What to do when older dogs

Caring for an older dog means being on the lookout for behaviours that signal problems and being prepared to adapt to support them. Ages and stages of life Dogs over the age of seven can be considered 'senior', meaning they are older but still generally in good health. Meanwhile, dogs aged over 12 can be considered 'geriatric', which means they are at greater risk of health problems. Feeding an older dog As they become less active, older dogs can be prone to putting on weight. Switching to a complete senior diet can help keep extra weight off. On walks, let your dog set the pace. Try to go for frequent short walks instead of one long one. Older dogs can show signs of joint stiffness after strenuous exercise so ensure they have a comfy bed to sleep on. You may also want to provide ramps to help your older dog to manage your stairs or car. Twice-yearly veterinary check-ups are essential for an ageing dog. To help your dog stay mentally active, try to provide new and interesting elements to their routine. Make plenty of time for brain games, enrichment and interaction with them. As dogs get older, they can become less tolerant. It is important to respect your dog’s space. Daily grooming is good for their coat and a great opportunity to check them for any new lumps or bumps that may indicate a health problem.

As your dog gets older, you may notice them start to change, things like their habits and behaviour, as well as the way they move, and even the way they look. With this, we as owners need to adjust our expectations of them, make certain changes in order to help them, and learn to recognise different signs. It is important to adapt our routines to make our pets’ lives more comfortable as they age. You may need to adapt your exercise routine to fit with what your dog needs and can handle. Look at taking shorter but more frequent walks throughout the day instead of a single long walk. Ensure you give your dog plenty of breaks during the walk so they can rest if needed. Mental stimulation is particularly important for senior dogs as their physical abilities may be reduced. We can add low impact activities like search games, food enrichment and trick training, as these behaviours don’t put extra strain on the joints. It is also important to consider the setup of our homes and how we may need to adapt them as our dogs get older. A ramp or small set of stairs can be useful to assist pets who are not as able to jump onto the bed or sofa as they used to be. If your dog is struggling to get up or down the stairs without your help, it may be a good idea to block the stairs off with a baby gate so that they don’t injure themselves.