The Best Ways To Maximize Your Dog's True Happiness, According to Experts

It might not take much to make some dogs happy—it might just be throwing their favorite ball in a game of fetch, or maybe some belly rubs in the morning.

But are these simple notions enough to make your dog truly happy? Newsweek spoke to experts to find out how to maximize your dog's happiness, and the ideas might not be what you expect.

'Involve Your Dog in the Things You Enjoy'

Some owners will see their dog as a protective companion to have at home—but what about taking the dog along for day trips and social events?

Dog trainer and groomer Patrick Flynn, who founded Washington D.C.-based Patrick's Pet Care, has plenty of experience working with pets, as well as a genuine love of animals. He told Newsweek about the importance of owners learning their dog's communication signals to be able to know what works for their dog and what doesn't.

Flynn said: "Take a brief online class in how to read and interpret canine communication signals, so you can have an informed basis about whether, and to what degree, your dog is comfortable in any given context.

"A wagging tail doesn't always mean a happy dog, and showing teeth can sometimes mean a very happy one."

Once owners know which scenarios their dog enjoys, and which they don't feel as confident in, they can feel more free to enjoy socializing their dog more and bringing them along for the ride.

"Consider involving your dog in the things you enjoy doing," Flynn continued. "Dogs are social animals, and often their greatest happiness is sharing time with their humans.

"They can often be safely integrated into all sorts of human activities, with just a bit of training and observation."

Flynn explains that dogs carry many of the same characteristics as their owners—empathy, joy, curiosity—so they might enjoy being out with their human.

Next time you go out to a nice brunch spot (which allows dogs), why not take them with you? It might also make the Instagram picture of the food stand out that little bit more.

However, before owners take their dog out for the day, Flynn suggests reflecting on a handful of questions to ensure it's the right decision.

"When a guardian chooses to involve their dog, they have to ask themselves if they will enjoy having the dog there—sometimes it's not ideal to have to supervise. Will the dog enjoy being there? Sometimes it can be hot or crowded, so the dog might not be comfortable attending.

"Also, will the other people who are there enjoy my dog coming along? Sometimes it's not fair on other guests or attendees.

"The bottom line is, if you take the time to listen to what your dog is telling you that they enjoy, then they'll be very happy sharing time with you and doing a dynamic list of bonding activities."

'Dog Yoga Is a Great Way to Connect With Your Dog'

It's no secret that people need a vacation every now and then, but Janice Costa feels that dogs need them just as much.

In 2009, after becoming frustrated with the lack of options for owners to take their dog on for a fun-filled trip, Costa launched her own. She's been running New York state-based Canine Camp Getaway since, where dogs and owners can create vacation memories together.

"I've built my business on the idea of making dogs happy," she told Newsweek. "Unlike people, dogs tend to live in the moment, so bringing them to a place of joy is generally about taking advantage of what's around them in the here and now.

"Many dogs thrive on working, so their happy place might be one where they can engage in fun brain games, like nose work, puzzles or hunting. Athletic dogs may be happiest doing sports where they can engage all gears—like agility, frisbee or diving. A high-drive dog will love nothing more than activities like this because they get to go all out."

Costa explained that we often encourage dogs to rein it in and not to chase things, or to roll around in dirt, so when they're given the chance to really express themselves in a big, open space, this could make an energetic dog very happy.

Although, if your dog isn't quite as high tempo as that, why not try something more tranquil?

"Dog yoga is another great way to connect with your dog in a joyful setting," Costa said.

"You start with soothing music and a soft mat, and you do simple stretching exercises together. You calmly touch each other and look into each other's eyes. When dogs look into their beloved human's eyes, it triggers the release of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for bonding. Meditating or doing yoga together will spike that joy hormone for both humans and dogs."

Making your dog happy doesn't just have to be kept within your local radius, as Costa encourages owners to take their dogs further afield for new experiences. Other suggestions she gives include:

• Taking your dog on a trip to get a puppucino
• Playing treat tasting games to try a variety of treats
• Go on group dog hikes so they can feel like part of a pack
• Fitness games, such as a parkour course
• Training the dog to be a therapy dog and visiting hospitals, nursing homes and colleges to get lots of fuss and spread joy.

'The Happiest Dogs Are Biologically Fulfilled'

Dog trainer Leigh Siegfried, who founded Philadelphia-based Opportunity Barks, says that real happiness for dogs comes from biological fulfillment, which is about an owner truly bonding with their pup.

For a dog to be biologically fulfilled, owners don't need to spend loads of money. It's simply about understanding the dog and knowing what they inherently enjoy, and allowing them to do that regularly.

"It's about a quality to the interactions that we have between us and the dog, and the quality of experiences that we are making," Siegfried told Newsweek.

"I think that the happiest dogs are the ones that are biologically fulfilled. Fulfilling the dog isn't something you have to go out and spend lots of money on, it's something that's completely available every moment of the day.

"It's about understanding how to really engage and play with your dog, in a way that goes beyond the basic definition.

"It could be about getting down on the ground and wrestling with your dog, or when you play fetch with your dog it's not just simply throwing the ball, you do a bit more than that to make it more enjoyable. It's like learning how to have a sense of humor, or like being a dog with your own dog."

For Siegfried, being a dog owner isn't just about having a four-legged companion at home, but it's about really enjoying quality time with them and doing things the dog loves. Owners have to discover what makes their dog the happiest and further explore it.

"Dogs aren't here for a long time, but they're here for a good time, so let's show them a good time," Siegfried added.

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