How To Make Your Dog Happy
Our dogs do so much for us. They can turn the evening of a terrible day at work or a bad breakup into a laugh session. But how do you give back to man’s best friend? Is there a way to show your dog how much you love them and make your dog happy?
Dogs are simple creatures - what makes them happy ties very much into keeping them healthy and playing into their natural tendencies. Let's see how to do that…
Physical Touch
The vast majority of dogs love receiving pats from people they like. Taking the time to stroke your dog's head and back is a quick love and happiness boost that will release a ton of serotonin.
Dogs may not always like being hugged, as being restrained can be a source of stress, but they will probably still enjoy being able to cuddle up to you or even just sit nearby you.
Dogs who have been traumatized may be very hesitant or nervous about your touch, but they may warm up to you in time. Take things slow with them and let them initiate the affection without overwhelming them.
Provide Enough Exercise
Exercise is not everyone’s idea of fun, but it probably is for your dog. Even if they are a bit of a couch potato, adequate exercise is necessary for both your dog’s physical health and mental wellbeing.
What exercise and how much you go for will depend on your breed's needs, but try to give them some variety too. This can include swimming, running in the dog park, and/or obstacle courses on top of their regular walk schedule.
Frequent exercise helps dogs to relax and relieve boredom, which can cut down on negative behavior. If you don’t have enough time to increase the walk time for your dog, consider hiring a dog walker so they get two walks a day instead of one.
Going to new places (provided your dog is well-trained enough) can also be exciting and fun. Dogs love sniffing new places on trails, parks, and beaches.
Playtime
Dogs are social creatures. Sometimes this means getting your dog together with other dogs to have some fun. This can either be at a dog park or on a doggy playdate. At other times, dogs may prefer to do a fun activity alone with you.
Playtime can include games such as fetch and hide-and-seek or playing with dog toys such as chew toys or tug-of-war. Dogs love chewing and use it as a form of stress relief, so always make sure you have a few good-quality chew toys on hand. You can rotate these around so they feel fresh and exciting for your dog.
Try to give each of the dogs in your house at least some one-on-one playtime with you during the day without interruption from your other dogs. Most dogs love their owners very much, and attention from you is a special treat to them.
Make sure to include some enrichment for them, whether this be food games, lick mats, puzzle-solving, or other tasks to keep your dog’s brain engaged.
Keep Training
It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks. While training your canine companion from young is very important, even adult and senior dogs can benefit from regular training sessions.
Training adult dogs helps maintain their skills, and it can provide them with a way to stay mentally stimulated.[1] Successful training sessions can also help build your dog’s confidence and impact their emotional well being, helping them to remain more sure of themselves and assertive in difficult times.
You may need to slow down a little for senior dogs, showing them patience. But keeping them engaged will help keep them a little bit more active, allow them to spend time with you in a meaningful way, and give them mental stimulation to keep their minds sharp.
You may also take the time to teach senior dogs new behaviors that they need - such as using stairs to climb on the couch to preserve their joints.
Regular Vet Checkups and Monitoring of Weird Behavior
It is natural that your dog’s physical health ties in greatly to their mental well-being. Oftentimes, dogs who have suddenly become reserved, depressed, or aggressive were revealed to have actually been suffering from an illness or injury that was going undiagnosed.
Now, not all strange behavior requires an immediate vet visit, but it is good to be aware of your dog’s behavior, including signs of common illnesses or pain, or potential stress factors in your dog’s life that you can combat better.
Getting regular checkups can help diagnose an issue early, giving time to react and treat it before it becomes a serious problem.
Surprisingly, some dogs may even suffer from mental illness.[2] While not exactly the same as humans, some dogs can suffer from depressive episodes, anxiety, phobias, and even certain OCD-like compulsions and symptoms.
Mild symptoms can include things such as trembling, hiding, nervousness, misplaced aggression, and repetitive behaviors. More severe symptoms, such as when the issue is untreated, can include things such as refusing to eat, destructive tendencies, and even self-mutilation.
Treatment for mental illness in dogs might be easy, such as increasing their exercise and mental stimulation, but may at times require medication to combat.
Giving Your Dog Freedom of Choice
This may sound like a weird one, however, it's been shown that a good way to make your furry friend happy is to offer them a degree of choice in their lives.
As responsible dog owners, many of us make most of the choices for our dogs to keep them happy, choices such as when and how much to eat, when to walk, how far to walk, etc. This is a good thing, but studies show that dogs are often more confident, stable, and happier if offered a measure of control in their lives.[3]
For example, if possible, you can let your dog choose where to sleep for the night. You may provide them with multiple toys, even if they serve the same function (Would they like to play fetch with the ball or the disk?). Give them some time to sniff something interesting on a walk or follow a different route that they would like.
It's not worth overthinking the situation, but allowing them a few choices in creating their own fun can improve their happiness.
Relaxation Techniques
A good way to keep your dog happy is to help them stay relaxed and stress free.
There are a number of techniques you can provide, such as by giving them a time-out zone where they won’t be bothered or by playing classical music for them.
One strategy is to try learning doggie massage techniques. This may sound complicated, but mostly just involves you pressing and rubbing your dog’s muscles with the flat palm of your hand in a circular motion. You can start at the top of their neck and slowly make your way down their back and legs while they’re relaxing next to you.
Not every dog will appreciate this, but you will probably see pretty quickly if they like it or not. Dog massages will help your dog relax and destress, and can assist in treating some health issues like stiff joints by increasing blood flow.
You can also provide your dog with some dog pajamas or a snug vest. The swaddling sensation can help dogs feel more secure and comforted. Physical touch has a calming effect on dogs, and clothes can simulate that snuggling effect they would get from cuddling you or their littermates.
If you would like to try the effect of dog pajamas for yourself, try out Sparkpaws stylish Dog Pajama Collection for comfortable and attractive dog clothes.
Balance New Experiences and Comforting Routine
Dogs like routine. A routine can be comforting and familiar; it helps dogs know when they will be fed or roughly where and when they will go to bed.
However, like humans, dogs can benefit a lot from new experiences. It provides mental stimulation and enrichment into their lives.
We’ve already discussed trying new forms of exercise and playtime, but a new experience can also just be something small. Why not try some new food, a new kind of treat, a different type of toy, or a visit to a new location to bring a little spice to your furry friend’s life?
Conclusion
Dogs are somewhat simple, and they like many of the things that make humans happy.
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Touch - Dogs like to be shown affection through petting and cuddling.
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Exercise - Dogs need exercise to burn off stress and keep them mentally healthy.
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Playtime - Providing toys and games, especially a variety, will go a long way to making your dog happy
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Training - Training provides dogs with a purpose and helps them feel confident and happy. Even for adult dogs.
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Good Health - Pain and illness are the main things that will make your dog unhappy, so try to avoid them. Mental illness may also be an issue that needs treatment.
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Choice - Providing your dog with choices will help them feel secure and give them a chance to go for their preferred preferences.
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Relaxation - Dog clothes and massage techniques can help stave off stress.
- New experiences - New experiences can be fun and exciting ways to provide mental stimulation to a bored dog.
We are sure your dogs love you very much and that being with you is what will make them the most happy they can be.
Happy Walking!
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