Get Your Pet on the Path to Wellness in 2017

Just as in humans, health is the first step to happiness for your pets. Good pet health requires many of the same things for your pets as it does for you.

Your pet’s health is dependent on genetics and lifestyle. Lifestyle is under your control, and you can make the best of your pet’s genetic strengths and weaknesses by providing an optimal lifestyle for your particular pet.

Overall health encompasses physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Your Pet’s Health Depends on:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Absence of disease
• Emotional Wellness
• Mental health

Finding the Perfect Diet for Your Pet

A good diet is the wellspring for good health. If your dog has itchy skin, a change in diet can lessen or eliminate that condition. Some dogs don’t tolerate grains, while others seem to thrive on foods with grains. Quality is important, but it can take some time to find the right commercial, homemade or combination of foods that are best for your pet. A pet nutritionist or veterinarian can help you create the best diet for your particular pet.

Getting Appropriate Pet Exercise

Exercise is an essential building block of good health. It helps to keep your pet at a healthy, fit weight which in turn lessens the likelihood of excess weight induced lameness or disease. Whether your dog needs to run miles or your cat just needs 20 minutes of intense play depends on age, fitness level, temperament and ability.

Regular Professional Health Care Can Prevent Diseases in Your Pet

Whether you choose a traditional or holistic veterinarian, it’s important for your pet to have regular check-ups to catch any irregularities in your pet’s health early.

Ongoing pet healthcare can include massages, chiropractic, acupressure and energy balancing. Some veterinarians provide these modalities in their clinics, or you can use an independent practitioner.

Keep Your Pet’s Emotions Healthy by Eliminating Stress

Stress elimination can take many forms depending on your particular pets. Some pets need more exercise and play, while others need more quiet time. If your dog is stressed while going for walks because of dogs barking behind fences or loose dogs in your neighborhood, your pet may get more out of ‘nosework’ –sniffing out treats that you’ve hidden in your home or yard, or learning tricks through positive reinforcement in the safe environment of your home or yard.

Proper socialization of puppies can help dogs to understand dog language and not become reactive around strange dogs and people. However it’s very important to introduce your pup to balanced dogs and humans, so that they aren’t frightened by aggressive or reactive dogs – which can create an aggressive fear response in your pup. If you’re not sure how to socialize your pup, find a positive reinforcement trainer who may have puppy classes to give your pup a good start at becoming a balanced, emotionally healthy dog.

Dogs and Cats Need Mental Stimulation to Keep from Becoming Bored and Destructive

Cats and dogs are hunters by nature. They naturally like to rip and chew particularly when they are young and teething, so giving them appropriate, safe toys and objects to gnaw and shred can save your furniture and provide the chewing stimulation they need.

If your pets are ‘thinkers’ you’ll want to provide puzzles for them to solve. This can involve ‘nosework’ as described above, puzzle toys with treats as motivations, and treat dispensing toys which can keep them busy licking and thinking about how to get the treat hidden inside the puzzle.

Providing adequate mental stimulation will keep your pet emotionally and physically healthy.

Give Your Pets a Hale Pet Door for Their Health and Happiness

When your dogs can get outside regularly, they’ll stay healthy in all 3 areas of their lives because they’ll be getting all the physical, emotional and mental exercise that they need.

Check out our Hale Pet Door products