Daily care checklist to keep your dog happy and healthy

Caring for a dog isn’t complicated, but it’s more than just feeding and walking them. Pet ownership involves more than providing basic needs like water, food, and shelter; it’s about ensuring their overall well-being.

The best-case scenario is for animals to thrive in their new homes, and years of experience have taught us that those who truly love animals will do their best in this respect. After all, it has evolved into something that makes it justifiable for pet owners nowadays to be called pet parents. It all involves ensuring that the animal in their care has a happy and healthy life.

For many of the animals in our care, it sounds like more than a dream come true, especially since they are desperately looking for someone to check off those bare necessities. So, here are some things people do to ensure their pets are thriving.

Routine checks every pet owner should perform

Don’t get scared! Although being an involved and caring pet owner means being invested, some things will take up time and mind space only the first couple of times you must do them. Afterward, it becomes routine: you do it without thinking, and everything runs smoothly.

Also important to note is that these could be done daily, weekly, monthly, or at other intervals. So there is no reason to feel overwhelmed, especially since you were surely doing most of them, maybe even more often than required. Let’s see.

Daily routine

In the morning, take your dog out for its first potty break. Rinse out the water bowl and provide fresh water along with its breakfast. A brisk morning walk or a round of play is highly recommended as it promotes physical health and mental stimulation. During this time, quickly assess your pet’s physical condition and notice whether there are changes in the level of energy or appetite.

You can get on with your day if you don’t notice anything different or worthy of your attention.

Around midday, another potty break and a short walk are very much needed. If no one is home to take the dog out, provide access to the yard. If possible, hire a dog walker or ask a friend or family member to help.

Interactive playtime and dog puzzle toys would also be beneficial around this time of day. If you work from home, you could schedule some time for cuddles, training, or whatever you both like to do, as it would provide a great bonding moment.

This is the best time for the dog to work off its peak energy levels, so the evening routine is left for calming, connection, and closing the day.

The evening routine is supposed to be about winding down, getting some nourishing food, some final walks and exercise to guarantee a good night’s sleep, quiet time with the family, grooming, and other essential health and hygiene tasks. These include brushing the fur, checking for ticks if the dog has been out playing in the long grass, especially in the rainy season, checking the skin, ears, eyes, and paws for dirt, irritation, and scratches. When checking the dog’s mouth, ensure it has no trouble swallowing and brush its teeth.

Some people might prefer to clean the water and food bowls after dinner, while others prefer to do it right before breakfast. It’s up to you to choose whichever fits your routine best. Just do it at least once daily, as you would not like to eat out of a dirty plate either. Some people even recommend that owners of particularly drooly breeds wash them after every meal.

Weekly

Do a weekly check of your overall routine to see whether you can make any changes and how they could benefit your dog. Maybe your dog is not getting enough walks or exercise, or perhaps you are doing activities that overstimulate your friend instead of getting him ready for bed.

Ensure that what you do during the day aligns with his dietary needs, health and physical exercise needs, mental stimulation needs, and connection to you and the rest of the family.

Look at your entire week. Has your dog had enough exercise? Have you been to a park at least two or three times? Has he had the chance to socialize and play with other dogs at least once a week, if not more? Does your dog get quality family time with you and other household members? Do you have enough potty breaks during the day? Is the water bowl consistently cleaned and refreshed?

Monthly

These are generally health and hygiene tasks. They may look like many in bulk, but if you space them out and set up a calendar with reminders for each, it will take seconds to complete them and ensure you can check them off your list.

Parasite prevention is a must. Checking the skin for ticks has already been mentioned, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe. Topical application of tick repellent solutions is a great way to go. The same goes for fleas. Depending on the size of the dog and on your outside schedule, you can choose one of a variety of solutions.

Heartworm medication is equally important and must be part of your preventive routine. It’s best to set a reminder for this one so you don’t skip a dose.

Trimming nails is another monthly task, but it can also depend on how much time the dog spends outdoors on concrete, as that can help wear the nails more than it would for a dog that only walks on soft surfaces.

Bathing is done every 4-6 weeks, depending on the breed and the type of fur. It is best to do this according to each dog’s specific needs. Being too meticulous can have the opposite results.

Do a body check and feel your dog’s waistline and ribcage for lumps or scratches. Also, make an overall assessment of its energy levels and appetite. Weigh your dog monthly.

Bedding and toys must not be washed too often, because if they lose their scent, the dog might lose interest in them.

Yearly

Unless you have reasons to go in sooner, the vet’s check-up should be done at least once a year. The good news is that a professional will take over the check-up, and you no longer need to be the one with the list.

Everything from parasite treatments and prevention to vaccinations and preventing any other medical conditions your dog might be prone to having in the future is now on your doctor’s list. You make sure to get your dog there!