Have you asked yourself is my dog happy? Or, how do I make my dog happy?
Dogs seem like they are born to be happy and keeping them happy should not be a secret. However, if your dog is suffering, in pain, experiencing anxiety and bored he may have his natural born happiness derailed.
Check out these five tips to ensure your dog is happy.
In short: you can make your dog happy by providing plenty of exercise, great nutrition, supplements and support, by fending off boredom and with plenty of love and affection.
Keeping Your Dog Happy Tip #1 Plenty of Exercise with You
Granted some dogs like to lie around and enjoy life’s pleasures from a couch or bed and certainly most appreciate that at some point in their day, but the majority of dogs appreciate a little excitement and a walk each day. (Even the laziest of dogs!)
Take Dozer, a Rat Terrier, and a Popular Pet. He loves a lie in with his family but patiently waits for his morning and afternoon walks with them as well even though he could go outside and chase squirrels anytime he wants by himself.
Taking the time to interact with your dog and get him some well needed exercise with you will keep him healthy and happy. Exercise is healthy but also great bonding time.
Keeping Your Dog Happy Tip #2 Nutrition and Diet
We discuss nutrition and diet a lot on this site as it is a key component of health and therefore happiness.
See Dog Nutrition Articles:
What Dog Treats Not to Give Your Dog: Four Dog Treats to Avoid
Your Guide to Sardines and Answer Can My Dog Eat Sardines?
What Are the Benefits of Yucca For Dogs?
There is no getting around that when you provide your pet with a balanced diet and take care of calorie intake the risk of obesity-related disease will be reduced and general well being and health will be advanced.
One of the first recommendations a vet gives dogs is to manage their weight
Choosing a pet food can be very hard and complicated. Susan Thixton an amazing pet food advocate has made this job easier with her wonderful content.
Nutrition and a healthy weight keep dogs happy. Weight and quality pet foods support your dogs overall wellbeing in many ways, including, help with digestive issues, reducing allergies, increasing mobility and helping with joint pain.
Check out one of Susan Thixon’s guides on pet food labels. The healthiest well supported dog is the happiest dog.
Learn more about Nutrition in an entire Chapter of Motherpuppin’ Adorable: What to do when your dog is better than everyone else’s a tongue and cheek guide to navigating life with your dog and nutrition information.
Keeping Your Dog Happy Tip #3 Supplements and Support
Supporting your pet with vitamins and certain supplements as they age as we discuss in our article on managing pets with arthritis is important.
Of course, we support our pets with Calm and Relieve – Plus CBD hemp spray all of the time.
If pets have anxiety it is reduced with Calm and we discuss how important reducing anxiety is for pets happiness and health here in our article on how to manage separation anxiety for the happiest pal.
We use Relieve Plus to fend off pain and inflammation to keep our pets happy as well as it does for pets like Zooey as we describe here. Your dog may need additional support to maintain its health and happiness and it is important to pay attention to your pets cues as to what supplements your pet may need.
Your dog may need supplements that help with anxiety, stress, pain, itching or mobility. Being in tune with your dog’s needs and providing supplements to address those needs is an important way to support your dog and keep him happy.
Keeping Your Dog Happy Tip #4 Love and affection
We love our dogs in part due to their ability to provide us with emotional support. In return, they need emotional support from us.
As pack animals our dogs appreciate your love, care and attention. We may get busy and leave out certain bonding activities but our dog still waits for us to be with them and needs our love to be the happiest dog ever.
Keeping Your Dog Happy Tip #5 Fend off Boredom
Boredom typically leads to chewing and destruction which can be frustrating for you and your dogs.
A pet left at home too long may let you know by chewing a best loved shoe or just be unhappy. There are so many ways to fend off boredom here are some of our favorites:
- Teach a new trick. Check out this book by Sassafras Lowrey with so many ideas for doing tricks with your dogs.
- Start a new sport. We have compiled a list of top water sports here you can do with your dog.
- Try a new game. New dog feeders like this tricky one on Chewy that are designed to have the dog search for the food to get a reward are perfect for this. Or simply lay three cups and place a treat under one and see if your pet can find it or a muffin tin filled with tennis balls.
- Check out a new dog park or beach. See our list of top dog parks in the US for some ideas and our list of beaches to top your bucket list.
- Go for a drive. If your dog enjoys the car he will love a simple drive with new sights and sounds and the wind in his face.
Try some of these top tips today to keep your dog happy and healthy so you can both enjoy many more milestones together. Have so me ideas? Let us know in the comments below!
