10 Easy Ways To Keep Your Dog Healthy And Happy

This is man's best friend we're talking about here. A healthy dog is a happy dog. And a healthy dog should be chewing DENTASTIX®.

1. Prevent ear infections:

newplasticmachine / Via Flickr: isadoresalien

Before giving your dog a bath, or sending him swimming, dab a couple cotton balls in baby oil and place them in his ears.

2. Remove burs:

Teresa Alexander-Arab / Via Flickr: bambe1964

Any good day in the forest with your dog will probably result in a fresh layer of burs. To get them out, massage all-vegetable shortening into any bur-filled areas and slowly pull the bur from the fur.

3. Fight plaque and tartar buildup:

stuartpilbrow / Via Flickr: stuartpilbrow

Give your dog something to smile about. DENTASTIX® treats not only taste great, they clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar buildup. Available in a variety of tasty flavors.

4. Stay safe from the sun:

Javi / Via Flickr: javism

Apply a little bit of baby sunscreen to your dog's nose, ears, and anywhere else that might be susceptible to sunburn. In the summertime, remember to walk him in the shade or grass since hot sidewalks can burn his delicate paws.

5. Ease arthritis and joint pain:

Tim Dawson / Via Flickr: cowcoptim

Keeping your dog at a healthy weight relieves pressure on his joints. There are also several healthy joint care food options at your local pet store. (Rumor has it that belly rubs help too :))

6. Stop bleeding nails:

Misserion / Via Flickr: misserion

If your dog stubs a toe or cracks a nail and you see blood, simply dip the paw in corn starch to stop the bleeding.

7. Relieve itchy skin:

Donnie Ray Jones / Via Flickr: donnieray

Mix baby oatmeal in with your next dog bath for instant itch relief.

8. And itchy paws:

SaraYeomans / Via Flickr: 36302954@N00

If it's your dog's paws that are bugging him, dissolve Epsom salt into two inches of water. Let your dog stand in the tub for 10 minutes - just make sure he doesn't drink any of the water.

9. Keep an eye out for ticks:

Bruce / Via Flickr: superfantastic

Search your dog for ticks daily (and especially well after outdoor activities). If you find one embedded in your dog, remove it with a tweezers and bring him to the vet.

10. Prevent dehydration:

Tony Alter / Via Flickr: 78428166@N00

Keep your dog hydrated during the hot, summer months by taking a collapsible bowl with you when you're on the go - you can fill it up periodically with fresh water so your pup will never be thirsty.