How a Healthy and Happy Home will Benefit Your Dog

Your dog does so much to help improve and enrich your life! Let’s make sure you are giving back to them, ensuring they have the happiest life. 

We have done some research and found the top 5 ways that a happy home will benefit your dog.

Make Them Comfortable 

Make sure that your dog has their own place that is safe, warm and cosy. This allows them to feel relaxed and comfortable. It is also better, especially for where they will be sleeping, to have a quiet comfortable space away from loud noises or busy areas of the house. Some dogs even prefer to sleep in a crate or a doggy den – somewhere that is theirs. 

Provide a Healthy Diet and Proper Nutrition 

It is crucial that your dog maintains a healthy weight for their size. Your vet will have a lot of advice about the most suitable food for your dog’s size, age and activity level. Believe me, I know how tempting it is to give in to those puppy dog eyes and sneak them some food from your own plate. However, not all human food is suitable for your dog and can badly affect their health. Remember how important it is for your pet to eat healthily. Now, we all love to give our pups treats, but they can contribute to weight gain. Treats are a great training tool, so we need to keep using them, but just in moderation. A nice bowl of clean fresh water is also essential, especially on hot days. 

Give Them Regular Exercise 

Your pup needs regular exercise for their physical and mental wellbeing. Getting outside for walks gives your dog the chance to stretch their legs, have a sniff around all the different smells and get fresh air. It also gives the opportunity keep them in shape and give them a change of scenery to break up their day. I would say that it is important to consider each dogs individual personalities. Some dogs like a calmer life, to cuddle and nap whilst others may prefer to play and be outside. Others may prefer long walks and meeting other dogs whereas others would rather spend their time pottering and sniffing around the local park or the garden. 

Offer Enrichment Activities and Training 

It is so important not only to exercise your dog’s body but also their mind. Providing your dog with enrichment activities is a great way to prevent boredom and teach them new skills. Also, if your dog is suffering from an injury or recovering from surgery, it can be a great way to tire them out.  Training your dog is also crucial to make them feel safe and secure. It will also build their confidence. Start your training young as this will give them the best start and help to prevent behaviour problems from developing as they grow. Dogs are very intelligent and will get bored if they’re not regularly stimulated. 

Check out our blog “How to Entertain Your Dog While Working from Home” for some enrichment ideas. 

Show Them Love and Comfort 

Everyone deserves to feel loved, especially our canine companions. Showing them love and respect will help you build a bond with them. It is also important to praise and reward good behaviour. Another way to show them love, is by taking care of their grooming and medical needs to keep them looking healthy and feeling comfortable. We know that a trip to the vet isn’t always an enjoyable experience for some dogs, but it is essential that they have regular check-ups to they are healthy. If your dog is nervous, try dropping in with them to say hello and enjoy some treats, to help future treatments trips go as smoothly as possible. 

Let’s Make Sure we Show our Dogs Just how Much we Care

However much we would love to have a good chat with our pups, we can’t. So, although they can’t tell us how they feel, they will show us through their behaviour and body language. Spending time with your dog will allow you to get to know their behaviours, so you will know when they’re happy and notice if there are any changes. 

We would love to hear how your dog has helped you, send us a message on our socials – @wild_at_heart_foundation