5 Tips To Extend Your Dog's Life

Extend your Dog's Life Up to 10 (Doggy) Years

We all want our dogs to live forever. If you’re like so many other dog parents, you probably looked up the life expectancy of your dog based on breed and size… And you thought to yourself, “I really hope my dog’s life expectancy winds up on the higher end of the spectrum.” Luckily, there are some simple ways to improve your dog’s health, joy, and life expectancy. All it takes is a bit of proactive planning, attention, and commitment to encourage a healthy doggo lifestyle.

How Can You Keep Your Dog’s Tail Wagging Now and Into a Longer Future?

1. Exercise Regularly: 

Staying active benefits your dog more than you may realise. Dogs are built to walk, run, and play. Even the smallest of breeds enjoy stretching their legs, raising their heart rates, and exploring the world around them with their beloved owner. 

How does exercise benefit dogs? 

To begin, exercise combats obesity. And with dog obesity on the rise, it’s even more important to keep your dog at a healthy weight. 41% of Australian dogs are tipping the scales and are considered obese or overweight. Unfortunately, these chubby dogs have a fat chance at having the same life expectancy and quality of life as a dog that is at a healthy weight. Obese dogs have a higher risk for arthritis, heart disease, cancer, liver disease, and diabetes. In fact, one study of Labs showed that dogs that maintained a healthy weight lived an average of two more years than their overweight counterparts.

Regular exercise helps your dog maintain healthy joints, strong muscles, and good coordination, along with a healthy heart and lungs. 

But it’s not all about physical health. Getting out and going for a walk provides your pup with much-needed mental stimulation. Your dog gets to exercise all his senses and brain by experiencing new and interesting sights, sounds, smells, and more.If he’s lucky, he’ll even get the opportunity to spot a few squirrels and greet a few of his fellow dogs.

Best of all, when you maintain an active lifestyle with your dog by hiking, walking, swimming, and more, you strengthen the bond you have with your best buddy.

So, commit to 30 or more minutes of exercise with your dog today, tomorrow, and into the future, and you will be investing time that can be tacked onto your pupper’s life.

2. Feed Your Dog a Healthy Diet:

Have you ever heard the saying, “you are what you eat?” Well, this statement applies to pooches, too. Providing your pup with a healthy diet is an easy way to provide him with what he needs to thrive. 

What exactly makes one diet healthier than another? To begin, it’s all about what goes into (or doesn’t go into) your dog’s food. This is as simple as reading a dog food’s ingredient list. You want to feed your dog balanced meals with meat as the top ingredient, followed by fruits, veggies, and other beneficial vitamins and minerals. The best dog foods do not contain preservatives, fillers, or inferior and hard to digest ingredients. Be sure you recognize and can pronounce all ingredients in your doggo’s dinner--this is a good test to ensure what you’re feeding your best friend will be tasty and benefit his health.

Choose a dog diet that exceeds AAFCO and PFIAA standards. Look for novel proteins and foods rich in Omegas. Superfoods with antioxidants like blueberries and turmeric also support a healthy immune system to keep your dog’s body ready for the next adventure.

3. Don’t Skip Oral Hygiene:

Who knew the secret to a longer life could come with the side effect of fresher smooches? It’s true! Veterinarians and studies show that keeping your canine’s kisser clean and healthy will help you keep your best friend around for two to five years longer! Not only does a healthy mouth help your dog live longer, it also reduces the likelihood of chronic oral pain and discomfort.

So, how can you keep your canine’s canines shining and healthy? Start with a healthy diet. Feeding your dog the minerals and nutrients he needs to maintain proper strong teeth can help prevent cracks and damage that can give bacteria a footing to wreak havoc on your dog’s mouth. Dry pet foods come with the added bonus of helping knock away plaque before it can develop into tartar and eat away at your dog’s gum line, creating the perfect surface for bacteria to grow.

Begin brushing your dog’s teeth and stick with it. Use a doggie toothbrush and paste, and brush at least three times per week. You can save some money by using a soft-bristled child’s brush. If you want a natural alternative to canine toothpaste, coconut oil will do the trick (plus, coconut oil is a canine superfood). When you brush, remember to be gentle but thorough. 

To ensure doggy dental health, you can also add dental treats and chews to your dog’s dental routine. Dogs also go crazy for raw meat bones, which come with the added benefit of being a healthy source of minerals. Not only will these make your dog happy, but they also do wonders for working tartar off teeth.

Don’t skip your doggo’s dental cleanings. Gum disease is a serious factor when it comes to your dog’s health. In fact, the latest studies show a link between periodontal disease and canine heart disease. As tartar builds up, your dog’s immune system sends white blood cells to the gumline to fight bacteria and infection. Unfortunately, this also results in deterioration of the gums, which can expose a weak spot for bacteria to enter your dog’s bloodstream. When you bring your dog in for a cleaning, your vet will scrape away tartar, check for infections, and provide your pup with a healthy mouth.

4. Maintain Vet Check-Ups:

When it comes to your dog’s wellbeing, your vet plays a vital role. Veterinary visits can help spot diseases, illnesses, and other life-shortening issues before they develop beyond the point of treatment. Always keep in mind that early diagnosis leads to better prognosis. Through bloodwork, a physical check, preventative medicine, and education, your vet is one of the most important resources you have for keeping your dog in tiptop shape. They can even help your dog with behavioral problems like anxiety, which when left untreated can make exercise and mental wellbeing more difficult to maintain.

5. Encourage Positive Mental Health:

Your dog’s mental wellbeing may seem straightforward--play fetch, snuggle, and remind your dog what a good doggo they are. But did you know that keeping your dog calm, confident, and happy can lengthen their life? It’s true! Reducing stress and anxiety improves your dog’s overall health and helps their immune system better do its job. Mental stimulation also wards off boredom, depression, and dementia.

How can you keep your canine mentally healthy and active? Providing your dogs with walks, toys, training and attention are important for keeping your dog engaged and mentally active. 

You also want to be sure your dog’s diet reflects what he needs for better cognitive function. Superfoods that contains vitamins and minerals can reduce oxidants and free radicals to reduce cognitive decline. What ingredients should you look for?

• Vitamins E and C
• Selenium
• L-Caritine
• Omegas 3 and 6

These can be found in tasty and colorful fruits and vegetables like carrots, sweet potato, spinach, blueberries, peas, and rosemary.

Keeping your dog as healthy as they can be is simply a matter of making good choices and staying active. At Petzyo, we formulate our dog foods to be the best they can be for your dog’s benefit. They’re designed to help your dog stay fit, stay alert, and live the best life he can have. Check out our complete selection of 100% natural, high-quality dry and raw dog foods in our range section.