How to Increase Your Pet Dog’s Life?: If you have a dog, it is likely that they are more than just a pet to you – they are probably more like a member of your family. Everyone wishes that their loved ones could live a long, healthy life and the same goes for your pet dog. You can make sure that your canine companion lives a long life by making a few changes in lifestyle, diet and environment. You can increase your pet’s life expectancy by following some simple tips.
7 Tips to Increase Your Pet Dog’s Life
Here is a look at a few tips to help you increase your pet dog’s life:
1. Neuter or Spay
Did you know that by neutering or spaying your pet dog, you can increase their lifespan by 1 to 3 years? When male dogs are neutered, they cannot get testicular cancer and their likelihood of suffering from prostate problems is minimized. When females are spayed, it minimizes their chances of developing mammary cancer and will not get infections of the womb, which can be potentially fatal. If you want your canine companion to live long, get them neutered or spayed as early as possible.
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2. Maintain Dental/Oral Health
Dental care to increase you pet dog’s life? Yes, that’s right! In fact, did you know that tooth decay can be extremely dangerous for dogs? It not only creates dental issues, but can also cause infections all over your pet’s body, especially in the heart and kidneys. While you cannot expect your pet to have fresh breath or perfect teeth like a human, you need to make sure that they have reasonably clean teeth and gums. Nowadays, there are special toothbrushes and tooth pastes specially made for dogs. Brush your pet dog’s teeth a few times every week. If there is plaque buildup, visit your vet to have it removed.
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3. Maintain a Healthy Weight
You probably know that obesity is a serious problem among humans. Well, unfortunately, it is a problem among dogs as well. Dogs can become overweight if their owners feed them too much fatty human foods, or if they are fed too much pet food and not given enough exercise. If you want to increase your pet dog’s life, you need to make sure that they are always at a healthy weight. Keep a record of how much you feed your pet every day and ensure that they have a consistent eating schedule with a healthy, balanced diet.
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4. Get Active
Maintaining a healthy diet and weight is not the only way to keep your pet dog in shape. Exercise plays a critical role in increasing your furry friend’s lifespan. It has been proven that exercise can increase endorphins, lower stress and balance emotions and mood – this applies to both humans and dogs. Exercise will help your pet in maintaining a healthy weight and muscle mass and keeping their cardiovascular system in optimal condition. If you want your dog to live long, get more active with them and exercise on a regular basis.
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5. Go for Regular Checkups
It is important to take them for regular checkups and vaccinations if you wish to increase your pet dog’s life. Visiting your vet on a regular basis can help in detecting health problems and diseases early on so they can be treated as soon as possible before they get too serious. The same applies for vaccinations, which can save your pet’s life. You should also make it a point to ask your vet about healthy supplements that can benefit your pet. According to experts, you should visit your vet 2 to 4 times a year when your dog is still a puppy and at least once a year when they become an adult. You should definitely heed this advice if you want your furry friend to stick around for a long time.
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6. Stimulate the Mind
Dogs, like people, need to be stimulated mentally to be happy. When your pet dog is bored, they can become anxious, depressed, and even fall sick. Keep them busy to extend their life. As they age, keep your canine companion’s mind active with socialization, training, one-on-one attention, games and other activities that stimulate and enrich their minds. Nowadays, there are places where dogs are given extra training so that they get the mental stimulation they need. Engaging in training and learning skills together can strengthen your bond too.
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7. Provide Down Time
While physical activity and mental stimulation are important, it is also vital to give your dog time to relax. If they are in a state of constant anxiety, the stress will affect your pet adversely. You should make sure that there is a balance between exercise and rest. Let your canine companion rest for at least 1 hour every day. Additionally, do not force your pet to engage in activities if they are not interested. If they look like they just want a little rest and relaxation, let them go ahead and enjoy their downtime.
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8. Protect Against the Sun
Have you heard about dogs developing skin cancer? It can happen! Believe it or not, your dog can get skin cancer if they are not well protected from the harsh and harmful UV rays of the sun. Pale-skinned dogs can get sunburned, which can result in skin cancer. So, in order to increase your pet dog’s life, you must ALWAYS ensure to apply sunscreen on any exposed areas in your dog’s body, like the tip of the ears and the nose. Consult your vet about this and find out if there are any specific types of sunscreen you should use or avoid. Test them on a small portion of their skin first.
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Simple things can increase your pet dog’s life. Like with people, it is all about making healthy choices in diet and lifestyle. Having a pet dog enriches your life in many ways and you can share a bond unlike any other. This is sure to make you want to have them in your life for as long as possible. You can make sure that your canine friend lives a happy life for many years by following the advice provided above, and enjoy each other’s companionship for a long time.
But however, know that death is also inevitable. Sure, these tips will keep your canine buddy healthy for many years, and possibly extend its lifespan. But some things are beyond our control, and the loss of your pet is one of it. Be sure to make the keep it in the pinkest of health and make the most out of the time you have with it!
