Every year, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) declares February as National Heart Month in the UK. During this time, awareness is brought to the various heart conditions that humans struggle with.
But what about our dogs? Giving them nutrient-rich foods is just one of several easy ways to improve dogs’ heart health and there are a few other areas where you can help too.
Get them moving
Our dog’s heart, just the same as our heart, is a muscle, and, as with any muscle, exercise is what strengthens it. Find an activity you both enjoy and can stick with for the long run. Both of your hearts will reap the benefit!
Losing weight
Overweight and obese dogs require more blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to their bodies which causes an increase in blood pressure. Their body will also need more force to move this blood around.
Keep calm; stress less
There are thousands of biochemical responses to stress, including a rise in blood pressure and a faster heart rate. You know, if you don’t manage your stress, it can create more stress and trap you in a stress cycle.
Dogs can become stressed by environmental changes like moving to a new home, getting another pet, or even having a baby. All this can affect a normally happy dog. And it may take some time for the dog to adjust.
Something else that happens is if we’re stressed, our dogs can pick it up from our energy. Consequently, they may begin to feel the same way we do without understanding why. A stressed dog is very often highly reactive. He’ll become jumpy and vocal and his pupils will dilate. He may even shake and salivate. Other signs of stress are self-calming practices like yawning and/or lip licking as well as excessive self-grooming and excessive sniffing.
Chronic stress can cause diarrhea or constipation, decrease appetite, increase sleeping and the dog may also start isolating himself from others. Aggression towards other dogs, animals, or people can also signify a stressed dog.
So how can you calm your stressed dog naturally?
Many dog parents have been asking this question over the years but especially in the last two years. Throughout the development of Calming Floral Spray, images of all the stressed dogs that have come through my salon were never far from my mind. To see a dog in distress is heart-breaking. I had no way of explaining to them that I was there to help and make them feel better.
Over the years, Calming Floral Spray has helped hundreds, if not thousands, of dogs deal with stress, not only in the salon environment but in other areas of their lives too. Areas such as motion sickness, fear of fireworks, hyperactivity, and difficulties adjusting. Every success story that I receive melts my heart.
Read the one from Sheila Atter, a famous breeder of Cesky Terriers here in the UK here.
Jitka xx
