Good dog health comes from two habits working together: daily care that keeps your dog fit, and sharp eyes that catch problems early. A healthy dog eats with interest, moves freely, has clear eyes and clean ears, and acts like themselves, so any lasting change in those basics is your cue to call the vet. You know your dog better than anyone, and that knowledge is your best early warning system.

Dogs are skilled at hiding pain and illness. A slightly slower walk, a skipped breakfast or a new habit of licking one paw can be the first sign of something that is easy to treat when caught early and harder to treat later.

Once you know your dog’s normal, you can spot the difference between a lazy afternoon and a true warning sign. Start today with a gentle five-minute check of your dog from nose to tail, then use what you find as your baseline.

Key Takeaways

• Learn your dog’s normal habits so you can spot changes fast.

• Some symptoms, like breathing trouble or straining to wee, need a vet straight away.

• Good food, exercise, grooming and regular vet visits prevent many problems.

How Can You Tell if Your Dog Is Healthy?

You can tell your dog is healthy when their appetite, energy, body and movement all match their usual pattern. A steady routine of watching, touching and weighing your dog gives you a clear picture of what “well” looks like for them.

Know Your Dog’s Normal Appetite, Energy and Behaviour

Every dog has its own baseline. A young Border Collie may race around all day, while an older Basset Hound naps for hours. Both can be healthy.

Pay attention to these daily signs:

• Appetite: how fast they eat and whether they finish meals

• Thirst: roughly how often you refill the water bowl

• Toilet habits: how often they wee and poo, and what it looks like

• Energy: how keen they are on walks and play

• Mood: how they greet you and react to people and other dogs

A healthy dog’s poo should be firm, moist and easy to pick up. If your dog seems quiet, clingy or restless for no clear reason, note it. Odd behaviour is one of the earliest clues, so it helps to know why your dog is acting weird before you assume it is mood alone.

A simple notebook or phone note with dates helps your vet a lot. Write down anything unusual, even if it seems small.

How to Do a Gentle Nose-to-Tail Check

A weekly home check takes about five minutes. Choose a calm moment, use treats, and stop if your dog seems worried.

1. Eyes: bright, the same size, with white areas that are white, not red or yellow.

2. Ears: a little wax is fine, but no redness, crust or bad smell.

3. Nose: nostrils even in size, with no thick discharge.

4. Mouth: gums pink and moist, teeth not broken or wobbly. Gums should never look pale, grey or bright red.

5. Skin and coat: part the fur and look for fleas, flea dirt, ticks, lumps, scabs or bald patches.

6. Legs and paws: run your hands down each leg, then check between the pads for grass seeds and cuts.

7. Bottom and tail: clean, with no swelling or scooting.

Watch for flinching or a yelp as you go. Dogs Trust advises that these reactions could be a sign of pain, so book a vet visit if you notice them.

If you find a new lump, take a photo and measure it. Most lumps are harmless, but it helps to know the signs of cancerous lumps in dogs so you act quickly. For a closer look at vital signs, learn how to check your dog’s temperature safely; a normal adult range sits between 37.8°C and 39.2°C.

Monitor Weight, Body Condition and Mobility

Weight changes creep up slowly, so regular weighing catches them early. Many vet practices let you use their scales for free.

Use your hands as well as the scales:

Check	Healthy sign	Possible problem
Ribs	Felt easily, not seen	Can’t feel them, or can see them clearly
Waist (from above)	Visible tuck behind ribs	Straight or bulging sides
Belly (from the side)	Tucks up towards back legs	Hangs low

Watch how your dog moves too. They should spread their weight evenly on all four legs and climb stairs or jump into the car without fuss. Stiffness after rest, a shorter stride or reluctance to jump often points to sore joints, especially in older or heavier dogs.

Which Symptoms Mean Your Dog Needs a Vet?

Breathing trouble, collapse, a swollen belly or straining with no result need a vet right now; most other symptoms need a call if they last more than a day or two. Knowing which group a sign falls into helps you act fast without panicking.

Emergency Warning Signs That Need Immediate Help

Ring your vet or the nearest out-of-hours clinic straight away if your dog shows any of these:

• Difficulty breathing, blue or very pale gums

• Collapse, fits or sudden weakness

• Retching with nothing coming up, especially with a swollen belly

• Straining to wee with no urine passing

• Heavy bleeding or a deep puncture wound

• Sudden inability to walk or use the back legs

• Eating something toxic, such as chocolate, grapes, raisins or xylitol

• Signs of heatstroke, such as heavy panting, drooling and wobbling

Breathing problems are always a medical emergency. Keep your vet’s emergency number saved in your phone so you never waste time searching for it.

Changes in Eating, Drinking and Toileting

Small changes in the food bowl and on walks often come before other signs. Always speak to your vet if your dog misses more than two meals in a row, or sooner if they also seem unwell.

Other changes worth a call include:

• Drinking far more than usual, or refusing water

• Weeing more often, in odd places, or with blood in it

• Diarrhoea or constipation lasting more than 24 hours

• Blood, worms or mucus in poo

• Repeated vomiting, or vomit with blood in it

If your dog has diarrhoea along with vomiting, watch closely for dry gums and sunken eyes. These are classic signs of dehydration in dogs, and puppies and older dogs can go downhill quickly.

Itching, Ear Problems and Eye Discomfort

Skin, ear and eye problems are rarely emergencies, but they cause real discomfort and get worse when left. Book a vet visit if your dog is scratching, licking or chewing themselves a lot, or has red skin, bald patches or scabs.

Allergies are a common cause. Pollen, food and fleas can all trigger itching, and symptoms of hay fever in dogs often include licked paws and rubbed faces.

For ears, look out for head shaking, a bad smell, dark discharge or a dog that hates having its ears touched. Eyes need faster attention: squinting, a closed eye, cloudiness or redness should be seen the same day, as eye injuries can worsen within hours.

Recognising Pain and Unusual Behaviour

Dogs rarely cry out when in pain. Instead, they change how they act.

Common signs of pain include:

• Hiding or wanting to be left alone

• Growling or snapping when touched

• Panting while resting in a cool room

• Trembling, restlessness or trouble settling

• Licking one spot again and again

• Reluctance to climb stairs, jump or go for walks

Repeated lip licking can mean nausea, stress or mouth pain, so consider why your dog keeps licking his lips if it becomes a new habit. Trust your gut: if your dog seems “off” for more than a day, a vet check is sensible.

Everyday Habits That Help Keep Your Dog Well

Daily habits do most of the work in keeping your dog well: the right food in the right amount, plenty of activity and rest, regular grooming and a safe home. Each habit takes a few minutes but adds up to fewer vet bills and a longer, more active life.

Choose a Complete Diet and Appropriate Portions

Pick a food labelled “complete”, which means it contains all the nutrients your dog needs without extra supplements. Choose one made for your dog’s life stage, whether puppy, adult or senior.

Portion size is where many owners slip. Use the pack guide as a starting point, weigh food with kitchen scales, and adjust based on your dog’s body shape. A dog feeding guide helps you work out amounts and meal times.

Count treats as part of the daily total. Keep them to around 10% of daily calories, and break larger treats into small pieces during training.

Extra weight puts strain on joints and organs and raises the risk of arthritis, heart disease and diabetes. Change foods slowly over about a week to avoid an upset stomach.

Balance Exercise, Enrichment and Rest

Most adult dogs need at least one good walk a day, but needs vary hugely by breed and age. A working breed may need two hours of activity, while a small toy breed may be happy with shorter outings.

Mix physical and mental exercise:

• Sniff walks: let your dog explore at their own pace

• Puzzle feeders: slow down fast eaters and keep the brain busy

• Short training sessions: five minutes of tricks tires a dog well

• Play: tug, fetch and hide-and-seek all build trust

Time spent playing also helps you bond with your dog, which makes handling during health checks much easier. Rest counts too. Adult dogs sleep 12 to 14 hours a day, and puppies and seniors sleep more, so give them a quiet bed away from busy areas.

Care for Teeth, Coat, Paws and Nails

Dental disease is one of the most common problems vets see. Brush your dog’s teeth daily with a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste, as human toothpaste can be toxic to dogs.

Plaque and tartar can lead to gum disease, just as they do in people. Bad breath, red gums or brown build-up all mean your vet should take a look.

Brush your dog’s coat a few times a week, more often for long or thick coats. Grooming removes loose hair, stops painful mats and gives you a chance to spot ticks, lumps and sore skin.

Check paws after country walks for grass seeds, which can work into the skin. Trim nails when you hear them clicking on hard floors, and ask your vet or groomer to show you how if you’re unsure.

Prevent Poisoning, Heatstroke and Household Accidents

Many emergencies are avoidable with a few simple rules.

Keep these out of reach:

• Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions and garlic

• Sugar-free gum and sweets containing xylitol

• Medicines, including ibuprofen and paracetamol

• Antifreeze, slug pellets and rat poison

• Cleaning products and certain plants, such as lilies and daffodil bulbs

Heat is a serious risk in UK summers. Walk your dog early or late, carry water, and never leave them in a car, even for a few minutes. Learn the signs of dog overheating, such as heavy panting, drooling and confusion, and cool your dog with tepid water while you call the vet.

Around the home, tidy away electrical cables, keep bins closed and use a stair gate for puppies or dogs with poor mobility.

Plan Preventative Care for Every Life Stage

Preventative care means regular vet checks, vaccines, parasite control and planning for your breed’s known risks. The details change as your dog grows from puppy to senior, so review the plan with your vet once a year.

How Often Should Your Dog Have a Vet Check?

Visit frequency depends mainly on age:

Life stage	Suggested vet checks
Puppy	Every 3 to 4 weeks until about 4 months old
Adult	At least once a year
Senior (over 7 to 8 years)	Twice a year or more

These intervals follow veterinary guidance on routine checks and give your vet the chance to spot weight changes, heart murmurs, dental disease and lumps early. Bring a list of questions and any notes from your home checks to each appointment.

Arrange Vaccinations and Tailored Parasite Protection

In the UK, core vaccines protect against distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis. Puppies need a first course, then boosters through adult life. Your vet will set the timing, and a dog vaccination schedule for the UK helps you keep track.

Leptospirosis is spread through infected water and rat urine, so dogs who swim in rivers or walk near farmland face more risk. You can read more in our guide to leptospirosis in dogs.

Parasite care covers:

• Fleas: treat all pets in the home and wash bedding

• Worms: roundworm and tapeworm treatments, plus lungworm in many areas

• Ticks: check after walks in long grass, woods and moorland

Ask your vet to tailor products to your dog’s lifestyle. Some dogs need monthly cover, while others need a different plan.

Discuss Neutering and Breed-Specific Health Risks

Neutering prevents unwanted litters and lowers the risk of some illnesses, such as womb infections in females and testicular cancer in males. The best timing varies. For large breeds, vets now often suggest waiting until 12 to 24 months to protect growing joints.

Every breed has its own risks. Flat-faced breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs can struggle with breathing, Dachshunds are prone to back problems, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels often develop heart disease. Ask your vet what to watch for in your breed, and whether any health screening is worth doing.

Adapt Care for Puppies, Adults and Senior Dogs

Your dog’s needs shift as they age.

• Puppies: focus on vaccines, worming, gentle socialisation and learning to be handled. Check with your vet when puppies can go outside after their jabs.

• Adults: keep weight steady, keep up with boosters and parasite cover, and brush teeth daily.

• Seniors: switch to shorter, more frequent walks, add soft bedding and non-slip rugs, and ask about blood tests.

Older dogs are more likely to develop arthritis, kidney disease and dental problems. Watching for common senior dog health issues helps you act early and keep your dog comfortable for longer.

Know What Is Normal and Act on Changes

Your knowledge of your dog’s normal is the most useful health tool you have. A weekly nose-to-tail check, regular weighing and a quick look at food bowls and poo bags will show you most problems early.

Keep these points in mind:

• Act at once on breathing trouble, collapse, a swollen belly, straining to wee or suspected poisoning.

• Call your vet if a symptom such as poor appetite, diarrhoea or limping lasts more than a day or two.

• Feed a complete diet in measured portions, and count treats.

• Brush teeth daily and groom the coat a few times a week.

• Keep up with vaccines, flea, tick and worm treatments.

• Book at least one vet check a year, and two for seniors.

Write down changes with dates and photos so your vet has clear facts to work with. Save your vet’s day and out-of-hours numbers in your phone today, and set a weekly reminder for your home health check.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell what is wrong with my dog?

Start by comparing your dog to their normal: appetite, thirst, toilet habits, energy and how they move. Note what changed and when, then call your vet with those details. Only a vet can diagnose the cause, often with an exam and tests.

Does a dry nose mean my dog is ill?

No, a dry nose on its own is not a sign of illness. Noses often dry out after sleep, in warm rooms or in the sun. Watch instead for cracking, crusting, bleeding or thick discharge, which do need a vet check.

Can dogs be unwell without obvious symptoms?

Yes, dogs often hide illness until it is quite advanced. Early kidney disease, dental pain and arthritis can all show only as subtle changes in behaviour or drinking. Regular vet checks and blood tests for older dogs help find these problems sooner.

Can I give my dog human painkillers?

No, never give your dog human painkillers unless a vet tells you to. Ibuprofen and paracetamol can cause serious stomach, kidney or liver damage in dogs, even in small doses. Your vet can prescribe safe pain relief made for dogs.

Does dog insurance cover routine preventative care?

Most standard UK pet insurance does not cover routine care such as vaccines, flea and worm treatment or neutering. Many vet practices offer monthly health plans that spread these costs instead. Older dogs can be harder to insure, so look into dog insurance for senior dogs early if your dog is getting on in years.