Is My Dog Happy? Take The Dog Happiness Quiz
Have you ever wondered about how happy your dog really is? You’re not alone. Dog moms and dads all over wrestle with the same thought. People, in general, are on a rapid quest for happiness right now. That’s evidenced by the popularity Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Happiness Project” and many others. Well, most of us are steadfastly in pursuit of the same level of happiness for our dogs. Before you run around making changes to your dog’s life, you might want to first find out how happy he is right now.
Take our carefully created quiz “Is My Dog Happy?” After you complete the Happiness quiz for dogs, you’ll have a road map of ways you can make your happy. Keep track of your points as you go.
How much exercise does your dog get each day?
1 Point: My dog doesn’t exercise, he is a couch potato.
2 Points: My dog exercises for a few minutes every time I let him out in the back yard,
3 Points: My dog gets between 30 minutes to two hours of breed specific exercise each day.
What kind of diet does your dog eat?
1 Point: My dog eats table scraps or whatever’s on sale at Walmart.
2 Points: My dog eats the same dog food my vet recommended when he was a puppy.
3 Points: My dog eats a carefully selected diet based on his stage in life, weight and activity levels.
How often do you groom your dog? This includes brushing, nail clippings and baths.
1 Point: My dog gets a bath or goes to a groomer once a month, but I never brush him at home.
2 Points: My dog gets a bath once a month and I brush his hair multiple times each week.
3 Points: My dog doesn’t get baths. I brush him occasionally.
How often is your dog socialized with other dogs and people?
1 Point: My dog has regularly opportunities to socialize in and outside of the home.
2 Points: My dog goes to the dog park and interacts with other people in and outside the home every now and then.
3 Points: My dog rarely, if ever, socializes with other dogs and/or people in our outside the home.
Does your dog bark show signs of destructive behavior when you are home or away?
1 Point: My dog chews things up when I’m gone for long periods of time or change our daily schedule.
2 Points: My dog never destroys anything in the home.
3 Points: My dog destroys things every chance he gets.
How often does your dog engage in interactive play, games or activities that provide mental stimulation?
1 Point: My dog is provided with some opportunities to engage in interactive play, games or other activities that provide mental stimulation to some degree.
2 Points: My dog is never provided with opportunities to engage in interactive play, games or other activities that provide mental stimulation to some degree.
3 Points: My dog is provided with frequent opportunities to engage in interactive play, games or other activities that provide mental stimulation to some degree.
How often do you take your dog to the vet?
1 Point: My dog goes to the vet only when I think he’s sick or hurt.
2 Points: My dog goes to the vet once or twice each year and when I think he’s sick or hurt.
3 Points: My dog never goes to the vet.
What kind of body language does your dog exhibit when you walk into the room or come home after work or being out for a while?
1 Point: My dog lifts his head or wags his tail when I walk into the room or come home after work or being out for a while.
2 Points: My dog has no response or he cowers and appears rigid when I walk into the room or come home after work or being out for a while.
3 Points: My dog gives me a whole body tail wag, and/or his whole body wiggles and his whole body is a relaxed state when I come home after work or being out for a while
How often do you talk to your dog?
1 Point: I talk to my dog at mealtimes, when I’m letting him out or when I’m correcting his behavior.
2 Points: I talk to my dog every chance I get. In fact, it often sounds like I’m talking to another person in the room.
3 Points: I rarely talk to my dog. He doesn’t really understand me anyway.
Do you praise your dog for good behavior?
- I don’t praise my dog. He should just do what he knows is right.
- I sometimes praise my dog when he follows commands.
- I praise my dog all the time for good behavior and also to show him how much I love him.
Congratulations! You have completed the quiz. How did you do?
“Is My Dog Happy” scoring guidelines:
Total up your points for all “best” answers and then look below to see just how happy your dog is.
9 – 10 points: Your dog is happy as a pig in mud, so it seems. He is confident in the world around him and has every opportunity to achieve and maintain good physical and mental health. He looks good and feels good about his furry self! He feels loved and appreciated by you and knows how to show you! By fine tuning his happiness plan, your dog will want for nothing!
4 – 8 points: Your dog is generally happy. He may exhibit some level of confidence in the world around him and has some opportunities to achieve and maintain some level of physical and mental health. He knows you love him, but may need an adjustment to his care regime. He feels loved and appreciated by you most of the time and attempts to show you. With a few changes here and there, your dog will be one happy camper.
1 – 3 points: Your dog is happy sometimes. He may exhibit a low level of confidence in the world around him and has irregular opportunities to achieve good physical and mental health. He thinks he’s loved, but may need a little more encouragement. Your dog may need a little more from you in terms of routines, rituals and an intentional plan when it comes to his happiness. In no time, he’ll be screaming “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Well, if he spoke your language he would! With a little work on your part, your dog will on his way to the best life ever.
How did your dog score?
No matter how you scored, there’s always room for improvement! Remember, this is just a guideline. Hopefully this quiz points you in the right direction in terms of your dogs overall happiness! This is the first step towards developing the happiness plan for your dog – starting now! Pat yourself on the back for a job well done in placing your dog’s needs as a priority! Stay tuned to our blog for more specific ways you can make your dog and other pets happy. Now tell us, how do you make your dog happy each day?
