10 easy ways to keep your dog happy

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1. Praise your pet for good behaviour
Maintaining a positive relationship with your dog is key to their happiness. Praise – both verbal and physical – is one of the best ways to show how much you appreciate them, and is crucial in positive reinforcement training. Dogs are sociable by nature and enjoy interaction.
A good bond with their owner, backed up with praise and rewards, always leads to better obedience than fear of shouting or punishment. Sometimes, people fall out of the habit of praising their dog after they’ve passed the puppy-training stage but it's important to keep it up so that your bond with your pet stays super-strong.
2. Change up your daily exercise routine
Walks are good for both your dog’s physical health and emotional wellbeing. Not only will it help them meet their natural exercise needs, but it’s also the perfect time for bonding. Visiting new parks, woods or beaches, or going on country walks, will help mix up your routine and provide lots of mental stimulation, as well as giving their paws a rest from concrete pavements.
Remember that as far as your dog is concerned, walks are all about sniffing out new scents – so be patient if they linger. And try to give them some lead-free time to explore (just be sure their recall is reliable first!).
3. Rotate dog toys to keep them exciting
4. Play games together
5. Give your dog a job to do
6. Make the indoors fun
When the weather outside turns inclement, playtime and exercise with your dog are likely to be affected. But there are plenty of activities to keep them occupied indoors, too, including the classic hide-and-seek. Your dog could find a treat hidden under plastic cups, play tag with you, chase a ball down the stairs, find a toy or treat hidden somewhere in the house or learn a new trick – and that’s just for starters!
Why not make an agility or obstacle course with brooms, chairs and blankets? Or get your dog to practise their skills in quick succession: sit, down, roll, stay, come, high five, wave. Make the order random, to keep them thinking, and reward generously afterwards.
7. Keep dogs entertained when home alone
Dogs are pack animals, and being left alone can cause them stress or even separation anxiety, so don’t leave your dog alone for long periods of time. If you can’t employ a dog walker and don’t have a friendly neighbour or family member that can pop in while you’re out, try leaving a stimulating toy to keep your dog happy when home alone.
Nowadays there are a huge variety of interactive slow-feeder treat dispensers, in the form of balls, puzzles or chew toys. You can also buy ‘nose work’ blankets or snuffle mats for them to find treats in.
8. Explore new dog treats
9. Try a dog massage
A step up from snuggle-time on the sofa, massage is not just an indulgence for humans. It can calm your dog’s anxiety, increase their circulation and strengthen the bond between you both. Start by petting your dog all over and talking softly to relax them. Gently work the flat of your palm from the top of their head down to their neck muscles, massaging them in a circular motion. Work down to the shoulder area (often a favourite spot, as dogs can’t reach this themselves), massaging in a circular motion.
Come to the front to massage the chest and front legs, but be careful of the paw pads, and move on if they don’t like any area being touched. Move back up to the shoulders and make small circular motions along the back on either side of the spine. Progress to the base of the tail and go down the back legs, continuing to their paws if they enjoy it.
10. Balance routine and new experiences
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Pet Plan Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register No. 311969. Allianz Insurance plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Financial Services Register No. 121849. Pet Plan Limited is a subsidiary of Allianz Insurance plc. Fitz All Media Limited is an Appointed Representative of Pet Plan Limited.