Healthy Canine

If you raise a dog from a puppy and plan on living with that dog for the long haul, there's a good chance that you care about that dog enough to want to give it a long, healthy life. This is a great thing, but it will require some investment of both time and money to make sure that you're really raising a healthy dog. Remember that healthy dogs aren't raised simply with the right food, but with the right challenges, obedience requirements, and relationships that will help the dog adapt and socialize with the world around it.

In order to train a healthy dog, you'll want to focus on a few essential principles.

1. Make sure that your dog gets regular exercise.

Regular exercise is no joke - if you're not getting it, you should, and you should bring your dog with you. Walk your dog at least a half hour a day for a good six days a week. Don't skip out on this - if you have problems sticking to that simple habit, then you'll want to work on yourself, too. A dog's exercise habits might eventually reflect your own, so an investment of time and energy will help both you and your dog to live healthier, longer lives.

2. Have a clear structure of obedience.

The dog lives in your house, not the other way around. If a dog is going to socialize with you, your family, your friends, and other dogs, then it needs to know its place. Too many people give in to their dogs in order to appease them and treat them well - though these people are well-intentioned, their lack of discipline can lead to some mental problems for these dogs. By giving your dog boundaries and clear roles to respect, it will feel at home and know exactly how to behave: calmly and friendly. Set these standards for your dog and enforce them.

3. Don't punish your dog, correct behaviors.

A healthy dog needs to grow up in a friendly but firm environment built on discipline. You can't punish a dog because the dog might not know what it's being punished for. Instead, concentrate on correcting behaviors - don't let a dog get under your skin. If a dog is behaving out of line, firmly and strongly correct the behavior, physically if necessary.

For example, if a dog is barking at the door every time the bell rings, keep the dog on a leash and use that leash to move the dog back to a proper position of relaxation. Make sure that your dog knows that there are boundaries it is not allowed to cross, and be consistent in enforcing these boundaries.

Photo Credits: Randy Son Of Robert