Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Keeping Your Dog Limber This Winter



When winter arrives and the cold weather starts to set in, plenty of people begin to feel aches in their bodies. Whether it's in their backs, knees or any other part of the body, this experience is never a pleasant one. Even though they may not be able to eliminate their discomfort, people do have options for managing their own condition. While dogs can experience this same kind of discomfort or even pain during winter, they don't have the same ability to take care of themselves. That's why it's so important for dog owners to know the signs of this kind of problem and what can be done to help with it. 

How to Tell If Winter is Taking a Toll On Your Dog’s Joints 

The first sign of a dog with joint issues is struggling to get up or down. This can happen after a dog has been sitting or lying down. Struggling with stairs is another common sign. And a dog who now runs around less than a couple of years ago may be experiencing this same type of problem. 

Without getting too technical, the reason this type of problem comes up with both people and dogs is the layer of soft cartilage that's responsible for cushioning joints gets thinner with age. 

The Key to Keeping Your Dog Limber 

There are two main ways you can help keep your dog limber during this time of the year. The first is to keep your dog moving. If your dog is showing signs of reduced mobility, you don’t want to push it to the point of causing pain or discomfort. At the same time, you don’t want to keep your dog from moving around, which will actually make the problem worse. Focusing on low-impact but consistent types of movement will be most beneficial to your dog.

The other key to helping your dog avoid joint problems this winter is ensuring it gets plenty of glucosamine. The reason glucosamine is so useful for joint health is it’s a primary building block of cushioning cartilage. By providing glucosamine to your dog on a daily basis, you can cover any shortages in how much its body naturally produces and promote the cartilage that cushions joints to grow. If you’re wondering about the best way to provide glucosamine to your dog, blends like our chicken and brown rice dog food include 440PPM of it per serving.


It's also worth mentioning that even if your dog isn't currently dealing with any mobility issues during the winter or other times of the year, being proactive about joint health can help your dog enjoy the highest quality of life for many years to come.