My dog Coby’s health and wellbeing is a top priority. I’m sharing my top healthy habits as a dog owner to keep Coby healthy and happy.

Woman and a poodle dog on a beach smiling

Do you have a dog or another pet at home? If so, I’m sure you can relate to the immense love that I have for Coby. With that love comes the desire and need to protect him, give him the best home possible, and responsibility to keep him healthy.

There is a lot of work that goes with dog ownership – training, feeding, exercising, vet visits, grooming – the list could go on! In order to make sure your dog gets everything he or she needs, it is a good idea to establish healthy habits early on. As your dog’s human, it is your job to cultivate those habits and make them stick!

Below, find four healthy habits I’ve established with my dog that are easy to incorporate into your lifestyle and provide benefits for Coby.

Lisa Ann Photography

1. Establish a Daily Routine

Dogs thrive with a daily routine that includes feeding times, exercise, playtime, and rest time. Having structure helps dogs feel secure and confident in their environment, because they know what is expected of them and when. It’s especially important with a new puppy or dog, as a routine helps your dog adjust to your family’s schedule (1).

Your routine doesn’t have to be super strict or regimented – it is more important that it is consistent. For example, you don’t need to take your dog for walks at the exact same time each day, as long as they are getting frequent walks or exercise on a regular basis. (If you can’t get our for walks because of inclement weather, here are the best indoor activities for dogs).

If you have a big life change, such as moving or loss of a family member, this disruption of routine can cause your dog to be more stressed than usual, so be mindful and patient with them as you establish a new routine.

2. Training Never Stops

Training a dog to sit, stay, or come is a learned behavior for them, as they don’t speak our language. Like any learned behavior, it’s possible to forget these commands if time goes on without using and practicing them. So once your dog understands these commands, it is important to continue training them to keep them fresh in their minds.

It can also be fun and exciting for your dog to learn new commands as they master the basics. Dogs love a challenge, so learning new commands activates this drive to learn and work. Try to incorporate even just five minutes of training each day into your daily routine with your dog to keep them engaged.

3. Feeding Nutritious Foods

It’s especially important to opt for a high-quality kibble made with natural ingredients. Dogs require many different nutrients throughout their lives, just like people. Feeding your dog a balanced diet ensures they get the nutrients they need to lead happy, healthy, and active lives. Commercially produced dog foods like kibble are designed to meet the nutritional needs of your dog.

I love to enhance the nutritional value and flavor of Coby’s meals with Wellness CORE Bowl Boosters. These meal toppers are made with whole pieces of freeze dried meat, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Our favorite is the Heart Health recipe, as it contains taurine and L-Carnitine to support a healthy heart. You can also try recipes for Digestive Health, Joint Health, and Skin & Coat Health.

Check out the Wellness CORE Bowl Boosters I feed to Coby!

4. Mental Stimulation

While it’s obvious that dogs require daily physical exercise, they also benefit greatly from and need mental exercise and stimulation. In fact, mental exercise is more tiring for dogs than physical exercise (2)! Dogs were bred to work, so they love to focus on a specific job to stimulate that innate drive.

Mental stimulation can take many forms. You can purchase dog puzzles to encourage them to sniff out treats, or just hide treats and allow them to sniff them out to find them. You can teach them new commands and tricks. You can also simply let them stop and sniff on your walks, instead of hurrying them along.

Thank you Wellness Pet Food for sponsoring this blog post! I’m grateful to partner with brands I truely love, and all opinions are my own.