Boxers are known for their playful nature, loyalty, and affectionate personalities. As a Boxer dog owner, it is important that you ensure your furry friend is happy and healthy by giving them proper care.
Taking care of your Boxer dog involves providing a healthy balanced diet, enough exercise, proper grooming, giving enough water, and so much more.
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Tips To Keep Your Boxer Healthy and Happy
The following are the care tips that you should know as a Boxer dog owner to ensure that they are happy and healthy.
#1. A Proper and Balanced Diet
Depending on your budget, ensure that you feed your Boxer a high-quality and balanced diet that contains healthy protein, fats, vitamins, antioxidants, carbs, and minerals. It is important to note that foods that are low in quality will contain chemical flavorings, preservatives, and coloring which can have long-term and short-term effects on your dog.
BHT, Ethoxyquin, and BHA are some of the worst chemical preservatives found in dog food.
Additionally, you should not feed your dog meat by-products, especially those not recommended for human consumption such as meat meal, lungs, fat tissue, and intestines. Meat meals such as corn dust, fillers, meat from diseased animals, and expired meats should be avoided.
If your Boxer dog must eat snacks, consider feeding them all-natural snacks made up of mainly wholesome fresh foods such as fresh veggies and fruits. Examples of healthy snacks include blueberries, green beans, strawberries, and carrots.
The antioxidants present in the fresh fruits and veggies help your dog fight diseases such as cancer.
#2. Avoid Water from The Tap
Tap water contains fluoride, toxic metals, pesticides, and known carcinogens that are harmful to canines. To protect your dog from illnesses caused by contaminated water, you should not give them water directly from the tap. Instead, you should install a filter on the tap.
Apart from giving your dog clean water, you should consider the amount of water they are drinking. They should meet their daily water requirements which vary depending on weather, age, and activity level.
Generally, a Boxer dog should drink around 1.5 cups of water for every 10 pounds of their body weight.
#3. Enough Exercise
To ensure that your Boxer dog gets enough exercise, you should take them for a walk twice per day. Puppies should not walk for more than 30 minutes as their joints and bones are still weak and growing.
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For your Boxer dog to expend his energy, allow him to engage in activities such as walking at the beach, hiking, and playing at the park.
#4. Dog Proof Your Home
Since a Boxer dog is a curious animal, they will try to do so many things including opening your gym bag, climbing high counters, or even opening cabinets. Also, they will try and chew everything they see.
Therefore, to keep your Boxer dog safe, keep items such as light bulbs, needles, shoelaces, and fishing hooks away so that he cannot reach them. If anything falls on the floor, pick it up immediately and if you have low cabinets, use child-proof locks on them.
#5. Encourage Slow Eating
Dogs are known to be fast eaters, and since the Boxer dog is highly susceptible to bloating you should regulate their speed of drinking and eating. To do this, buy a slow-feeder bowl that he can use for his meals. Additionally, ensure that the dishes are made of steel because they do not scratch easily, are heavier, and will not give your dog allergies.
#6. Take Care of the Coat
Bathing your Boxer dog every three weeks will keep its coat clean. If he gets dirty during this period, you should remove the dirt by scrubbing his coat. Bathing your dog too often will dry his coat even if you use high-quality products. On the other hand, if you do not bathe him for a long time, his coat will develop a yeast infection or begin to smell.
In addition to cleaning his coat, you should protect it by using a high-quality shampoo and moisturizing it. You should apply a leave-in spritz to protect your dog from contact friction and the effects of outdoor elements like sun and air. Also, ensure that your dog drinks enough water.
Finally, use a de-shedding tool to remove any dead hairs and prevent tangling.
Final Words
Hopefully, the tips mentioned above will help your Boxer dog stay happy and healthy. A balanced diet combined with exercise will ensure that your dog has overall good health which protects him from diseases.
Also, ensure that you keep his coat clean through regular grooming and that your home is dog-proofed to keep him safe.
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