Caring for pets involves more than making sure they have the basics, such as food, water and shelter. It’s also important for you to ensure that your dogs are as happy as possible. What does it take to provide pets with a happy and healthy life? Keep the following tips in mind. 

Regular Exercise

Dogs might spend a lot of time lying around your home, but they do need exercise on a regular basis. Getting physical activity every day helps prevent dogs from becoming overweight, which can raise their risk of health problems. Exercise is also an important part of keeping dogs from getting restless, especially if they are at home by themselves all day. 

Take your dogs for long walks, let them run around your enclosed yard or consider visiting a local dog park. If the weather isn’t pleasant out, you can help your pets get exercise indoors by playing fetch or other games with them. 

Mental Stimulation

Dogs need mental stimulation just as much as they need physical activity to keep their body in shape. Keeping a dog’s brain busy helps prevent boredom, which lowers the risk of having them get frustrated and chew up furniture or bark excessively. Being mentally stimulated also helps them challenge their brain in fun ways that can boost their happiness. 

Use puzzle toys and other games to give your dogs some regular mental stimulation. For example, fill puzzle toys with treats that they have to figure out how to get to. You can also hide a favorite toy, and have them search around your home for it. 

Routine Grooming and Vet Care

Health problems can have a negative impact on your pets’ happiness. Bring your dogs to the vet for regular exams or anytime that you have concerns about their health. Discomfort can cause dogs to act up or even become depressed. Ensuring that your pets are in good health or being treated for health problems can help improve their emotional well-being.

Routine grooming is also important for your pets’ quality of life. You should brush their coat, clean their teeth, trim their nails and bathe them on a regular basis. Skipping grooming can cause issues that make your pets unhappy, such as long nails that are uncomfortable when walking or dental problems that make it painful for them to eat.