Last Updated on September 7, 2023 by Dr. Alisha Barnes

Ways to Prevent Your Dog from Experiencing Injuries

At Tails Animal Chiropractic Care, we know that you love your furry friend more than most anything else and that you truly want to keep them happy and well-cared for. While it’s impossible to prevent your dog from experiencing injuries completely, there are some ways that you can support your dog’s environment and lifestyle to minimize the risk of them getting hurt. Read on to discover 5 ways to prevent your dog from experiencing injuries.

Always supervise your dog near children of all ages

While children can be trained to be respectful and gentle toward animals, it’s common for children to accidentally harm animals, or put animals in a situation where they are more likely to be injured. In order to prevent an accident from happening to your pet or to a child, the best strategy is to keep a constant eye on children and pets anytime that they are together. To do this, create a plan of action for whenever you know that your dog and a child will be in close proximity to one another.

Gently show children how to interact with your dog

If the child in question is just meeting your dog for the first time, or has not spent much time around pets previously, gently have a conversation about how to treat your dog. Likewise, set an example for your dog about how to treat the child.

Supervise your dog with children to understand how your dog reacts to kids—and vice versa

Even if you’ve already introduced your dog and children to one another, it’s important to supervise. Children are known for being unpredictable, and all dogs may respond differently to children’s behavior. It’s important to supervise your dog and children every single time they are together.

Remove objects or obstacles that could contribute to injury of either or both parties

Is there furniture that your child or dog like to climb on that could put either or both of them in harm’s way? Are there specific toys or objects that either your dog or a child might play with together that could potentially be dangerous to their well-being? If this is the case, the safest thing to do is remove from their environment anything that could pose a threat to their safety.

Give your dog steps to climb high pieces of furniture

Dogs often climb onto beds and sofas to spend time at the same level as their humans. Unfortunately, this can pose a risk of injury as they get older, or even just from jumping on or off of a surface at the wrong angle. Even young dogs and puppies have been injured jumping onto or off of furniture the wrong way. If your dog jumps on or off of furniture in your home, consider purchasing a set of steps to help your dog climb up and down safely.

Encourage your dog to “stretch” or “warm-up” before high-intensity exercise

Just like humans, dogs benefit from stretching and warming their muscles before engaging in high-intensity exercises like sprinting, running, or jumping. While dogs will often stretch intuitively when changing positions, it’s important to ensure that they have the opportunity to walk and build up to more prolonged or intense workouts. Particularly if your dog exercises with you, be sure to build up to intense activity gradually, and ensure that you are watching your dog to monitor their level of energy and the amount of strain and effort they are exerting. If your dog appears to be getting tired, make sure to give them time to rest.

Provide a balanced diet and ample opportunity for physical movement

A great way to reduce your dog’s risk of injury is by making sure that they are eating a highly balanced, nutritious diet that includes all of the vitamins and minerals that their body requires to repair itself and maintain good health. Look for high-quality food that contains excellent ingredients that are sourced carefully to provide full-spectrum nutrition. If you have any questions about what a well-balanced diet looks like for your dog, consult with your veterinarian.
Additionally, movement is important for your dog’s health. Be sure that your pup has access to a space in which they can run around, stretch, change temperatures, and sleep and rest comfortably.

Take your dog to a pet chiropractor

Taking your dog to a pet chiropractor is one of the most powerful ways to ensure their health and well-being. At Tails Animal Chiropractic Care, our team of experts is equipped to provide your dog with the highest quality of chiropractic care available. We examine and assess your dog’s overall well-being and help to increase your pup’s mobility, agility, and vitality. At Tails Animal Chiropractic Care in Fort Collins, Windsor, Broomfield, and Boulder, CO, we are the experts of supporting your dog’s wellness and helping to prevent against (or heal) injury. Book your appointment today to get started helping your dog live their most vital life!

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