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.

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