Sunday, November 08, 2009

What's your dogs lifespan?

Title: What's your dogs lifespan?


What Is The Lifespan of Your Dog?

10 years, 12 maybe, 15 tops, most people believe that is
the lifespan of their beloved dog. Contrary to popular
opinion it is not unusual for well cared for and well fed
dogs that have had optimum nutrition and a caring partner
to live past 20 years.

Our beloved pets cannot talk to us and they can only hope
that we are aware of their health conditions by knowing
what they are usually like and noticing any behavioral
changes.

If your dog starts to eat more or less food than normal
this could be one sign that there is a problem and also if
they gain or lose weight they could be suffering from some
health problems. Even if a normally quiet dog starts
whining or barking more often they might be trying to give
you a signal that something is not quite right in their
life.

Today a lot of the health problems that our pets are
suffering from is due to the foods they are being fed. And
this is due to the ingredients being used to manufacture
our commercial dog foods. The most popular dog foods often
use byproducts with added chemical preservatives and
artificial colors to make it look good. Ingredients such
as sodium are added to the dog food to make it more
palatable. In fact excessive sodium can be detrimental to
the well being of your dog.

Some dog food manufacturers will also use a high percentage
of grains like corn, wheat, soy to add bulk to the food
while doing nothing for the all-over nutrition of the dog
food. These byproducts and fullers have very little
nutritional value and are certainly not helping in the
overall health of our animals.

Not all of our dog's health problems can be blamed on the
food he/she eats. Obesity and the associated problems that
are present from being overweight is one of the main
reasons for the shortened life span.

One of the best things you can do for your dog besides
regular exercise, good food, water and shelter, is to be
aware of any changes that it might exhibit in all aspects
of it's life. Particularly as dogs get older they might
seem like they are just not interested in exercise any
longer but this might be due to the fact that they are
suffering from pain of some form or another.

Many older dogs suffer from arthritis and this can be very
painful.There are all sorts of remedies that can help your
dog from natural remedies to ones that your local vet might
prescribe. Older dogs can become depressed because they
are no longer getting the required stimulation mentally and
a depressed dog will suffer just as a human can do in
similar circumstances.

If we ensure that our dogs get the optimum nutrition,
enough exercise, along with a regular checkup at the Vet,
this is a good solution to ensure that your dog is always
in optimal health and that includes their mental state. We
can expect their lifespan to be considerably more than
current levels and reach that 20 year mark. Remember always
be aware of their behavior and it will ensure that your dog
has a happy and long life.

A regular checkup at the Vet and the best premium dog food
you can afford is a good solution to ensure that your dog
is always in optimal health and is with you a long time.

About the Author:

George Baker is a semi retried professional breeder of
service and working dogs where dog nutriment is a daily
returnee for him. To keep your dog/puppy healthy. Learn
more about dog nutation and holistic natural dog foods, go
to http://www.holisticpuppyfood.com