A happier, healthier dog - summary & next steps

I hope you enjoyed Front Of The Pack’s course on how you can nurture a happier, healthier dog. Below is a quick summary of everything we learned.

Nutrition

• Pay attention to whether the food is actually nutritious and certified by industry bodies like AAFCO
• Get a better understanding of how much food your dog should be eating
• Be aware of the most toxic foods to dogs — chocolate, caffeine, grapes, raisins and seeds are all poisonous!

Exercise

• Assess your dog’s individual exercise needs based on its age, breed and other health limitations
• As a general guideline, almost all dogs need at least 30 minutes of exercise per day
• Exercise is a great way for dogs to release stress, as well as strengthening muscles and joints

Home Life

• Setting boundaries around what your dog can and cannot do is important for allowing to be better-behaved and more loveable dogs
• Restricting their space and their feeding times isn’t cruel! Dogs look to you to be their leader
• Scheduling playtime provides mental stimulation for dogs, but it can also be a great training tool — it allows them to better understand what’s acceptable to chew

Socialization

• Socializing with humans and other dogs is important to do as soon as possible in a dog’s life. This allows them to understand what good etiquette looks like and reduces the chance of them developing behavioral issues later in life

Love

• Paying attention to your dog’s diet, providing structure and routines (whilst of course providing lots of hugs) is all part of showing love to your dog
• Keeping a dog by your side 24/7 is likely to lead to unhealthy attachment bonding — such that a dog may become highly distressed when you leave them if only for a short while

If you have any questions or feedback, please drop us a note at hello@fotp.commailto:hello@fotp.com any time. We’d be more than happy to help.

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