5 Ways to Improve a Dog's Quality of Life

Owning a pet is a great privilege, but it’s also a great responsibility. Many pet owners, and dog owners in particular, spend a lot of time and money buying them accessories, very elaborate toys, special treats and even clothes. But is this the way to improve a dog’s quality of life?

They do it thinking that it’ll improve the dog’s life. However, what really matters when it comes to improving a dog’s quality of life is to create healthy habits and routines.

Industry sales related to pets and dogs has increased, but the number of visits to the vet hasn’t done so in the same proportion. In fact, in some areas, the number of visits to the veterinarian has decreased, while the rate of obesity in dogs and other pets (such as cats) increased.

How to improve a dog’s quality of life?

Establishing a healthy routine for our pets is a must to ensure that they have as happy and long a life as possible. Therefore, to improve your dog’s quality of life, forget about buying those popular fashion accessories and concentrate on following these simple tips:

1. Visit the veterinarian at least once a year

There is no better gift for your pet than a long and healthy life. Annual checkups are an easy way to make sure your pet receives preventative care on a regular basis.

Even if you think he’s okay, taking your dog to the vet once a year will give you the peace of mind that there is really no problem. The veterinarian will also give you guidelines to prevent possible health problems.

And, if he finds something that had gone unnoticed, the vet can decide what needs to be done to improve the problem and prevent it from going any further.

2. Follow a proper diet

We all like to watch our dogs enjoying treats or some of our “people foods“. But giving our dogs an excessive amount of these foods and abusing the goodies can lead to rapid weight gain.

We are in danger of not feeding them properly, either because we give them too much food, or because we don’t feed them what they really need. If you are not sure how you should feed your dog, consult the veterinarian.

Some simple diet changes can help your dog maintain a healthy weight and decrease the chances of him developing health problems.

3. Exercise regularly

We all know that regular exercise is necessary for dogs, but we often overlook it, due to how busy we are. However, to improve our dog’s quality of life, it’s essential to provide them with the exercise they need.

Even if it’s not enough, a little is better than nothing. That’s why you have to give your dog the opportunity to exercise. This will help prevent them becoming overweight and developing other health problems related to a sedentary lifestyle. It will also improve their mood and even help prevent behavior problems.

4. Training Toys

Providing your dog with the opportunity of having fun is a great way of improving his quality of life. It’s not only physical exercise that counts, but also mental exercise through several different activities.

There are toys designed specifically for this type of training. Visiting new places or teaching new skills and tricks will also help your dog to have an active mind and to be physically active too.

5. Give love and affection

Talk to, caress and hug your dog. Let him express his love and let him receive yours. The way you treat it will undoubtedly influence its quality of life, and yours too.

Treat your dog as if it were one of the family and make him feel loved and valued.

What’s good for them is good for you

All the tips we have included can be applied to humans. Therefore, we could say that if you apply those same tips to your own life, then it’ll be much easier to do the same with your dog too, don’t you think? In fact, it’s much easier to improve a dog’s quality of life when people are committed to improving their own.