How Your Dog's Diet Affects Their Happiness

We are usually told that we are what we eat. Did you know that what you feed your dog affects their happiness? Good Doggy Treats® wants all dogs and their owners to be happy and part of that is understanding and improving a dog's diet:

Unhealthy & Unbalanced Foods

If your dog is overweight then the chances are that they are not happy. The sad part is that research suggests that almost half of the dogs in America are obese. Being overweight comes with a lot of complications. Your dog will feel additional pressure on his joints, and this can lead to hip dysplasia or arthritis. An overweight dog will find heat more troublesome than one who is not obese. It will be difficult for your dog to exercise if they are fat. Other problems related to being overweight are high susceptibility to heart complications, difficulty breathing, skin issues and higher surgical risks. It also increases a dog’s chances of developing some cancers. A poorly balanced diet can expose your dog to a urinary tract disorder. This infection is brutal on dogs, and your dog will feel pain, discomfort and be irritable. When a dog experiences this, it will affect their happiness. When your dog is battling some or all of these issues, they will be unhappy, and they may have a shorter lifespan. An excellent way of preventing these problems is by giving your dog a healthy and balanced diet. This also involves limiting the number of treats you give your dog. You may convince yourself that you are doing that because you love them but it will only hurt them in the end. You can treat your dog with fruits and vegetables. They are not only sweet but are very healthy too. Doing this will ensure they maintain a healthy weight and live a good quality life which comprises being happy. You can feed your dog foods that are rich in omega 3 and an example is fish. A balanced diet will provide your dog with the nutritional requirements he needs and he will be healthy and happy. Portion control also comes in handy when you want to help your dog to have a healthy weight. 

Feeding Times

You may not think about it but the feeding times you set up for your dog could affect their happiness. There are three types of feeding techniques that dog owners use; timed feeding, meal feeding and free-choice feeding. Timed feeding is mostly used for puppies. It involves giving a dog a specific duration to eat their food, and if they don’t then, you take it away. Meal feeding is whereby you give your dog a particular amount of food twice on a daily basis. Experts recommend meal feeding because it prevents a dog from overeating. Free-choice feeding is whereby you make food available for your dogs throughout, and they can eat whenever they want and any quantity they want. Experts do not advocate for this method because it encourages dogs to overeat and this leads to obesity problems. The feeding time you choose affect your dog’s mood. Let’s assume you choose timed feeding and your dog is a slow eater. This means that you may take away his food before he is satisfied and he will obviously not be happy. Meal feeding and the two meals or one meal a day is not enough to keep your dog satisfied until the next time you give him food then that will not be a happy dog. The best thing to do regarding when to feed your dog is to consult your veterinarian. You will then know which feeding time is best for your dog and this will turn him into a happy dog.

Foods that make dogs comfortable

Sometimes all your dog needs is a little comfort or relief from his pain to feel happy. One of the things you can do is add supplements to their food. Supplements have been known to improve the health and mood of dogs. There are different supplements on the market. Therefore, you should choose the one that best suits your dog’s needs. If your dog is suffering from joint conditions such as arthritis, then you may need to give them glucosamine and chondroitin. These supplements will provide relief from the discomfort. You can also prepare homemade bone broth if your dog does not like taking supplements. The soup will give you the same supplements. Avoid giving your dog the cooked bones. You can also buy the glucosamine and chondroitin as treats. Rosemary can be taken as a herb or as a supplement. When you give it to your dog, it will improve its health because it has antioxidant properties. Also, it will make your dog’s meals tastier, and this will surely get your dog in a happy mood.

Giving Your Dog Vitamin E

Foods that have vitamins will boost your dog’s immune system. Vitamin E mainly has some benefits. Dogs that get vitamin E have better skin, eye, and muscles. Giving your dog these components will make them healthy and happy. Besides, it is rare for a dog to have an overdose of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is also great for healing injuries. Therefore, if your dog is unhappy because of the discomfort of an injury then you can feed them foods with Vitamin E to help them get better faster and they’ll be happy.

Every dog is unique. As helpful as these tips are, you should find the ones that best suit your dog. One way of knowing this is by talking to your veterinarian. You can tell him or her that you were thinking of giving your dog this diet to help them maintain a healthy diet or this supplement to boost their immune system or relieve them of pain. Your veterinarian will then tell you which ones will most likely work for your dog. You do not need to kill yourself to find a way of making your dog happy through food. All you need is to find a healthy diet that your dog loves, that you can easily get and afford. After choosing your diet, try it on your dog for six weeks and assess the results. If you notice your dog becoming healthier and happier with bright eyes then you know that the diet is working for you.