3 Pillars of Good Health for Dogs

We all want our furry friends to live their best lives and stay by our side as long as possible. While feeding a high-quality, nutrient-rich diet is essential, true longevity and vitality for our dogs involve more than just what’s in their bowl. When it comes to a dog’s overall health and wellness, three foundational pillars play a crucial role: nutrition, mental stimulation, and physical exercise. 

These elements are interconnected and help create a balanced, happy, and healthy life for your pet, each supporting and enhancing the others. Together, they lay the groundwork for a life filled with vitality and joy for your four-legged companion. Let’s explore what these are and dive a bit deeper into each aspect to understand its importance.

Pillar 1—Nutrition: The Foundation of Physical Health

Dogs have unique dietary needs as facultative carnivores, making proper nutrition essential to their health and vitality. Like any living being, dogs rely on specific nutrients to support key bodily functions, sustain energy levels, and promote overall well-being. A balanced diet fuels their internal systems, boosts immune health, and keeps them feeling vibrant. With this in mind, let’s discuss how you can accomplish this on any budget!

The Ideal: Whole Foods and Fresh Ingredients

In an ideal world, every dog would have access to a diet composed of minimally processed ingredients. Fresh, high-quality proteins provide essential amino acids, while whole fruits and vegetables offer vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support immune function and reduce inflammation. Feeding closer to a dog’s natural diet aligns with how their bodies were anatomically designed to eat, but while fresh, whole foods are an excellent choice, not everyone has the budget or lifestyle to feed this way exclusively. 

High-quality kibble and canned foods can offer balanced nutrition when formulated with species-appropriate nutrients. For those who can, supplementing a standard diet with fresh foods—even a few times a week—can add nutritional diversity and enrichment. This approach allows for flexibility, where pet parents can choose high-quality commercial options while providing freshness for variety and added nutrients.

Toppers like lean, non-processed meats, lightly steamed vegetables, or small amounts of fresh fruit (like blueberries or apple slices) can provide extra protein, fiber and antioxidants. You can also use these as treats to add freshness to your dog’s day. Other options include adding pet-safe bone broth, eggs, and even high omega-3 fish oils to boost the nutrient profile of any meal.

Every dog deserves a diet that supports their best health, whether that’s fresh foods, kibble, or a combination thereof. A balanced diet is always achievable, and small changes can make a big difference in your dog’s overall health. Whatever option you choose, know that each step you take toward supporting your dog’s health with high-quality ingredients contributes to their well-being.

One further note about nutrition: It is extremely important that we feed our dogs to their ideal body weight. In 2024, 59% of dogs are considered to be overweight or obese, so while ensuring the right balance of nutrients is key, equally important is ensuring we are not overfeeding them.1

Pillar 2—Mental Stimulation: Keeping the Brain Active

Mental stimulation is as important as physical exercise to maintain your dog’s health. A lack of mental challenges can lead to boredom, anxiety, and unwanted, destructive behaviors. Dogs are intelligent animals with a level of learning equal to that of a 2.5-year-old human child.2 They naturally desire to solve problems and engage with their environment, which is why unstructured leashed walks can linger for so long while our dogs inspect every inch.

Why Mental Stimulation is Important:

In the wild, dogs spend much of their day searching for food, interacting with their pack, and exploring their surroundings. Domesticated dogs, however, often lose these opportunities for mental engagement, especially if they are left alone for long periods or lack access to new and exciting activities. Mentally stimulated dogs are happier, more relaxed, and less likely to engage in destructive behaviors such as chewing or excessive barking.

Most pet parents don’t realize how easy it is to provide mental stimulation, so here are a few ideas for you:

• Interactive Toys: Use puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing toys, and snuffle mats to encourage your dog to use their brain to access food and treats.

• Training Sessions: Regular training, teaching new tricks, or practicing obedience exercises can mentally engage your dog while reinforcing good behavior. Just remember that dogs have the mental capacity of a young child—and that includes their attention span. So, keep these types of activities short!
• Scent Work: Dogs have a highly developed sense of smell and an amazing olfactory organ.3 Engaging in scent-based games or activities can keep their minds sharp. You can easily do this in the backyard or around your house by hiding treats and having your dog “seek” them out. Watching how they navigate the area and “catch” the scent is also really fun for us pet parents. 
• Rotating Toys and Challenges: Keep things fresh by rotating out toys to provide new stimulation. This prevents boredom and encourages exploration, play and curiosity.
  
  

Pillar 3—Physical Exercise: Moving for a Healthy Body and Mind

Just like humans, dogs require regular physical exercise to stay fit, maintain muscle tone, and ensure proper cardiovascular health. However, physical activity benefits the body in more ways than one; it also helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and boredom.

Benefits of Physical Exercise:

• Weight Management: Regular exercise helps to burn calories, keep your dog at a healthy weight, and reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, osteoarthritis, and more.4
• Joint Health: Movement keeps joints flexible and strong, reducing the risk of arthritis and other musculoskeletal issues, especially in senior dogs.
• Cardiovascular Health: Consistent activity strengthens the heart and improves circulation, reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Mental Well-being: Exercise releases endorphins, which can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm and happiness in your dog.

Walking is one of the simplest and most effective forms of exercise for dogs. Regular walks allow them to explore new scents, socialize, and burn off excess energy. But playtime can also be highly beneficial as games like fetch, tug-of-war, or frisbee engage your dog in high-energy activities that can strengthen their muscles and improve their stamina. Activities like agility, flyball, or even swimming are other great ways to physically and mentally challenge your dog. 

For your dog to reap the benefits, physical exercise should be done daily, lasting between 30-60 minutes, with longer durations for higher-energy dogs. Keep in mind, however, that not every dog is the same.  It’s important to tailor the amount and intensity of exercise to your dog’s breed, age, and health status.

Conclusion: A Balanced Approach to Canine Health

The key to your dog’s overall health is balancing three foundational aspects: proper nutrition, regular mental stimulation, and daily physical exercise. You’ll have a healthy, happy, and well-rounded pet when all three elements are in harmony.

By feeding your dog a nutritionally balanced diet, ensuring they get enough mental and physical activity, and adjusting their care based on their individual needs, you are setting them up for a long and fulfilling life.

The points of view expressed above are those of our clinical pet nutritionist and supported by science, her education and experience. However, we recognize there may be different points of view or opinions on some aspect or even the premise of this article. Our goal at Bow Wow Labs is to provide the best, clearest, and most helpful information possible to help keep your dog happy, healthy and safe.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical or veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon or perceived as specific medical or veterinary advice.

1. Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. https://www.petobesityprevention.org. Accessed October 26, 2024.
2. Canine researcher puts dogs’ intelligence on par with 2-year-old human. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2009/08/dogs-think. Accessed October 26, 2024.
3. How Dogs Use Smell to Perceive the World | VCA Canada Animal Hospitals. VcaCanada. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/how-dogs-use-smell-to-perceive-the-world. Accessed October 26, 2024.
4. Obesity in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals. Vca. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/obesity-in-dogs. Accessed October 26, 2024.