5 Ways to Keep Your Dog Healthy andSafe

You’ve been wanting a dog for quite some time and finally made the decision to rescue one. You know that you will be dedicated to your pup and you know you will love it to pieces. You arrive at the pound, choose the dog of your dreams, name him “Fido” and head home. The whole way home he is trying to snuggle and lick you and you realize that your choice was perfect. He is most certainly your new best friend. Now, you need to ensure that he is healthy and safe so he lives a long, love-filled life. So how do you do it? Below are five ways to keep your dog healthy and safe.

A Good Diet - Feeding your dog a well-balanced diet is the most important thing you can do to make sure he’s healthy. A dog is only as good as what’s put into his body. This means steer clear of feeding him too many table scraps and definitely no chocolate - ever. Chocolate tears apart the intestinal lines of canines so no matter how much he begs with those puppy eyes, just say no.

Exercise - Taking your dog for a walk or for a run will not only be good for his health, it will benefit you as well. Dogs, like humans, run the risk of a vast variety of health problem if they are not exercised regularly. To avoid dog obesity, dogs need adequate amounts of exercise to stay healthy so a daily dose of blood-pumping activity will definitely help keep his physique lean and his heart clean.

Bathe Your Dog Regularly - If you keep your dog clean and his fur smooth, you will avoid skin irritations and/or any other physical defect that is derived from poor hygiene. An important thing to remember when bathing your dog is that it is best to use dog shampoo. The reason for this is because the “PH” differs between human products and dog products so you want to ensure you’re rinsing your dog with the correct materials. Also, keep in mind that dogs need to be bathed extremely less than humans; once a month, if that.

Keep Hazardous Substances Out of Reach - Dogs love to get into things that they probably shouldn’t. Sometimes it’s your flower box, sometimes, it’s the dinner you slaved over all day, but sometimes dogs get into hazardous things such as cleaning products. Considering dogs will get into just about anything, it’s very important that you take precautions and doggy-proof your home. Keep the Comet and Windex stored high, along with other cleaning products. Dogs will get into these things if they can, so be proactive and store these products safely.

Use Caution when Riding in Cars - Dogs often times accompany their owners on road trips and/or small errands throughout the town. The number one mistake people make when taking their dog along, is when they leave the dog in the car while they run into the store with the car windows up. This is very dangerous and dogs can suffer heat strokes within a matter of minutes. If you have errands to run, either don’t take your dog along or make sure your vehicle is adequately ventilated. Following these steps will ensure that you and your pup live a happy, long life together.