At Dan’s Pet Care, we know how essential exercise is for your dog’s health. Regular exercise can keep your dog in good cardiovascular shape, help prevent obesity, and prolong their lifespan. But in order to get enough exercise, your dog needs to be taking in enough energy to fuel those intense playtime sessions!
Providing your dog with plenty of energy is a balancing act. Overfeeding your dog could cause serious health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis. But underfeeding your dog – or failing to provide them with high-quality nutrition – can also cause harm. In this article, we’ll explore strategies for making sure your dog has all the energy they need!
3 Signs That Your Dog Has Low Energy Levels
How do you know whether your pet has enough energy? Keep an eye out for these common signs of low energy in dogs!
Exercise intolerance
Does your dog get winded after walking a couple of blocks? Do they wear out after playing fetch for just a few minutes? Of course, if you’re not regularly providing your dog with cardiovascular exercise, it will be harder to notice if your dog’s stamina is low. Dan’s Pet Care can help you squeeze long walks into your busy schedule!
Sleeping too much
Some breeds are notorious for lounging around during the day, and sleeping a lot isn’t necessarily a sign that anything’s wrong. But it’s important to keep track of your dog’s normal activity patterns, and speak with your vet if you notice any changes. Especially if your dog is young, excessive sleep could be a sign of a serious underlying health condition.
Reduced enthusiasm
If your dog shows little interest in daily activities, they could be suffering from a lack of energy that’s keeping them from living their best life. Just like humans, dogs can suffer from either physical or emotional problems that keep them from fully enjoying their normal activities. Talk to your vet if your dog has been showing less interest than usual in toys, playtime, meeting new people, walks, or other stimuli.
Keep Your Dog At A Healthy Weight
One important key to keeping your dog energized is to carefully monitor their calorie intake. Too many calories won’t make your dog feel better – instead, your dog is likely to end up lethargic, uncomfortable, and too heavy to move for long periods of time. It’s important to monitor your dog’s weight frequently and follow your vet’s recommendation for total calorie intake every day. If the needle on the scale is slowly rising, your dog may need to switch to a special low-calorie food. Keep treats to a minimum, and make sure your dog isn’t sneaking extra calories when you aren’t looking!
Provide Extra Protein
Your dog’s ancestors ate mostly protein and fat in the wild. Dry dog foods today tend to be higher in carbohydrates than your dog’s ideal diet. If your dog isn’t getting enough protein in their diet, they could experience problems with their hair and skin, and they may also suffer from low energy. Always ask your vet before supplementing your pet’s diet. With their approval, you can add protein sources like eggs and lean ground chicken or turkey to your dog’s diet.
When supplementing your dog’s diet, it’s important to remember that you’re providing extra calories – and those calories should be subtracted from your dog’s regular food. Otherwise, you’ll end up overfeeding your pet.
Avoid Feeding Your Dog Wheat And Gluten
Your dog’s system is not designed to process large amounts of wheat and starch. Too many carbs can make your dog feel sluggish and bloated, and they can also place undue stress on your dog’s liver and kidneys. While you might not be intentionally supplementing your dog’s diet, consider all the ways bread might find its way into your dog’s mouth. Table scraps, like hot dog buns and pizza crusts, are common culprits. In general, foods designed for humans are not ideal for your dog’s consumption and should be avoided.
Give Your Dog The High-Quality Care They Need To Stay Healthy!
To stay in peak condition, your dog needs plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Dan’s Pet Care can help you provide your dog with all the care they need. As Long Island’s premiere pet care service, we can take your dog for daily walks, conduct agility training to physically challenge them, and keep them active during the day at our state-of-the-art doggy daycare facilities. For grooming, pooper scooper services, pet sitting, and all your pet care needs, look no further than Dan’s Pet Care! To get started, fill out our consultation form today.
