Routine Hacks to Boost Daily Happiness for You and Your Dog

When life gets hectic, it can be easy to overlook how simple daily routines can boost your and your dog’s happiness. Dogs, like people, thrive on routine, and focusing on a daily structure that benefits both you and your pooch could seriously increase your household's well-being. So, how should you institute routines that produce big smiles and wagging tails? Let’s take a look at five easy hacks and tips you can include in your daily life without making major changes. You’ll be improving the behavior of your pooch as well as their happiness. Use these tips on how to enrich your dog’s life and reap the rewards. 

Morning Movement: A Brisk Walk to Start the Day

Starting your day with some kind of movement is pretty much the ultimate way to set the tone for the rest of your day, and for a dog owner, a walk is the obvious choice of exercise. Not only do dogs need exercise to remain healthy, but it also allows them to blow off steam, release frustration, and burn some energy. If you’re heading off to work and planning on leaving them at home, this can be particularly useful to improve their poor behavioral habits; we aren’t the only ones who get bored! 

Start your day by getting up a touch earlier and heading out the door. This does not have to be a monster hike or a major adventure. A simple stroll will do the trick. You’re only really adding 20 minutes to your day, and you can trust that the benefits will outweigh the early start! There are so many positives to immersing yourself in nature and getting exercise at the same time. Adventure therapy is a notable way to decompress the stressors of our daily lives, mentally prepare for the day ahead, and spend some quality time with our favorite furry companions. Feel more awake in the mornings by shaking off that morning fog, be more prepared for the day, and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors.   

Set Aside Playtime: Enrich Your Dog’s Day

This is something that many dog owners do without much consideration, and some confuse it with walks. Having a set time to play with your pooch is not just a fun time for your dog; it’s crucial for their mental stimulation and development. Playtime differs from walks, although they can be combined. Instead, it focuses on letting your dog play in the way it chooses at a defined time. Every dog is different, so if they like toys, then indulge them; if they like a bit of rough and tumble, be sure to get involved; some dogs will love tug of war, and others will simply want to fetch. These are all normal responses from a dog looking to play; all you have to do is follow along.

Playing like this with your dog is not only proven to positively impact behavior but also aids with their learning and development. Growing up in the wild, a dog would be part of a very social pack that would constantly be learning to deal with the world through play, and your pup is no different. Playing with your dog will release the same endorphins that we humans experience after exercise or stimulation, so take a break from your busy day and be sure to play with your furry best friend, for both of your sakes!

Share Relaxation Time: A Daily Dose of Calm

You may well have noticed that downtime is not exclusive to humans. Dogs are in just as much need of a bit of R&R as we are, so be sure to encourage moments of relaxation in your daily schedule. Chilling on the couch, sitting quietly outside, or relaxing separately is a great way for you both to recuperate after the stresses of a long day. You’ll both need to unwind, and each person and pup will have a different way of doing so. If your pooch wants to be on their own for a while, then let them; they’ll always come back for a cuddle at some point. 

Dogs have an innate ability to help humans relax, and in return, they get belly rubs and a comfy, warm spot by your side. Your presence is often enough to relax your pup, so just enjoy a bit of calm together at the end of your day, and you’ll start to feel a stronger connection. There are clear links between pets and mental health. Research has shown that pet ownership has clear links to better emotional well-being, so if you look after your pup, you can bet that they will look after you. 

Train Together: Mental Stimulation for Your Dog 

You may well have already trained your dog as it grew up, you might be in the process of doing so, or you might be looking to teach an old dog some new tricks. In this case, the training we are talking about is not just about teaching your dog new tricks; it’s about the process. Providing your dog with mental stimulation is one of the best things you can do to improve their overall well-being; dogs love to learn and do it all the time without our help, so spending time training with your pooch can be the best way to not only strengthen bonds but to allow your dog to focus on something and expend some energy. 

Training with your dog can be as intricate as you have time for; you can start out playing in the garden, practicing fetching, staying, and retrieving. If you’re the owner of a high-energy breed then you may want to try something that involves more physicality, try making a doggy obstacle course from things you already have in the garden. Teaching your dog to complete an obstacle course will give them a complex challenge to tackle and allow them to exercise, but you’ll also feel fulfilled by your own achievements and will build trust with your pup, increasing their responsiveness to your commands. For us humans, dog training can offer a sense of accomplishment and focus, almost like meditation in motion; it forces you to stay present, practice patience, and feel pride in your dog's success.

Mindful Mealtime: Create a Calm and Balanced Eating Routine

As we have already mentioned, routine is so important for your dog; it’s how they understand what’s happening throughout the day and can offer them a form of stability in a world that can be hard to understand, and there is no better part of their day than dinner time. Having a solid dinner routine can change the way your dog behaves throughout the day, and it works as the ultimate anchor point, allowing your pup to structure the rest of their day around dinner time. 

If you can, establish a set time for your dog to feed every day; this can be built into an existing routine or used as a tool to help wind down before bed. The main goal should be to have a time that you can stick to as closely as possible, but it’s not the only thing that matters here. Decide on a phrase that signifies dinner time. It can be as cute or as plain as you want, so long as the dog can understand it! Set every stage of the build-up to dinner as a repeatable, choreographed set of moves; for example, speak the phrase, place the food in your dog’s bowl, and then head to the same spot every day for them to eat. Make your dog sit and wait calmly before placing the bowl on the ground and ensure your pooch waits for your command before eating.  

If your fur baby is too excitable, this can be a good opportunity to teach them to be calm. Don’t make a fuss about the food; use a level tone, and ignore the dog's erratic behaviors. Don’t let them eat until they have sat quietly and listened to your input. This can be a powerful tool in teaching obedience and ensuring your pup is listening to you above all else. It can also help your dog develop a routine that will benefit you both. 

Building Happiness Together

Owning a dog can be a wonderful thing, but it’s not always plain sailing; incorporating these tips into your daily life will do more than simply improve your and your dog's happiness. Your bond will be strengthened, your trust deepened, and your collective happiness elevated. Dogs have an incredible capacity to learn, and through structured play, training sessions, and solid routines, we can decrease their frustration, lower their anxiety, and make them easier to manage, which is great for pet parents as well as pooches. The answer to the age-old question ‘Do dogs make people happier?’ is a resounding yes, so the next time you're thinking about how to make your dog happy in return, use these tips for dog and owner happiness to make a physical and emotional change that counts.