I don’t know where I’d be without my furry partner in crime, Humphrey. I know that sounds a bit melodramatic, but let me tell you, this dog has been with me through some of the worst moments in my life. When I’ve gone through bouts of depression, he was the only thing getting me out of bed most mornings and for that I’m eternally grateful.

If you’re a dog owner, I’m sure you can relate. Our pets look out for us and it’s important we return the favor!  

If you’re looking to up the ante when it comes to pampering your dog, check out my 4 tips on ways to take better care of your pet below:

1. Find An Amazing, AAHA-Accredited Veterinarian.

Taking better care of your pet starts with ensuring they’re receiving the best medical attention. Having a veterinarian that you know you can trust is a big deal, that’s why it’s important to make sure they’re AAHA-accredited. What’s AAHA? The American Animal Hospital Association. The AAHA holds vets to the highest standards of excellence in pet care.

Their consultants evaluate hospitals on 900 hundred standards to be exact. Nine hundred. To say that they’re thorough is an understatement.

What most people don’t realize (well, most being me) is that only 12%-15% of animal hospitals are actually accredited. In the US and Canada, most vets aren’t required to seek accreditation. Crazy, right? Luckily, finding an accredited animal hospital is easy- you can do it right on their website. Not sure your vet is accredited? You can check here.

2. Stop Feeding Them Unhealthy Table Food

This one’s tough. It’s hard to ignore their cute, sad faces as you inhale your french fries, but please, stop feeding your dog Unhealthy Table Food.

I’m not judging you, trust me, this is the one I struggle with the most- but their bodies aren’t meant to handle fried, greasy food.

3. Get Them Pet Health Insurance

I can imagine the eye rolls I’m going to get because of this one, but let me tell you- DO IT. You all know our dog Jane passed last January unexpectedly. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wonder if her death could have been prevented if we had just had health insurance for her and had taken her in at the first moment when she didn’t seem like herself.

Health insurance for your pet allows you to take care of them when they need it, not when you can afford it. The AAHA has a great resource regarding pet insurance here.

4. Make Exercise a Priority

Get off the couch and get your dog outside! Humphrey is a large dog who needs a lot of exercise. But this also applies to people with smaller dogs too. Letting your dog out back to pee, while you sit on the porch isn’t exercise.

Try taking your dog on a walk or to play catch for at least 20 minutes a day. It’ll be great exercise for the two of you!

Implementing these tips will make your pet happy and healthy! Are there other ways you have of taking better care of your pet? Leave them in the comments below!

This post was sponsored by the American Animal Hospital Association. All thoughts and opinions are my own.