Pet parents understand the importance of having healthy and happy pets, but it can be easy to forget that it is up to us to ensure that our dogs have healthy and happy lives.
While there are a number of major factors that can affect the quality of life for our dogs (such as nutrition, vaccination, exercise, training and grooming etc.), there are also minor factors that can largely affect the health of our dogs. For example, fleas can cause endless irritation and itchy skin. And if you have one of those dogs that chews on everything, including furniture, he may end up hurting himself.
As dog owners, it is our responsibility to keep these daily possible mishaps at bay.
Here are some simple tips you can follow to ensure that your dog stays happy (and healthy) . . .
#1. Give your dog lots of water
A common mistake that most dog owners make is thinking that water is not important for dogs. That is not the case – dogs need plenty of water . . . even more than food.
Dogs are easily prone to dehydration, and you will see signs like dryness and losing the elasticity of the skin.
#2. Take care of their ears
The ears of dogs are extremely sensitive and dogs tend to get ear infections or earaches if it is not taken care of well.
Regularly clean your dog ears with ear wipes or ear drops.
#3. Soothe arthritis
Arthritis is a painful condition that affects most senior dogs. There are a number of things you can do if your dog is suffering from arthritis as arthritis causes joint pain and your dog will find it extremely difficult to even walk properly.
Besides nutrition and moderate exercise, you can put your dog on joint supplements.
In addition, you can also give him a comfortable space in your home like a warm bed, regular puppy massage and also, put ramps around the house that will help your dog.
#4. Stop your dog from chewing furniture
Dogs love to chew on whatever they find. This may end up with splinters for the dog and lots of damage to the furniture (or other specific objects that seem to like to chew on).
There are a number of ways you can keep them away from all that furniture including using smells that they find repulsive. Most dogs do not like the smell of mothballs, vinegar, citrus, etc.
Here is a simple formula that works:
- Add approximately 5 ounces each of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
- Shake the mixture well and spray it on the furniture that your dog wants to gnaw on.
The smell is usually enough to turn him away.
#5. Eliminate fleas
Fleas are the cause of flea dermatitis in dogs and a major nuisance because they cause severe itching and this can lead to sores. You can purchase flea sprays, powders, of frontline from your local store of vet’s office.
You can also try eliminating fleas from your dog by using natural home-made solutions.
Here’s one that’s worth trying:
- Add freshly cut lemon slices in a pot of boiling water and turn of the heat.
- Cover the pot and let it sit overnight.
- Following day, dip in your pet’s comb in the mixture and brush your dog with it.
You can also give your dog a bath with a mixture of lemon juice, fresh water and pet-friendly soap or shampoo.
#6. Stop your dog from digging out the whole backyard
If you want your dog to stop digging into the backyard, add 4 tablespoons of pepper sauce with equal amounts of cayenne pepper and a quart of water.
Just sprinkle this solution over the areas you want your dog to stop digging.
#7. Keep them safe from the sun
Use a sunscreen lotion to keep your dog safe from the harmful rays of the sun especially if you live in areas which are very hot.
Make sure to distract your dog with a game or food after applying the sunscreen so that he does not lick it.
#8. Get rid of dandruff
You can prevent dandruff on your dogs by using lime juice while you are bathing him.
You can also use an anti-dandruff shampoo for your dog.
#9. Ensure clean food bowls
Keeping your dog’s belongings clean is as important as it is to feed them the right food.
Make sure that your dog’s food bowls are cleaned properly, and all the extra food is removed from even the bottom of your dog’s bowl.
Before putting in food to your dog’s bowl, lightly coat it with cooking spray or vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking.
#10. Relieve itchy paws
If your dog is suffering from itchy feet, simply dissolve a bit of Epsom salt in warm water and allow your dog to stand in there for about five to ten minutes.
This will help to relieve his itchy paws.
Word of caution: make sure that your dog does not drink from there!
#11. Prevent shedding everywhere
Shedding is another problem that most dog owners face. You can prevent your dog from shedding all over the place by a number of ways.
Try dampening a towel and rubbing it over his skin and fur. If your dog is shedding at the time, the damp towel will eventually collect it and this helps prevent your house from being a mess.
You can also make this completely natural shedding spray:
In a 4 oz spray bottle add:
- Ten drops each of Clove, Rosemary, Oregano, Lavender, Cedar, Peppermint, Tea Tree essential oils
- Two tablespoons of temp oil
- About 20 drops of Vitamin E
To the rest of the bottle, add fractionated coconut oil.
Spray the solution on your dog and see it work wonders.
Remember brushing your dog regularly and bathing him also goes a long way in order to help with shedding. You can also shorten his fur up a bit.
#12. Remove annoying chewing gums from your dog’s feet
If a chewing gum is stuck on your dog’s paws, you can easily get rid of it by first adding oil to saturate it and then rubbing your fingers to soften it up a bit. Then, gently comb it out and rinse with a shampoo.
There you go!
Just a dozen tips and tricks that you can follow to groom and take care of your dog.
As dog owners, we understand the unwavering love and loyalty our furry friends give us. Hence, any effort that we make to take care of them is always worth it.
Give these tips and tricks a try. We hope you and your dog love them!
