Dog Health: Dogercise & Diet
Exercise keeps us fit mentally and physically.
Dogs also need exercise to keep them healthy, happy and to stop them forming bad habits such as chewing. A dogs diet also plays a major role in the health and well- being of the dog.
Dog Fit!
DO`S
• Give your dog at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day, either walking on a leash or running safely in a park.
• Give your dog 15 minutes of interactive play per day, this includes playing fetch with your dog and rewarding your dog when he/she retrieves the ball and brings it back to you.
• With the right leash training your dog can be a can be a great jogging buddy. Remembering your dogs age and ability, he/she may not always be able to keep up with you.
• Try your dog at the beach, always keeping an eye on him/her. Swimming in the ocean or just running along a beach is great exercise and freedom for your dog.
• Agility training using obstacles such as hoops and tunnels is another great way to exercise your dog mentally and physically.
DON'TS
• DON'T- exercise your dog in extreme heat or cold.
• DON'T - tie your dog to a moving car.
• DON'T - leave your dog unsupervised around water such as a pool or in the ocean.
• DON'T - tie your dog to a moving bike.
• DON'T - take your puppy on long walks/runs.
• DON'T - forget to provide your dog with water after any exercise activities.
• DON'T - excessively exercise your dog.
• DON’T- feed garlic to your dog.
DOGGY DIET NEEDS
• There are many different opinions on the kinds of foods you should feed your dog, as well as many different options available to you in the supermarket and at your local vet.
• Nutritional foods make for a healthy dog, with less visits to the doggy doctor.
• DO feed your dog using a stainless steel bowl, one for food and another for water. Plastic bowls can be chewed on by your puppy or adult dog and can also hold germs.
• Raw food vs commercial food is a big conversation and this can be discussed with your vet as these decisions can sometimes be based on individual situations.
• DO try feeding your dog to suit your budget, always making sure their diet is a nutritious one.
• If you DO try raw foods for your dog, these could include foods such as chicken hearts, beef liver, kidney, as well as ground beef and chicken thigh, chicken wings. These can usually be found at your local market.
• DO try foods that look after your dogs dental heath such as apple, pumpkin & carrot. You can also try uncooked bones. Check with your local vet the types of uncooked bones your dog is able to eat.
• Ask your vet for tips on brushing your doggy's teeth too, the earlier your start if you have a new puppy, the earlier you start to do this, easier it will be for your pup as they become adult.
• DON'T feed your dog chocolate, onion, grapes, garlic, certain nuts and seeds, lemons, limes, sugar (sweets). These are all toxic for your dog's digestive system and can be fatal.
• DON'T - feed your dog cooked bones of any kind as they can splinter and harm your dog.
• Feeding your dog a mixture of dry kibble and wet food can be a good option. Dry food, is not always good for your dog's teeth.
• Check out some of the links below to discover diet DO's and DONT's.
