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We all know that proper exercise and nutrition will keep most of us fairly healthy. But why is it that we don’t exercise our dogs often enough? Why is it that so many people feed their dogs a low-quality kibble?

Below are some tips for keeping your dog as healthy as possible throughout his whole life:

1. Challenge the dog’s mind.

Just like older humans, dogs can start to have memory loss as they age. Teaching the dog new tricks and commands throughout his life will help keep the dog’s mind in top condition. Old dogs can definitely learn new words and concepts, so it’s important to keep training a dog throughout his whole life.

Other ways to challenge the dog’s mind include taking him on new adventures each week, using a dog walking service, visiting new parks or using interactive toys.

2. Socialize the dog.

Socializing the dog is important because it allows the dog to experience new things and meet other dogs and people. Socializing is very important for dog’s well-being, as dogs are pack members. If a dog is aggressive, anxious or fearful due to a lack of socialization, his owner will be less willing to take him out to experience new things, which is very unfortunate for a dog.

Ways to socialize a dog are as simple as setting up dog play dates, taking the dog to dog daycare, walking the dog in new areas and visiting pet-friendly stores. Dogs should learn to be comfortable in all situations such as around kids on a playground, walks near busy streets in the city and out in the country where there are lots of animal smells.

3. Proper exercise

Dogs need more than a 20-minute walk around the block. They usually need a good hour hike every single day. Most of us either can’t or are unwilling to provide this. Luckily, you can probably find a dog walking service in your area.

If you can make it a habit to walk your dog for 45 minutes every single day, you will not have an overweight dog. You will also have a dog that is better behaved. He will have a healthier heart, more muscle and will not have issues that come with obesity such as high-blood pressure or stress on the joints.

4. Healthy food.

The ideal food for almost all dogs is a raw diet. Since most of us are not willing to put in the time to research a proper raw diet, most of our dogs eat dry dog food from a bag. If this is the case, then at least try to substitute some raw bones or raw meat into your dog’s meals at least once a week. If you feed dry food, then read the ingredients and look for foods that offer real meat as the top ingredients. Avoid by-products.

5. Proper veterinary care.

Most of us bring our dogs to the vet for an annual check up and vaccinations. But if you think something might be a little off with your dog, don’t hesitate to bring the dog to the vet more than once or twice per year. The vet can often catch health problems early before they lead to long-term or life-threatening problems.