A Dog’s Guide to Happiness

Part One - A dog’s idea of life lived to its fullest

Our dogs mean the world to us. They provide companionship, joy, entertainment, comfort, loyalty, fulfillment, and unconditional love. These animals are so amazing, they have rightfully elevated themselves from simple pet status to full-fledged members of our families with a special place in our hearts. 

We do our best to take care of our pups. We take them on walks, feed them quality food, play with them, treat them, take them to dog parks. But is it enough? Are we missing anything? What does a fulfilled life look like for a dog?

While pups and people have been bonded together for centuries, they experience the world in completely different ways. There is an entire world that dogs experience that is undiscovered by most of us.  By learning to see the world from a dog’s point of view, we can come to understand our pups in a whole new way, strengthening our bond and taking the next step to living our best lives together.

For instance, did you know that dogs’ primary sense, which they use to navigate and understand their world, is scent, not sight? And yet, how often do we usher our dogs along on a walk when they spend more than a few seconds sniffing that fire hydrant? All because we think it’s more important to keep the walk moving along? 

These moments spent sniffing are valuable information gathering times for our dogs. Missing out on that is like walking around your world blindfolded half of the time. What’s worse, denying our pups the freedom to explore their world in the way nature intended, can cause undue stress or anxiety, often leading to unwanted behaviors. When a dog is able to see their entire world clearly and in focus, that feels fulfilling, safe, and enriching.  

The best part is, sniffing is just one of the many tools we can use to guide our pups to be balanced and better behaved! While none of us will ever be perfect, there is a lot we can do to make sure our pups get the enrichment they need to live their best life.

Achieving this means looking at a few targeted areas key to the wellbeing of our furry friends. These include a quality balanced diet, a clear and consistent communication system, appropriate mental challenge and enrichment, and proper exercise for their age and physical ability. Meeting their needs in these four key areas will help their minds be peaceful and happy, their bodies thrive, and their hearts be full. 

Stay tuned for some in-depth looks into these key areas and tips for how to give your pup their best life possible!