A happy, healthy pup can bring you more joy than you ever imagined. While you may think it’s easy to take care of your pet dog, there is more to it than merely feeding and bathing them.

Taking quick action based on any discrepancies in your dog’s behavior and health can help save their lives. Here are a few simple tips that will help you keep your dog’s health in check.

Food:

When choosing pet food, make sure you keep your pup’s age, breed, and size in mind, since this will determine the amount and frequency of their mealtimes.

Most dogs have a consistent appetite that they stick to. This makes it easy for you to identify meal times and create a routine. However, if your dog suddenly shows no sign of hunger for more than a day, you should take them to the vet immediately.

Similarly, the amount of water your pup drinks should also not change drastically without any external reason. Ensure your dog’s water bowl always has clean, fresh water since a dog needs to drink at least a half to one ounce of water per pound of their body weight.

Grooming:

Your dog’s coat should be full without thin patches or flakiness. If your pup’s coat shows signs of thinning, you can give it nutritional supplements to improve the coat quality, but generally, your pup’s diet should be enough.

Brush your dog’s coat regularly and check for fleas and ticks as these can irritate your dog and cause infections.

Feces:

Is your dog having difficulty in doing its business? If so, it may be suffering from a bout of diarrhea, for which you should take your pet to the vet.

Ensure you feed your dog good quality pet food to allow for healthy digestion and excrement sans any mucus or blood.

A woman and her dog playing with a ball

Exercise:

Dogs are active animals that need to have some form of physical activity every day. Take your dog on daily walks, or take them to the park and play a simple game like fetch with them.

Depending on your dog’s personality, they may prefer specific activities such as hiking, or swimming, or running, so choose your pup’s favorite activity and incorporate it into their routine.

Paws:

If you live in an area that experiences high heat or cold, it is necessary to keep your dog’s paws protected. Get them a pair of boots to wear when going out in extreme weather, and examine their feet when you get back.

Make sure you keep their paws clean with a pet-safe soap and get it checked by a vet if you notice your dog licking its feet excessively.

Two dogs playing together

Let Them Socialize:

Does your dog seem a bit down? They may be missing social interaction with other dogs. Bring them over to The Grand Paw to let them make new friends and learn some cool tricks in the process.

Our dog daycare center in Indio, CA, is the best place for your dog to get some relaxation and enjoyment. Book your pup’s spot here now.