This March 20th, the world will be celebrating International Day of Happiness and whilst we’re all making sure that everyone around us is happy, be sure to give special tribute to your canine companion.

As a nation of dog lovers, Brits have been known to lead happier and healthier lives because of their four-legged friends, according to several Lintbells’ surveys. In fact, 40% of dog owners1 admitted that walking their dog reduced their stress levels and in turn, made them much happier. 86% of dog owners also believe having a pooch helped them bring stress levels down, with 28% going onto say they believe their mental health and well-being is above average – all because of their pet!2

So, this International Day of Happiness, why not give back to your canine best friend and give him a few extra reasons to smile? YuMOVE, the UK’s No.1 veterinary joint supplement3, has suggested a few ways you can make sure your pooch has the best day ever!

Dog training

Training your dog has proven benefits for their wellbeing as the mental stimulation keeps them on their paws in a fun and engaging way. Dogs are instinctual and interactive animals and will look to you as their owner for opportunities to test their brain power. Try out some new tricks or commands and you’ll find that the bond between your pooch and you will continue to strengthen, making you both much happier.

Plenty of exercise

Just like in people, exercise will make your dog jovial. This could include anything from your usual daily walks to agility training. This International Day of Happiness perhaps try something different when exercising your pup. Go hiking or try an obstacle course out – your dog will be over the moon to try new activities and will in turn improve their fitness and mobility. And with dog owners walking an average of 870 miles a year1, walking with your dog will help keep your fitness levels up too.

If your dog sometimes struggles with their joints when exercising, or if you want to give them that extra boost, then Lintbells’ YuMOVE range is the perfect supplement to help. Proven to work within 6 weeks4, YuMOVE aids stiff joints and supports the mobility of dogs, with the help of ingredients such as the unique ActivEase® Green Lipped Mussel – containing four times more Omega 3 than standard versions.

Socialisation

Most dogs love meeting new people and other canines, so socialisation is a key element that can contribute towards your dog’s overall development and happiness. Taking your dog to a dog friendly park for a run-around gives them the opportunity to interact and meet other dogs, whilst also getting some exercise. With over 35% of people striking up to at least one conversation with another dog owner, dog walking can be a sociable experience for both you and your pet pooch.

For this International Day of Happiness, why not try and organise a meet up with all your friends’ pups? What better way to celebrate happiness, than with a room full of content dogs!

Play time!

Playing with your dog is one of the most beneficial activities you and your pooch can do together. Whether it be a simple game of fetch or hide and seek, playing with your dog will strengthen the bond between the two of you and in turn act as a form of exercise. Playing games together will increase both your and your pooch’s happiness and will help build and reinforce a strong and positive relationship with your dog.

1 Lintbells 2019 survey

2 Lintbells 2017 survey

3 Kynetec VetTrak Sales Data, MAT values (January 2019)

4 Study conducted by Royal Veterinary College. Data on file.