Keeping your dog healthy and fit is not much different than keeping yourself healthy and fit. They require good nutrition, exercise, grooming and regular visits to the vet for routine checkups for the best puppy health. Your veterinarian is also a great resource for answering your dog health questions.
Routine Checkups
Taking your dog to the vet for routine checkups can help to make sure he is healthy at the moment, and it can also help prevent any diseases from occurring in the future. Early detection and diagnoses of any of dog health symptoms is important to curing it and preventing future dog health problems. Your vet can also recommend products to prevent fleas, ticks, heartworm, parasites and other common problems that dogs can get.
Vaccinations
Puppies need to get their vaccinations for a variety of diseases and parasites. Your vet will give your puppy their initial shots and then will recommend boosters at 6 months, 1 year or 3 years depending on the vaccine. When a mother dog is vaccinated, her puppies will get some of her immunity from her milk.
Dog Food and Nutrients
Keeping your dog healthy also relies on feeding them good quality dog food. The primary ingredient in their food should be meat-based protein. The ingredients are listed based on the amount, with the highest listed first. If the food shows corn meal or gluten meal listed first then this food is going to contain more of that than anything else listed after that. The best dog food should be made from ingredients that are human-grade, meaning good enough for humans. Some dog food brands use animal products that are not considered human-grade. The food you choose should contain balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for the most benefit to your dog. You may have seen articles about a raw food diet for your dog.
Raw food diets are becoming more popular and many people consider this to be the best choice for your dog, with the thinking that this is how they would eat naturally in the wild. It does cost a bit more than the commercial dog food, but those that use it say that it is worth it. You can make your own dog food by mixing some ground meat like turkey or hamburger with rice and carrots.
Exercise
All dogs need exercise. Some breeds need quite a bit more than others. Bigger dogs will need more room to run than smaller shorter legged breeds. You can have a lot of fun playing and training your dog and they can get their needed exercise. If you have the room, tossing a ball or Frisbee with your dog is great exercise and it also helps you bond with your dog. Taking them for long walks is another great way to bond with your dog and exercise him. It also gives you a chance to train him for leash walking. You get two benefits for the price of one. Dogs only have sweat glands on their nose and bottom of their paws so take into consideration the temperature and keep an eye out for signs your dog is getting overheated or dehydrated. A good dog is a tired dog.
Routines
If you get a puppy, it’s good practice to start these routines while they are still young. I have no problems clipping nails or cleaning ears. Most dogs will like getting brushed so that’s not a problem, but many dogs don’t like their nails clipped or ears cleaned. I handle my dog’s feet and ears from the beginning and they get used to me doing that. I have always wiped their feet when they come in and will check their ears for any signs of redness a couple times a week.
You should clean your dog’s ears once every few weeks, more often if they are prone to ear infections. There are cleaning solutions you can get from you vet.
If your dog’s nails get too long they will be uncomfortable for them to walk on, I imagine walking with shoes a size or two too small. It can also change the way they walk which could lead to other problems. You can make it easier on you and the dog if you cut a little off more often rather than letting them get too long. If that is the case, just start by cutting a little off first, wait a few days and clip a little more off. There is a blood vessel inside the nail called the quick that will bleed if it is cut. If that happens you can stop the bleeding with some styptic powder. Another good reason to trim a little at a time more often rather than letting them get too long.
