How To Make Your Dog Live Longer Without Uploading Their Consciousness To A Computer

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Dogs live unfathomably short lives. It seems as if nature and selective breeding have cursed them to an early death, some time in their mid-teens. It’s a tragedy that dog owners and their children must endure, year in, year out.

Surely there’s a solution? Well, it turns out that dogs are a little bit like people in that respect: if they lead happy, healthy and productive lives (well, perhaps not productive), then they can live a lot longer. As a proud owner, what can you do to ensure that your pooch is around for many years to come?

Encourage Natural Exercise And Movement

Dogs bodies - if you’ll pardon the expression - need movement. Wolves - the wild forebears of the domestic dog - spent large portions of the day on their feet, tracking prey and looking for food. Dogs share a lot of their genetics and need for physical activity with their wild counterparts and need exercise to stay healthy and happy.

There’s evidence that exercise releases the same feel-good hormone in dogs as it does in humans. Dogs need exercise to help balance their mood and regulate their emotions. If they don’t get it, they’re liable to become cranky, badly behaved and depressed.

Choose Healthful Foods

Dogs, just like people, can benefit enormously by reducing their caloric consumption: the healthier the food dogs eat, the better. Thanks to the internet, finding the best healthy dog food is easy. There are all kinds of options out there who want their dogs to live fulfilling, disease-free lives.

No diet can protect against all diseases, and some dogs will get sick no matter what. But there is evidence that when dogs eat well, they reduce their risk of heart disease and inflammatory joint issues which can adversely affect their quality of life.

Researchers suggest that owners try to avoid feeding their pets excessive sodium, sugars, and fillers.

Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

The state of a dog’s mouth says a lot about the animal’s overall health. The healthier their mouths, the more robust will be the rest of their bodies. The bacteria that cause periodontal infections have a nasty habit of making their way into other tissues in the body, causing infection and leading to the buildup of plaques. Plaques, of course, can then lead to things like heart disease which can put your pooch’s life at risk. Diligent owners, therefore, make a habit of brushing their dog’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste, clearing away the gunk, and giving them fresher breath.

Keep Life Enjoyable

Researchers find that when people enjoy life and have a purpose, they tend to live longer. There’s no reason that the same principles don’t carry over to dogs. Happier dogs are likely to be healthier dogs.

Unfortunately, there are no miracle treatments right now that will drastically extend the life of your dog. But by making several small changes to their lifestyle, you can ensure that your pooch is around for as long as possible, giving them a few extra years in good health.