The most common New Year resolution people make is to live a healthier lifestyle. At the start of the New Year, they will evaluate their current diet and exercise habits and make healthy changes to their lifestyle to improve it. However, despite people fail to put these plans into action. Instead, many tend to start changing their habits at any point in the year.
Similarly, responsible pet owners will also try to make better diet choices to help keep their canine friends healthy. However, this tends to be motivated following a trip to the vet.
Dogs need to have a well-balanced diet to help them stay fit and healthy. Owners need to ensure that their beloved canine friend is receiving the right food, in the correct quantity, in addition to getting enough exercise to keep them fit and healthy. Combining a proper diet with regular exercise and grooming, alongside routine vet assessments will help ensure that dogs are in their best form.
Food is one of the main factors in helping to create a healthier lifestyle for a dog. If you are an owner of a beloved canine friend, it is vital to ensure that they are consuming the correct nutrients to support their growth and development – in addition to their overall health.
Benefits Of Good Nutrition
Having the proper balance of nutrients is essential when feeding your dog. They need a specific combination of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, water and protein each day to help them function normally. Without having adequate nutrition, dogs will struggle to maintain muscle tone, build and repair their muscles, bones and teeth – neither will they be able to perform daily activities with ease. There is also the risk of not being able to fight off an infection.
Each component provides dogs with a different benefit. Carbohydrates can supply a source of quick energy that will allow them to be active and energetic. Minerals and vitamins help with muscle contraction and nerve conduction, as well as working to prevent disease. Protein will help provide them with a source of energy in addition to helping them with muscle growth and function. Lastly, fats are also a great source of energy and will help the brain to function. It will also help to keep the skin and coat shiny and healthy. Here are a few other benefits good nutrition can provide a dog.
Improve Their Coat And Skin – Hair loss and skin irritation or also known as “dog dandruff”, are also a common issues. Both of these symptoms can be distressing problems for dogs. Many pet owners will say the triggers for these problems are due to allergies. However, skin problems can also be caused by a large number of fillers that are in processed, dry dog food.
By updating a dogs diet to include fresher, nutrient-rich ingredients, that contain fatty acids such as omega 3, it can help to improve a dog’s skin and hydrate their coats. If your dog’s skin is dry and you can see flaky spots, check this Native Pet’s guide to dog dandruff. Native Pet offer a vast selection of organic dog supplements. From oils and powders to mix into the food or treats to reward them with good behavior.
Help With Digestion – It is a common trend that the ingredient lists on the back of commercial pet food products will show that they have a significant percentage of protein included. However, this does not clarify the quantity of each ingredient. Instead, this could mean that some of the healthier-sounding ingredients might have only been used in minimal amounts. Additionally, if the dog food claims to contain 30% protein in its products, this does not necessarily mean that all of it is digestible. A dog’s digestive system is not designed to consume a vast bulk of the ingredients found in dry food. The reason being is because it usually ends up turning into great heaps of waste. Switching their food to more highly digestible and fresher products can lead to smaller and fewer stools being produced.
Boost Their Immune System – If a dog has a balanced and robust immune system, its risk of developing heart disease, cancers, diabetes, inflammation or osteoarthritis is noticeably reduced. Naturally, a dog’s body will regulate cells to ensure that they are all working properly, whilst eliminating any potentially harmful pathogens before they develop into a problem. However, even the most minor interruption to such a natural process can cause a dog to experience a vast range of health problems.
Improve Absorption Rates – On the market, various dog foods are marketed as being a great provider in creating a foundation to develop a nutrient-rich diet for your dog. However, most of these products do not always help to increase a dog’s chronically low absorption rate of some of the most vital compounds.
Perks Of Using Organic Dog Supplement
Aside from updating the food your dog eats or the quantity of what they eat, there are additional ways to help with creating a healthier lifestyle for your pet. One of these includes introducing organic dog supplements into their diet.
How To Create A Healthier Diet
After seeing the benefits of ensuring that your dog receives all the essential nutrients to create a fit and healthy lifestyle, the question is knowing how to implement it. It can be challenging to know what steps to take to create a healthier lifestyle for your dog to help ensure that they can live a full and healthy life, and these are just some ways to help improve their diet.
Create Set Times For Meals
Having set meal times for your dog can help to create a routine in their lifestyle. For instance, this could be setting a time in the morning when they have breakfast and one in the evening for dinner. Implementing this will help in ensuring that you do not overfeed or underfeed them. This is because they will be receiving two well-portioned meals, both of which suit their lifestyle and help to keep them healthy.
Stick To An Appropriate Calorie Amount
Alongside creating an eating schedule, ensuring that the amount you are feeding is appropriate for your dog. This can be done by weighing your dog and referring to the instructions on their food package to see the recommended food amount for the size of your dog. Another way to find out what would be the appropriate amount is by consulting with your veterinarian. They will be able to calculate your dogs’ energy requirement, which will be based on their body condition, weight and also their life stage.
Switching To Healthier Treats
It is unreasonable to ask a pet owner to not provide their pet with a treat, rewarding them for good behavior. Instead, switch to healthier treats, especially ones that can help to improve their mobility or alleviate any joint pains.
Creating A Healthier Lifestyle For Your Dog
Combining regular exercise, with a healthy diet that is filled with the essential nutrients and also integrating supplements, can help to create a healthier lifestyle for your pets. By implementing any of these into your dog’s current lifestyle, will help you to notice an improvement in their overall health.