Prolonging Your Dog’s Lifespan: Strategies to Extend Your Canine Companion’s Life

Dogs and humans share a special bond. Since the earliest of times, dogs have thrived along with their human companions, and their love and trust for each other have also been documented in historical texts and folklore. Every dog comes up with pure joy that fills our lives.

Every dog parent would acknowledge the love and bond that they share with their furry babies. It seems as if the journey of a bouncing puppy to a mellow senior happens almost in the blink of an eye. For people who share their lives with these friendly individuals, it seems they do not live long enough – this is the one major downside of owning a dog.

Ideally, we would want all our furry babies to live forever. While the lifespans of our dogs are not as much as ours, a few simple changes we can make to their lifestyle and how we care for them every day to ensure they live as comfortably and as long as possible. These steps are about prevention, where you are more proactive than reactive.

Feeding them a balanced and healthy diet

We always hear that our bodies are temples, and all we put into them is what would come of them. Well, this particular dictum applies to dogs and their food too. We must feed our dogs a well-balanced diet so that they are optimally healthy and live a long & fulfilling life.

Dogs are omnivores. It means they can eat plants and meat, just as we do. Therefore, you must not restrict their diet to either one of those.

You need to make sure that they are getting their nutrients from both these sources. Also, always feed them food recognized by AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials).

Taking care of their teeth

If you still need to take good care of your teeth, now is the time. Our eyes are the windows to our souls. Similarly, our teeth are the windows to the rest of our bodies. Gums and teeth are secret pathways for diseases and bacteria to enter a dog’s body and wreak havoc.

The worst thing is that most dog parents do not even realize that. There is more to this than bad breath. Bacteria that surround the roots of their teeth can gain access to their bloodstream too!

Keeping them active without overdoing it

Joints are supposed to be supported by muscles, and if they are not toned, your dog will experience a drastic reduction in their mobility. If the joints are in motion, they stay limber. If not, they would become stiff.

So, you’ll need to start including the right kind of exercise, stretching, and conditioning in your routines, and this needs to be done as early as possible. Please do not wait until they become seniors and cannot get up.

Keeping their minds in shape 

Just like people, dogs depend on mental stimulation to keep themselves happy. If a dog is bored, it can become anxious and depressed. It can fall ill too! One way to extend the lifespan of your dog is to keep them busy. Even as they get older, keep their minds busy with enrichment activities such as the following:

• training
• socialization
• games
• one-on-one attention

You must think your dog is young enough to teach them new tricks. You can also sign them up for advanced obedience lessons.

Bonding with them 

If you have a strong bond with your dog as a caregiver, it can help you maintain a happy relationship with them that is mutually beneficial for you both. This way, it also becomes easier to spot subtle changes in their behavior that could indicate a problem.

You can play with them and reward them with vegetarian treats when they deserve it – this is another unique way to strengthen the bond with your furball.

Taking them for the regular veterinary visits

At least once a year, you need them to take you to the doctor’s chamber as you need to do so. However, once they become seniors, you must double the frequency of these vet check-ups.

It means that you need to go at least once every six months. It is hard to admit, but our canine babies age faster than we do. We must be proactive since we want them to live as long as possible.

Finding the correct breed 

Have a clear idea of the perfect dog breed for you. Like your spouse, your dog would be a partner to stay with you for a long time. It could be better or worse, so you have to choose the right breed that can adapt to your lifestyle and be comfortable with it.

Indeed, a divorce between human beings can be devastating for all, but if you are not paired with the right dog breed, it could have fatal consequences for the latter.

Making sure that they do not become obese 

If there is one thing that you can do for your dog, let it be this one. Could you make sure that the dogs are at a healthy weight? It is not that obesity is an issue with the American population – it affects the dogs over here as well. According to an estimation, in the USA (United States of America), at least 50% of dogs are classed obese.

Studies say that if a dog is overweight, it will live two years fewer than what they would have if they were of the right weight.

Filtering their water 

Have you ever given thought to the things that are there in the water that your dog drinks? Bottled water products and tap water contain plenty of contaminants.

These contaminants can be eliminated with simple water filters. Some of the contaminants found in unfiltered water may be enumerated below:

• cyst
• heavy metals
• chlorine
• pharmaceuticals

These can affect their overall health and especially their coat and skin. It is always better to use stainless steel bowls and glasses for them to drink their water.

Giving them the treatment that they need

If their joints are paining, there is a good chance that your dog will not exercise as it cannot. If they seem stiff or are limping, you must take them to the vet, as medicines could help them feel better. You may also look for a rehabilitation center for your dogs within your area.

Over there, your pup could receive therapeutic exercises from experts. With proper therapy and medication, they could return to being active again.

Conclusion 

So, if you have lived with a dog, you would know that they do not live long enough with us. At least, that is how it feels so often. In most cases, dogs do not live beyond ten years. At the most, they live for 14 years. In some cases, they can live for a long time.

In others, they may be naturally vulnerable to ailments that shorten their lifespan. You may not know several genetic similarities between dogs and humans, including being predisposed to age-related cancer. So, many things you do to stay healthy would work for your dog too.

FAQs

Q: What helps dogs live longer?

A: The following are steps that you can take. These include:

• avoiding obesity
• getting consistent vet check-ups
• maintaining joint health
• keeping their minds and bodies active
• not neglecting their dental health
• feeding them high-quality food

Q: What food helps dogs live longer?

A: High-quality freeze-dried food and green leafy vegetables are commendable foods that help dogs live long. Because the nutrients are not destroyed by cooking.

Q: How can I slow down my dog’s aging?

A: Following are some steps that you can take to make sure that your dog is aging slower:

• keeping them trim
• feeding them a complete diet
• exercising with them
• keeping them free of pain

Q: Do dogs live longer on homemade food?

A: A study has shown that dogs who eat home-cooked meals live for around 13. One year, while dogs fed industrially processed food live for 10.4 years on average.

Q: Does fasting help a dog live longer?

A: Fasting is an excellent way for a dog to stay healthy. Because it helps improve their health and allows them to manage their weight loss a lot better.