The dog life span is the sad part about being a dog owner, as dogs normally live from 10-15 years, depending on the breed. You can, however, add 1-2 years to your dog’s life.
Since humans live 75 years on average, we go through difficult times when our dogs pass away during our lifetime.
It would be nice if we could extend the dog life span to even a few more years so we can enjoy the comfort they bring us.
Wouldn’t you do everything you could to have your dog healthier and possibly extend their life by one or two more years?
Add Years To A Dog Life Span (6 Ways)
If you have a dog that is already showing signs of slowing down, you can implement five things that help their quality of life and possibly add another 1-2 years of a dog’s life span.
1. Make Sure You Feed Them The Healthiest Food
Start by making sure you are providing the best quality dog food. (check out dog food reviews. Plus, there are lots of healthy foods you can add to the dog food as well.
Cooked chicken is high in protein and a good snack.
Green Beans are high in fiber and low in calories so these make a good treat without putting on weight. Carrots are also high in fiber and low in calories and help your dog’s teeth.
Eggs are high in protein, but make sure you don’t put any salt or pepper on them. Yogurt makes a good probiotic and is good for your dog’s digestive system.
Make sure you get a non-fat and no sugar or sweetener-added yogurt.
Not only feeding your dog the healthiest dog food, but you want to not feed them table scraps. Not only is that not healthy, but that can put weight on your dog.
Feeding your dog healthy, nutritional food and keeping them away from table scraps can certainly support their health and longevity.
In addition, you must make sure not to overfeed your dog. Each dog according to their size has a recommended amount of daily food for the optimum calories.
It also matters how much they eat as well as what they eat.
There was a 14-year study on the life span of dogs. The studies showed that dogs who ate 25% fewer calories had a life span of 15% longer than the dogs that were fed a high intake of food each day. These results showed a nearly 2 years longer life span.
Just like people, if allowed to become obese, this can lead to health issues and a shorter life span. So how do you tell if your dog is eating too much?
Your vet can tell you if your dachshund is at a healthy weight when you take your doxie into their yearly checkup. However, you can tell by their shape if they are overweight.
You should be able to feel their ribs when you touch their side. Yet, your dachshund’s ribs should not be highly visible either, as that means they are not getting enough food.
2. Keep Your Dog Active
You need to make sure you take your dog on a walk each day and not let them lay around and sleep with no activity.
Walking and playing with your dog will keep their muscles and joints strengthened and can increase a dog’s life span.
I take my dachshund out for a daily walk of 20 minutes and also have several times during the day that I play with him. He likes this green snake toy as I toss it and he goes fetches it.
3. Dog Dental Care For Teeth And Gums
Like humans, dogs need to have healthy teeth and gums for overall health. If your dog’s teeth start getting plaque, this can lead to your dog losing teeth.
Dogs have an extra alkaline mouth than humans, which promotes plaque formation.
Plus, rotten teeth have bacteria and can lead to affecting their organs, such as the kidneys, heart, and liver.
Most of the health issues dogs face arise from their oral health, including the state of their gums and teeth.
If left untreated, a dog’s dental issues could lead to infections in other body organs such as the gut, kidneys, and liver.
Brushing their teeth and providing the best dental treats could help improve the general well-being of the dogs.
Here are some dog treats that could help you achieve positive oral health while making your dog happy.
There are good dog teeth cleaning products, which include a toothbrush and dog toothpaste as you will want to brush your dog’s teeth each day.
4. Keep Them From Being Stressed And Make Sure They Get Plenty of Rest
It is normal for dogs to be excited during the day, especially when playing. The normal excitement isn’t bad for your dachshund.
However, if they get too excited, this can release more adrenaline and cortisol, which isn’t good for your dachshund’s health.
When your dachshund has too much stress they will show symptoms such as diarrhoea, upset stomach, or even constipation.
They don’t have the lifespan of a human anyway, so this extra stress can shorten a dog’s life span.
Plus, stress is hard on your dog’s heart. You should try and keep them from certain stressful situations. Things like confinement, loud noises, loneliness, and not exercising them enough can cause undue stress.
To decrease stress, make sure you give them a lot of attention and spend a lot of time with them. Dogs are social creatures and need interaction and comfort with people.
Nearly every dog I know loves to go for a car ride, as that makes them happy and seems to relax them.
5. Yearly Checkups At the Vet
You should always take your dog to the vet at least once a year for an overall checkup to make sure there are no health problems. Cancer and other diseases if caught early can be treatable.
6. Joint Supplements For Healthy Joints
If you keep your dog from being overweight, that is crucial for helping prevent joint problems. In addition, it is important to add joint supplements to help alleviate sore and achy joints. This will help with a dog’s life span.
There are all-natural ingredients that are best for joint supplements for your dog. There are scientific studies showing these ingredients are effective in helping your dog with maintaining strong bones, cartilage, and joint health.
Giving these supplements to your dog will help prevent joint issues. This will help with a dog’s life span.
Here is a recommended health supplement with high-quality ingredients.
