As you know, lots of care goes into keeping a dog healthy and happy, and having a wellness routine is a great way to ensure that all of your pup’s needs are met. However, there are many different breeds of dogs that all have different energy levels and grooming needs. You’ll need to learn what care should be included in your dog’s wellness routine based on the breed.
Creating a Wellness Routine for Dogs in the Sporting and Hound Groups
For every type of dog, there are some activities that you will need to do on a regular basis to keep them looking and feeling their best. If you have a hound or a sporting group dog, here are some things you will need to do on a daily basis.
- Give your dog an hour of exercise per day.
- Brush your dog’s coat (if long).
- Brush their teeth.
- Give your dog a daily mental stimulation activity by giving them something to fetch or sniff out.
You can exercise your dog by going for walks, hikes, and jogs. Swimming, dog sports, and even games like fetch will help get your dog moving as well. When it comes to mental stimulation, sporting group dogs tend to love fetching things and going through the brush to find small objects. Meanwhile, doing scent work and taking your scenthound to places where they can explore new smells is a great way to get their brains moving.
When it comes to sighthounds, many of them love to run freely in large open spaces. You can let your dog do this safely by using a GPS dog fence, which allows you to set up virtual fences anywhere and let your dog run through fields, woods, and beaches! Many sighthounds will also enjoy lure crossing, which provides them with exercise and mental stimulation.
Here are some items to include in your sporting dog or hound’s weekly wellness routine:
- Trim your dog’s nails.
- Check your dog’s ears for infection and debris.
- Clean your dog’s ears when needed.
- Brush your dog’s coat (if short).
- Check their paw pads for injury (mainly for sighthounds)
When it comes to bathing, this should be done on an as-needed basis. You should try not to bathe your hound or sporting group dog more than once a month.
Mental Health and Wellness Tips for Working and Herding Group Dogs
Both working and herding group dogs were bred to work long hours. Livestock guardian dogs need lots of physical and mental stimulation to keep them healthy and happy! Here are some things that you will need to do to keep your working group or herding dog healthy and happy on a daily basis:
- Give your dog one to two hours of exercise each day (depending on the breed).
- Provide them with mental stimulation with a “job” like task.
- Brush their coats daily (if long).
- Brush their teeth.
Most working and herding breed dogs benefit greatly from having a job. This will provide them with both the exercise and the mental stimulation that they need. Providing your dog with plenty of basic obedience training will get their minds moving as well. Dog sports are always a good idea when you have an energetic and smart dog on your hands.
In addition to incorporating these tasks into your dog’s daily wellness routine, here are some items to add to your weekly checklist:
- Brush your dog’s coat (if short).
- Trim their nails and check for signs of injury.
- Check eyes and ears and see if they need to be cleaned.
Like with hounds and sporting group dogs, bathing should be on an as-needed basis.
Creating a Wellness Routine for Brachycephalic Dogs
Brachycephalic dogs have short faces, which can sometimes make things hard for them. Here are some things that you should do for a brachycephalic dog on a daily basis to keep them healthy and safe.
- Keep their facial folds clean and dry.
- Brush their teeth.
- Immediately dry their coats when they get wet.
- Keep them out of excessively hot weather.
- Keep them out of cold weather (if they have a short coat).
- Brush their coats (If long coated).
- Provide them with 30 minutes to an hour of exercise per day (but watch out for signs of heat stroke and breathing difficulty).
- Give them toys that provide mental stimulation but require low physical effort.
Of course, there are some things you will need to do for brachycephalic dogs on a weekly basis as well. Here are some items to include in your weekly wellness routine:
- Keep their nails trimmed.
- Check their eyes and ears for signs of injury or infection.
- Clean their eyes and ears when necessary.
Creating a Wellness Routine for Terriers
Terriers love to dig and play, so it’s essential to their mental health to let them follow these instincts. Many terriers will also have long, wiry coats, but some are short-coated. Here are some things to include in your daily wellness routine for terriers.
- Provide them with a half hour to an hour of exercise per day (depending on their size).
- Provide them with plenty of mental stimulation and places they can dig.
- Brush their teeth to prevent dental disease.
- Brush their coat (if long).
Most dogs in the terrier group are low maintenance and manageable for the average dog owner. Here are some things to do for your terrier on a weekly basis.
- Brush their coats (if short).
- Trim their nails.
- Check their eyes and ears for injuries or infections.
Physical & Mental Health Tips for Toy Breed Dogs
Toy-breed dogs are also pretty low maintenance when it comes to their exercise. They were bred to be companions, so they make great company! Here are some daily activities for toy breeds:
- Brush their coats (if long coated).
- Provide them with about 30 minutes of exercise.
- Brush their teeth to prevent dental disease.
- Provide them with toys that give mental stimulation.
Here are some things to do for toy-breed dogs weekly:
- Trim their nails.
- Check their eyes and ears for signs of infection or injury.
- Clean eyes and ears when needed.
- Brush short coats.
Crafting a Wellness Routine for Giant Dogs
Many may be surprised to find out that caring for giant-breed dogs is also relatively low maintenance! Here are some things that a giant dog will need daily.
- Brush their teeth.
- Provide them with mental stimulation through obedience training and puzzle toys.
- Give them around 30 minutes to an hour of exercise (be careful, as too much exercise could damage their joints).
- Keep any face folds clean and dry.
Here are some items to add to your weekly wellness schedule:
- Trim their nails.
- Brush their coat (for most giant breeds with short hair).
- Check their eyes and ears for complications and clean them when necessary.
Want to enrich your dog’s physical and mental health even further? Learn more about choosing mental enrichment and physical exercises suited for their dog breed.