Tips for a happy senior dog

Old age (hopefully) happens for most of us including our beloved ‘furkids’ (though we all know its never long enough).

Did you know that a dog is considered to be ‘senior’ once they’ve reached approximately 75% of their  ‘average’ lifespan. 

This is not an ‘exact’ science but it does give us a general guide based on ‘breed size’

Obviously each dog is different and many factors influence ‘lifespan’, with some breeds more disposed to higher disease risks than others. Being aware of  ‘stage of life’ (puppy/adolescent, adult, senior)  can certainly help us to support our dogs more proactively and ensure a great quality of life in their senior years.

The subtle signs….

You may start to notice the little things, like they don’t run as fast as they used to, perhaps they’re a bit slower getting up or down, lumps and bumps appear, they don’t hear or see as well as they used too, they play less, and sleep more or maybe become pickier about food, sometimes appear confused or even begin to have toilet accidents in the home. 

Pain & discomfort are not always obvious & can really impact on their quality of life – seeing your vet regularly (or other health professionals) can really make a positive difference to support them in their senior years & live their best life.

Despite these possible changes, there is something quite wonderful in having a senior dog, whether they came to you later in their life or you have been able to share their life from the heady juvenile times of doing things they shouldn’t, sometimes hilarious, sometimes not, watching as they grow into a wonderful adults and companions and then as they progress into their senior years.

This is a time to cherish and also one of continued learning and patience, especially for us as caregivers and also for our beautiful ‘Oldies’.

Just because they’re getting older doesn’t mean their life enjoyment should stop, instead it becomes an opportunity to do the ‘old’ things differently and look for new ways to continue to enrich their lives and yours. 

Think about the things they love doing (or used to ) & how can you offer the same in a different way?

There are so many ways we can do simple things to enrich their lives such as:

• • • raising water & feed bowls off the floor to make them easier to access (stretching down for a dog with arthritis isn’t enjoyable).
    • Consider changing their bed(s) to provide more body support & ensure it’s easy for them to get in & out of (not too soft as can be difficult for mobility).

Movement & mobility are important but you may need to change how you do things.

Discuss your dog’s needs with your vet & how best to support your dog in their ‘golden years’ . 

Regular walks are still important but you may need to adjust how far & where you go. Instead of an hour you might find 20-30 minutes is ideal. You may find you are walking slower , thats ok because it’s their walk’. 

It’s easy to keep things interesting, go somewhere new or drive to different places & spend more time sniffing or simply relaxing in a great park or place watching the world (maybe with a few favourite snacks).

Let then determine how long they want to spend sniffing that pole (or tree or grass or plant…) and how many things they need to pee on…focus on making it about their enjoyment.

Avoid walking on soft surfaces such as sand and dirt as it’s really hard on their joints

If your dog likes ‘fetch’ (my least favourite dog activity as it can be really tough on the joints, tendons & muscles) change the game to ‘reverse fetch’ – so you go and place their favourite toy ( or stick, or shoe etc)  in, on, or under things & they then have to go find them – this takes away the intense body movement requirements & you can easily do this at home or out & about.

Use more enrichment,  if you have a larger dog, do be mindful  of height & placement – adding some snuffle mats on an upturned boxes or small steps can make a big different in their enjoyment and ease of access.

I’m a big fan of free work enrichment setups with multiple different items (from cardboard boxes, to snuffle mats, to puzzle toys, to lick mats, Kongs, old towels & scrunched up paper, there are an endless amount of things you can do & use).

Always have at least 3 or 4 different items for them to engage with (based on what they like doing)

Simple things at home such as hiding treats and toys in the home or yard are great for your dog & using or introducing scent work can be a great activity to enjoy (and learn together) -their noses still work extremely well & all these things still engage the mind and body and are fun for you and your dog! 

Another fantastic and different outlet is to introduce your dog to proprioception (body balance and awareness).

Proprioception is fantastic for helping with flexibility and muscle strength and there are many different exercises and activities that are suitable and fun for seniors and their people to do, as they both get to learn new things together.  

We run individual Body Balance (proprioception) sessions throughout the year at a private facility in O’Connor (WA) – you can find out more about Body Balance here.

If your dog does have any health issues always check with your vet & /or animal physio first

The goal is to have a happy, healthy dog, both mentally & physically that gets to live their golden years well.

If you would like some enrichment ideas check out the ‘Enrichment ideas’ under ‘News & Info’.

The picture shown here is of our beautiful old man, Olly, he was 16 at the time, partaking in some very easy proprioception exercises, using low steps and mats. 

It’s a lovely slow activity, done at his pace & provides him the benefit of exercise, engages his mind & enables him to do similar things that the younger dogs do but modified to suit him and his abilities.