7 Ways to Improve Your Dogs Life Right Now

Every pet owner wants the best for their furry friend, but not everyone has the time to take them for 5 walks a day. Sometimes, the healthiest and most incredible things are right in your home and community. From relieving your dog’s joint pain to getting their park ranger badge, your pup is sure to be in good spirits by the end of this list.

Clean their toys

I used to never remember to clean my dog's toys until the humidity rose to indescribable amounts where I live, and mold and mildew started to show up around my apartment. After cleaning all three bins of her toys, I realized how dirty they must have been anyways. My dog loves to pick up random lumps of dirt, lick mysteriously wet bushes, and she is long haired, so her dander and hair ends up on the floor. If there is also a buildup of dirt and dust naturally, they are all piling up on her toys.

Giving your dog's toys a quick clean once a month ensures that all the bad bacteria, gross germs, and suffocating dust particles are washed away. It is important to wash them with no softener and a clean detergent as we don’t want our dogs to be ingesting any unsafe chemicals either. This will lead to a happier, safer, and play-ready pup.

Reese’s favorite toy is naturally a bright orange witch Lambchop. She collects Lambchops, but the moment she saw this one, they were inseparable.

2. Give them a massage

After a long day, there is nothing better than a hot bath and a foam roller. Our furry friends need the same kind of care and affection. For us, a massage means relaxation and reducing stress. It means the same things for dogs! They might not have to pay taxes or a monthly mortgage, but they do have to worry about the dog next door and oncoming danger, like rain. This is also great for dogs that have joint and muscle pain. So, tonight, before bed, give your dog a 15-minute massage and watch their worries dissolve.

There are many different methods to massaging your pet depending on whether it is to alleviate pain or for pure serenity. There are how to videos on YouTube or articles dedicated to finding what best works for you and your dog.

As you can see in this picture, Reese is very happy, but very tired. If she is tired, her joints are too which means they are ready for a nice massage.

3. Make them a paw lotion

Paws endure a lot throughout the day from pokey mulch to rocky pavement. Paw balms can be bought, but they can also be easily made. Why not give your dog the luxury of moisturization? Making paw balm at home might include picking up a couple new ingredients, but most can be found in your house. Its main ingredients are olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. You can even add a dog friendly essential oil, like lavender, to the mix to add a nice scent to your puppy’s paws.

If this sounds a bit too time consuming, go to your bathroom and rub Vaseline into your dog’s cracked paws. This is safe and dog friendly, but it is best to watch your dog after application to ensure they do not ingest the petroleum jelly. Before applying paw balm of any kind, make sure to clean your dog’s paws to avoid trapping dirt and bacteria.

After walks at our local state park, I always like to give Reese a paw bath and put on some paw balm.

4. Heat up their food

This was suggested to me by the veterinarian after my dog was bored of eating the same kibble every day. Heating up dry or cold dog food can revamp your average kibble into something gourmet. I simply scoop my dog's dry food into her bowl, add a little bit of water, and microwave it for 15 seconds. If you are thinking about trying this out, make sure the food has cooled slightly before serving.

You might want to plug your nose while preparing this delicacy because the reason this makes regular dog food so much more appealing is the smell it gives off. All the hidden flavors and scents that are normally held in will be released like a scene from Ratatouille. If you are feeling extra fancy, add a new treat to the bowl with chicken or pumpkin puree. Make sure all the ingredients are clean before including this, but then, add to taste!

Reese loves to experiment with her food and get lots of nutrients. (Please do not feed your dogs raw salmon. I cook it before serving.)

5. Start using tooth cleaning drops

As the owner of a rescue dog, and others that are just finnicky, my dogs refuse to let me brush their teeth. From peanut butter flavored toothpaste to finger toothbrushes, they won’t even let me a foot from their face when they see what is coming their way. I hate the idea of plaque and bacteria building up on my dog’s teeth, and what has relieved my stress is tooth cleaning drops. This water additive is as easy as it gets.

For mine, I pour 8 ounces of water into my dog’s bowl, add two pumps of the tooth cleaner, and don’t refill her bowl until all of the water is gone. My dog has never been deterred from the water since they have barely any flavor. Make sure to read up on the company that you are looking to buy from before actually purchasing, and there will be instructions on the bottle that could differ from brand to brand.

This is a smile I want to see for a long time! I aim to keep it as healthy as possible.

6. Take them somewhere new

When I’m bored of my environment, my dog probably is too. The best cure for boredom is doing something new and exciting. National parks, state parks, and national monuments aren’t as popular as dog parks or walking trails. If any of these are near you and are dog friendly, set aside a day and head on out. This will give your dog new sights to see and new scents to smell. It also will lead to a lot of walking, so always keep in mind that your dog might not be able to be in the sun as long as you.

Something fun a lot of parks and national monuments offer is the B.A.R.K. Ranger program. My dog is a B.A.R.K. Ranger at Fort Pulaski National Monument. Visit a participating location and follow the rules: bag your dog’s poop, keep them on a leash, respect wildlife (even those pesky squirrels), and know where your dog can and can’t go. Being a ranger won’t have any life altering effects on your pet, but it sure is a proud parent moment.

Reese with her B.A.R.K. Ranger badge! As you can tell, I was very proud and she was very focused on attending to her duties and monitoring the visitors.

7. Make them a sniffing treat towel

If I feel as though I haven’t exercised my dog enough on a certain day and I am too tired to play, I will make her a tight and fun sniffing treat towel. If you have old towels lying around, or a towel that you are willing to give up, this is perfect for you. This is a type of enrichment toy that is cheap and will mentally stimulate your dog.

To make a treat towel, lay a towel flat on the counter. Then, place a small treat, some dry kibble, or a training treat in the middle and tie a knot with the towel, securing the treat. I have a smaller dog, so I then hide two more treats in the knot itself. If your towel is able to be tied again, you can do so and hide more in there. Give the towel to your dog and let the fun begin!