The concept of “wellness” has become a hot topic in the human world. People are realizing that wellness doesn’t just mean being physically healthy, but that it encompasses other parts of their lives as well. So, what about your dog — are they happy? What does “wellness” mean for them — does it go beyond exercise and mental stimulation? Let’s take a look at some of the human wellness categories that apply to dogs and how they help healthy and happy dogs stay that way.
Is My Dog Happy?: Emotional Wellness
Dogs are well known for their strong attachment to their owners. It means that emotional wellness is a pretty easy type of wellness to foster in your dog — give them lots of love and attention and show them that they’re part of the family.
If you’re wondering if your pup is happy, their ear position can be a good indicator of how they’re feeling. A happy dog’s ears will be relaxed and in their normal position or leaning to the side a little. Sometimes a happy dog may also have their ears down and back, but they won’t be pinned flat against their head — they’ll be floppy ears. Other signs of a happy dog include wide eyes, an open mouth that isn’t showing teeth (they’re “smiling”), a tail that is down and relaxed (some breeds have a different relaxed tail position), a soft face, and a loose and relaxed stance. Happy dogs also have a slightly raised and wide-wagging tail.
The Importance of Dog Mental Stimulation: Intellectual Wellness
Intellectual wellness doesn’t mean that your dog can name more than 1,000 items (although that’s really impressive). Instead, it’s making sure that they are mentally stimulated and not bored, which hopefully avoids unwanted behavior, too. Just as our lives can become routine, so can your dog’s. Playing interactive games and providing them with mental stimulation can help them live a longer, happier life. You’ll stay calmer too if you’re not coming home to a scratched-up couch.
Providing interactive toys, treat-dispensing toys or puzzle toys can be a great way to get your dog’s attention and get their brain working. You can learn more about how to mentally stimulate your dog in our article “Mental Stimulation Enriches Your Pet’s Life.”
Teach Your Dog Fun Tricks: Intellectual Wellness
A fun way to provide mental stimulation for your dog is trick training. You could start by adding on to basic commands they already know. For example, if they’re experts at fetch, try teaching them to fetch something by name or to fetch an object from inside a cabinet. You could also rename these holiday-themed tricks and do them at any time of the year. Training sessions can be great for mental exercise, and some of them provide physical stimulation, too!
Positive Dog Play Dates: Social Wellness
Social wellness for dogs covers both playing with friends and being calm and confident in social situations. The best time to socialize your dog is while they’re a puppy, but continued socialization throughout their life is also important for a calm and happy adult dog who can handle new situations confidently. Here are some ideas to improve your dog’s social wellness: take your dog to the dog park for a puppy playdate with their BFF (best furry friend) or play fetch in the backyard or down the hall. You can learn more about canine socialization in our article “How to Socialize a Dog.”
Physical Exercise Is Key: Physical Wellness
For dogs, exercise (i.e., playtime) could fit into a number of wellness categories: physical, social, emotional and intellectual. Dogs need exercise to stay healthy and help manage their weight, but exercise can also be a fun way to provide mental stimulation, and it’s a great way for your dog to bond with you. You can even improve your physical wellness by doing dog sports, like agility training, that provide exercise for you, too. You move and your dog moves, too! How much exercise a dog needs depends on the dog breed, age and lifestyle.
Regular Vet Visits: Physical Wellness
One of the most important ways of ensuring that your dog remains physically well is to take them for their annual checkup — and we mean annual. Even if your dog seems healthy, it’s important that your veterinarian examines them at least once a year to make sure there aren’t any underlying issues that you can’t see. Some dogs may require more frequent checkups depending on their age and health status.
Nutritious Food: Physical Wellness
For some dogs, their love of food could put eating food in the occupational wellness category — eating is my life’s work — but really it belongs with physical wellness. Life-stage appropriate food that provides enough of the right nutrients in the right amounts to maintain your dog’s health is an important component of physical wellness. Even if the type of food your dog eats is appropriate for their life stage, the amount of food your dog eats is also important to maintain an appropriate weight. If you do have a round hound, your veterinarian can assist you with a weight management program, including a weight management formulation, if necessary.
Mindfulness Lessons Learned from Dogs
A popular concept people use for improving their emotional wellness is mindfulness. It’s taking time to be in the moment — not worrying about the past or the future — and tuning in to all of your thoughts, feelings, senses and the environment around you. Dogs are natural practitioners of mindfulness, so we could learn some lessons from them: There’s always time to play, savor every morsel of food and take time to stop and smell, well… everything.
