Healthy = Happy

When a dog is healthy, it is happy. We tend to forget about the health of our furry friends because it seems impossible that their health would be anything but perfect. Nonetheless, dogs cannot maintain their own health and need help from their loving owners. Here are some personal tips on keeping your dog as healthy and happy as they can be from my own experiences with Cosmo.

Keep you dog active! One of my family's biggest regrets while raising Cosmo was not exercising him. Now he is too old and weak to do much. The main reason that we neglected keeping him actively fit was because our family's schedule was so busy that we didn't make time for him. But all it takes is waking up half an hour earlier or taking a break during work or homework and taking your dog on a walk. Or even better, take him with you when you do your own exercise such as running, biking, hiking, etc. On weekends, maybe have more fun with your dog and take it to a dog park! It is in a dog's nature to run around and use its energy, so make sure you provide that for them. It will also help with any further issues such as being overweight, heart disease risks, and diabetes.

Photo Credits: ww.austinpetsalive.org

Another great thing to watch in your dog's life is his food. You may think dog food is all the same- brown crap mushed together. But really, there's so many factors that play a roll in what kind of food your dog should consume. There are different types of dog food for the size and age of your dog, the types of ingredients you want them eating, and their own personal preference. Personally, my family simply feeds Cosmo IAMS dog food. They are one of the largest brands of dog food, so maybe they're not exactly the healthiest, but they do a pretty good job and have a wide variety of food for all sorts of dogs- even cats! It is important to figure out what type of food your dog needs, what you want to be feeding your dog, and how many times a day you need to feed your furry friend.

The last health issue I'll touch base on today is regular check ups to the veterinarian's office. Your dog's veterinarian acts as his/her doctor, dentist, and everything in between. This means it is crucial that your dog is checked up regularly- at least once a year; they can notice things about your dog that you do not. Veterinarians aren't only good for check ups, but they're also convenient in times of emergency or concern. They will know what is best for your dog! When Cosmo had a tumor right near his eye, and these past few months when he's had a sore on his paw, I'm so glad that we've had a trustworthy veterinarian to helps us through it all.

I'll possibly do another blog about health tips in the future so that your dog can get the most out of life and they keep wagging their tails!