At this time of year, we all start with a goal in mind for the following year, full of aspiration, desire and commonly a healthier lifestyle... so, why not include your dog in your planning for 2024.
Your dog might be grappling with a specific ailment—whether it's a few extra pounds or a behavioral concern that requires attention. The onset of a new year offers an ideal opportunity to address persistent issues. The new year serves as a clean slate, presenting the perfect moment to confront ongoing challenges. However, even dogs that appear perfectly healthy can experience positive outcomes from minor adjustments.
Simple changes you can make for a Healthier Dog
Providing a bit more outdoor time, incorporating healthier, fresh food, and making other small changes can significantly impact any dog's mental and physical well-being. This approach enhances the likelihood of enjoying more joyful new years together.
If you're seeking a starting point, here are some simple changes you can make for a healthier dog in 2024.
Swap out (some) processed food for fresh
Our understanding of the profound impact diet has on both our physical and mental well-being continues to grow. Moreover, a growing body of research indicates that the advantages humans derive from good nutrition are also applicable to our dogs. To kick off the new year on a wholesome note, explore opportunities to replace the heavily processed foods in your dog's daily diet with fresh alternatives.
Here are some tips for simple swaps:
Transition to fresh food from kibble! It's evident (bias alert!) that we hold a firm perspective on canine nutrition—ourselves and an increasing number of veterinary professionals believe that a daily regimen of dry, ultra-processed food negatively impacts your dog's overall health. Enrolling in a fresh-food plan represents a comprehensive nutritional enhancement for your pup. Simply share details with "WAGGERS" about your dog's age, breed, weight, activity level, and more, and receive meticulously portioned, complete, and balanced whole food delivered to your doorstep.
Implement gradual changes:
A positive aspect of nutritious food is that even a small inclusion in your dog's diet can have a significant impact. If you typically provide kibble or canned food, experiment with enhancing your dog's daily meal by adding fresh elements like small portions of steamed vegetables, a handful of berries, plain pureed pumpkin, or unseasoned meat (ensure proper cooking according to food safety guidelines, avoiding excessive heat and charring). Limit this supplement to no more than 10% of their daily intake. Introducing this modest amount of fresh, whole food offers a health boost while maintaining a balanced diet and mitigating the risk of weight gain.
If your dog appreciates these fresh additions, consider elevating the change by substituting 25% or half of their processed food with fresh alternatives. You can integrate fresh food into each meal or replace a specific number of meals per week. Ensure the inclusion of complete and balanced fresh food, and introduce the transition gradually to allow your dog's digestive system to acclimate.
Swap out treats:
Regardless of your dog's daily diet, additional calories and harmful substances can infiltrate through ultra-processed treats. Despite their small size, many packaged treats are calorie-dense and heavily processed, posing a significant threat to your dog's well-being. Opt for small portions of fruits or vegetables instead. View each treat as an opportunity to introduce potent, easily digestible nutrients into your dog's system. Consider offering bite-sized pieces of apple or pear, a handful of blueberries, or small chunks of steamed carrot, broccoli, or green beans.
These options are rich in nutrients that combat inflammation and support immunity.
Experiment to discover your dog's preferences, introduce these alternatives gradually, and administer them in small amounts.
Ensure Precision in Portions:
Fresh, minimally processed food plays a crucial role in maintaining your dog's overall health. However, in addition to quality, accurately determining the right quantity of food is paramount.
A majority of dogs in the U.S. (more than 56% in 2022) are dealing with the challenges of being overweight or obese, leading to severe health implications. Obesity is considered a significant health threat by many veterinary experts, correlating with a range of problems such as arthritis, chronic kidney disease, bladder/urinary tract disease, liver disease, diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, and cancer. Dog owners may overlook the issue, as even a slight excess weight can trigger adverse effects. Unlike humans, where we might dismiss "a few pounds" as inconsequential, for a dog, those few pounds can pose a serious health risk.
With the thin margin of good health often being just five or six pounds (even less for smaller dogs), precision in portion control becomes crucial. Achieving accuracy necessitates understanding your dog's daily calorie requirements.
If you are accustomed to feeding kibble, you might have measured meals in scoops or cups. However, the guidelines on kibble bags tend to be vague, overlooking your dog's unique needs. Factors such as breed, age, activity level, and spaying/neutering status influence dietary requirements. Standard kibble-bag feeding ranges often neglect these crucial factors, leading to overfeeding based on overly generous suggested portions.
Enrolling in a fresh-food plan simplifies the process of determining the correct total caloric intake and food portions based on your dog's specific needs. It also facilitates easy adjustments in daily calories according to changing weight-management needs.
Regularly monitor your dog's weight and consult with your veterinarian to tailor the feeding plan to your dog's specific requirements.
Evaluate Your Pets's Body Condition:
Reiterating its significance, weight management stands out as a crucial and readily achievable method to safeguard your dog's long-term health.
Monitoring your dog's weight is advisable, with regular checks during vet visits to ensure it aligns with healthy parameters specific to your pet's breed, size, and age. Additionally, you can conduct a body condition test at home to gauge your pet's leanness or fatness.
Veterinarians utilize a Body Condition Score, assessed through sight and touch on a 1-5 or 1-9-point scale ranging from too-skinny (1) to obese (9). This evaluation determines whether your dog needs to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Performing this test at home is an ideal and healthy habit to adopt.
To conduct the test, simply observe and touch your dog's ribs, belly, and waist.
If you can clearly see all their ribs, they may be too lean.
If you can easily feel but not see their ribs, and they exhibit a "waist" and abdominal tuck, they are at an ideal body condition.
If you can't feel their ribs due to a layer of fat, and they display a barrel shape, they may be too heavy.
Incorporate an Extra Hour of Exercise Weekly:
Physical activity is a cornerstone for improvement in various aspects of our lives and overall health.This principle holds true for dogs and humans, with mindful daily exercise contributing to weight management, preventing a range of ailments, and mitigating stress in dogs.
While conventional wisdom suggests that dogs should have a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of exercise per day, many dogs can benefit from more extensive and intense physical activity.
For those aiming to cultivate a healthy habit for themselves and their dogs this year, prioritize the concept of "moving more." For a healthy, adult dog (consult with your vet before initiating any new exercise regimen), target at least one hour of exercise per day. If your dog is already getting around an hour of walking daily, consider adding an extra hour of activity that incorporates running or jumping.
Establish Daily Training as a Routine:
If incorporating some form of training is part of your personal new year plan, remember to include your furry companion! While January is National Train Your Dog Month, any month is an opportune time to begin integrating more training into your dog's daily routine.
Mental exercise is paramount for dogs—it can expend as much of your dog's energy as physical activity and carries numerous behavioral benefits. Although there are various ways to provide mental engagement—ensuring ample sniffing opportunities on walks and playing "nose games" at home—training stands out as a genuine win-win, offering advantages to both your pet and yourself .
Here are a few suggestions to foster a healthy training habit.
Transform everyday actions into teachable moments: If your dog tends to bark or lunge when the doorbell rings, practice having them sit instead. Your new habit could be as straightforward as training them to wait for a cue before diving into their food bowl or sitting calmly while you put on their leash before walks.
Select an "aspirational" skill and strive to master it: Have you ever marveled at a dog responding to their owner's command to "leave it" or "come" when faced with a tempting situation? The new year is an ideal opportunity to conquer a significant new skill.
Commands like recall and "leave it" are exceptionally useful, and while teaching them may seem challenging, it only requires patience and daily practice. Begin with small steps in a controlled environment, gradually increasing the level of distraction.
The beauty of incorporating more training is its flexibility—it can be done anywhere and doesn't demand a substantial time commitment. In fact, keeping training sessions brief—around 5-10 minutes each—keeps your dog enthusiastic and engaged. Every moment spent on training is an investment that yields a happier dog and strengthens the bond between you and your furry friend.
Mindfully dedicating extra time to your dog translates to a happier year for both of you!
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