Page 336 - (DK) The Dog Encyclopedia

CARE AND TRAINING | SIGNS OF HEALTH

Signs of health Alert, attentive

expression

A healthy dog is easy to recognize by the way he looks and behaves, allowing
for individual variation, breed, and age. Once you get to know your own dog,
you should have no difficulty in judging if all is well.

HEALTHY APPEARANCE
Bright eyes, a glossy coat, and a cold, wet
nose are often cited as classic signs of good Smooth,
Tail ready glossy coat
health in a dog, but these are not invariable to wag
indicators. A dog’s bright eyes may dim with
age, even if he stays perfectly fit; his coat will Standing
comfortably
not look glossy if he is wire-haired; and a
healthy dog can often have a warm, dry nose.
Perhaps more useful health indicators Normal contours
are your dog’s body shape and weight,
which should stay consistent: strange
swellings, sudden loss of weight, and Perfect health
abdominal bloating are all possible early Everything about this
dog’s appearance
health warnings. You can monitor weight suggests normal health.
gain and growth in a young dog by weighing He looks alert and well,
in good body condition,
him weekly and plotting the weight on a and fit for life.
graph; back up this data by taking regular
photographs as he matures. clear up after your dog, it will become should move around freely, without
Changes in health are also revealed in obvious what is normal for him in terms stiffness, be eager for physical exercise,
a dog’s feces and urination habits, which of frequency, consistency, and color. and not be unduly tired afterward.
can be markedly different from one dog A healthy dog should appear bright A normal interest in food, and drinking
to another. Your dog should urinate and and alert, and interact readily with the the expected amount of water, are also
defecate to his normal pattern. As you family and other dogs and pets. He signs that he is in good health.

Fit and healthy
A dog in good health will have a hearty appetite and show
an obvious enjoyment of exercise. He should appear
bright, inquisitive, and playful, too.

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