What can I do to help my dog live longer?

Make your dog live longer

It’s distressing for dog parents who are deeply connected to their dogs to think of a day when their babies are no more. Indeed, dogs are not immortal or inanimate; their lives have to come to an end. But the end should not be soon because we made mistakes as dog parents due to ignorance and lack of the right information

Never raise your gorgeous dog on hearsay; seek professional advice before implementing any practice. A small mistake can have devastating effects on your dog’s life.

It takes a responsible and disciplined dog parent to increase the life span of their dogs. Give a dog what it needs, not what he or she loves.

This post provides veterinary tips on increasing your dog’s life expectancy.

What is the life expectancy of dogs?

Small dogs (12–16 years)

Medium-sized dogs (10–12 years)

Large dog breeds age 7–10 years.

The ranges above might only be ideal for some dogs; some leave longer and others less. By practicing the recipe below, you stand a high chance of increasing the years your dog stays alive, healthy, and happy.

What can you do to increase the life span of your dog?

Proper feeding: dogs have specific dietary requirements depending on the age, sex, breed, weight, health complications, weather conditions, and purpose of the dog, e.g., guard dogs, sled dogs, sports dogs, etc. Contact a dog or animal nutritionist for detailed assistance.

Make routine health checkups for your dogs: regularly visit a veterinary clinic or hospital to assess the current health state of your dog, even when they look happy and healthy. Routine checkups enable early disease detection and make the prognosis good. It also helps to eliminate any predisposing factors for disease, e.g., poor feeding, lack of exercise, ticks, worms, etc.

The veterinarian will tell you the next time for a check-up.

Proper housing: the house should be stress-free even during harsh weather conditions. When designing where your dog is to stay, make it comfortable during hot and cold times. Provide soft bedding; do not let your baby sleep on a hard floor.

Routinely exercise your dog to stimulate them mentally, keep them in shape, and burn off excessive calories.

Other good practices to help your dog stay longer include:

Spaying and neutering (get your dog fixed)

Routine vaccination, deworming, and control of ticks, fleas, and mites

Allow your dog to socialize with other dogs.

Regular grooming and bathing

Frequent petting and TLC for your dog will keep them loved. (Never keep your dog in a state of fear.)

Dental care keeps the teeth clean and healthy.

Nobody can know your dog better than you. Be the first ‘’veterinarian and dog behaviorist’’ for your dog. Seek professional advice before drawing any conclusions about the health of your dog.