any person’s best friend. they’re part of the family and the furniture (or always on the furniture). we love our dogs and its important to us all to keep them happy. to give them back us much happiness as they give us. But what can we do to keep our four-legged friend’s content? read on for 8 tips to a happy dog.

Tips for a happy dog

daily exercise

daily exercise is an important daily regime and something the dog will always look forward to.unless it is raining. Exercise amounts will vary from breed to size of the dog but always try and take them out once to twice a day. more if you do not have access to a garden.Always try and mix up the walks by using different routes. these bring new sights and smells and most certainly new friends. this will work wonders in making your dog enjoy its walk and tire them out from all the sniffing and thinking they’re doing.

also bear in mind that you can use this opportunity to walk them on a hard surface to keep their nails nice and trim. It also a great time for you to unwind and both get some fresh air. listen to your favorite playlist or catch up on your podcasts or audiobook.enjoy the time.

water to keep them hydrated

dogs are made of 80% water like us humans. so it’s extremely important to keep them hydrated.always make sure there are enough water stations around your home. and regularly top them up with fresh cold water. also keep a couple of fresh bowls around your garden or outside the area to help with this.

you ‘ll soon notice they have a favorite water spot so you all know the bowl that will be empty the most. there are new gadgets out there that will look to maintain a constant supply of water like fountains and bottle release bowls. if you have the money there can be great gadgets. but all ou need to do is turn the tap on and fill up the bowl yourself.

Socialize

dog Most dogs are social and curious animals by nature so important for them to get together with friends or make new ones. walks are great for this. but there are more and more dog parks popping up everywhere making it easier for dog owners to meet fellow owners and let their dogs run around together.

letting dogs mingle amongst others lets them interact with their own. they get to play more naturally. There are also walking groups and breed associations and get-togethers you could try. these are all a great way of socializing your dog with others.

Regular grooming

make time for regular grooming of your dog. making sure to get all over the body and any particular problem areas of shedding. The back legs on my german shepherd seem to be the worst areas to shed hair.

buy a good brush that suits your dogs type of hair. There are also brushes on the market now for all hair types. for example, there is the furminator brush for long hair, something I personally use and find it fantastic. or for short hair, there is a slicker brush or bristle brush.

Always reward with treats to make them learn that this is something fun and they get something tasty at the end.

Grooming doesn’t always end at brushing. you could look to brush your dog’s teeth, clean their ears and trim their nails. you can also purchase dog deodorant

training

love to learn, teaching them new commands or tricks will always keep their irregular training provides both entertainment and brain work for dogs. This makes them think and therefore makes them tire out a little more. It also brings your dog up to speed on the do’s and don’ts.

for example. teaching a dog to heel or stay is essential when out and about. Dogs don’t always like to listen and sometimes work on forgiveness is easier than permission level. But if you can train your dog to keep near you on command it can pull you both into a safer situation at times.

The correct food

There are a lot of different foods on the markets for dogs and many different approaches to feeding. for example, some prefer to feed their dogs on a raw food diet. others feed with tin food and some biscuits.

always check your breed and any nutritional requirements they may have. also, check how often you should feed and how much. again this depends on the size of the dog and the breed.

It is important as much as humans to get the correct nutrition inside of them. dogs like us need the 6 main sources of nutrients,

• Water
• Fat
• Protein
• Carbohydrates
• Minerals
• Vitamins

Make sure when providing your dog’s daily diet that they include all of the above, this will keep them healthy and happy.

Playtime/interaction

make time to play with your dog.plat time is perfect for building and reinforcing that bond between dog and human. all dogs love playtime with humans.

Play is essential to puppies as a huge part of their growing process and older dogs love to play just as much. wether it’s throwing a ball or frisbee, playing tug of war with an old towel or rope or just some good old wrestling. They get so excited. also, I find that when you play especially wrestle mimick they’re body language to engage in them more.

have you ever noticed your dog doing the downward dog stretch (a yoga term) when you are about to play around? what I mean by this is when they stretch down on their front paws leaving they’re back legs straight and butt in the air. That’s a playfully sign and if you do this to your dog I would bet money you’ll get a playful reaction back.

Take a look at our article here on games to play with your dog

Own space

As much as dogs love being around us they love their own space also. you may notice that they have a preferred area of the home they like to bed down in. somewhere to hide or just a general love for a chair. this is their happy place and dogs should always have something they can go to. somewhere they can go to sleep or chill out and get away from it all. kinda like a bedroom.

It could be simple as putting there basket or bed Or having a crate with a blanket over the top, in the living area so they’re still amongst it all and don’t miss out on anything (even tho they can still hear the cheese being opened form the next room).

We hope you enjoyed this article on 8 tips to keep your dog happy. check out this video to see some happy dogs after being adopted.