Photo Credit: Helena Lopes via www.pexels.com

A dog has different needs for each stage of his life. Think about the things that a puppy needs when you first bring him home. Then compare that to a couple of short years later. They almost feel like two different dogs entirely just from a personality perspective. Taking care of them in these different phases of life needs to be adjusted over time.

When your dog starts getting up there in years, you have to make sure that you change the way he is taken care of as it is more important than ever to get it right. Senior dogs have a lot of special needs when it comes to diet, exercise, and just about every other facet of their life.

In this article, we will go over all the things you need to know when your dog hits his senior years.

What makes a dog a senior?

It’s easy to make the mistake of making a comparison to humans when it comes to a dog’s age. All you need to do is to think of one human year as being the equivalent of 7 dog years, right? Well, not so fast. It isn’t quite that simple since there are loads of factors that go into things.

For starters, different breeds of dogs have different lifespans. This is going to mean that they will hit their senior years at different times.

A general rule of thumb is that small dogs live longer so they tend to be considered seniors when they reach ten years old. Medium sized dogs hit their senior years around eight years old and lastly, large breeds hit that age around seven years.

When your dog starts getting to around the ages listed above, then instead of automatically treating them as a senior, start looking for some signs. You’ll know when a dog is now a senior citizen when they start showing signs of muscle loss, weight gain or loss on their paunch, and white whiskers starting to grow.

There are other signs that your dog is firmly in senior territory but these are the signs that are likely to happen first that you should be aware of as they signify it’s time to adjust your care strategy. Once you see things like opaqueness in the eyes, difficulty moving around, and bad teeth, you should have already had a new strategy in place to care for them.

Their diet

Just like people, dogs’ dietary needs change as they enter their senior years. The caloric intake needs to be adjusted as does the type of nutrition they require. Certain deficiencies can present themselves in a dog’s physiology so the diet needs to change to accommodate these changes.

The type of diet is going to differ based on what their needs are according to the health problems they have. High-quality dog food is essential, but it also needs to be tailored specifically to certain ailments.

For instance, if your dog has arthritis and mobility issues, then you should be giving them food that is high in collagen which will help their joints and make it easier for them to move around without pain.

Heart and blood issues are also common in senior dogs so the cholesterol should be low to avoid aggravating these problems. The key is to look for the problems the dog is having and address each of them specifically with the food formula. This is more effective than going for a generic senior formulated dog food that may address common issues but not necessarily the ones your dog has.

Exercise

Keeping your dog active is a great way to avoid certain ailments that dogs experience as they age. Getting enough exercise is essential to keep their heart healthy, lower the risk of obesity and diabetes that comes with it, and joint problems.

Make sure to get your dog out of the house at least once a day for a vigorous walk or even some light play if they are capable of doing so. Getting the blood flowing will bring much-needed nutrients throughout their body. Not only that but keeping their muscle mass will prevent them from getting frail. This will help to lower the risk of broken bones and lethargy.

Watch for signs of pain when you bring the dog out for some exercise. If there is a limp, or they are favoring a certain paw then there could very well be an injury. Even a dog slowing down suddenly could be a sign that something is wrong. Dogs do slow down when they hit their senior years, but it’s usually gradual. If you are having trouble getting the dog motivated to get out of the house when just a couple of days before they were eager to get outside then this should concern you.

Invest in upgrading their environment

You may need to make some special accommodations so they can still maintain their independence. This can include things like ramps to get up a small set of stairs.

Or, you could even go for a heated dog bed for them to ease their joints when they are resting after some exercise. This will allow them to get a good night’s rest and be able to stay active the next day. Also, sleep is very important for their immune system so whatever way you need to keep them comfortable at night is essential.

Adding some rugs or carpeting to the home overall is also going to help them by giving them an easier surface to walk on. They may have trouble with their balance when walking on slippery tiles and end up straining a muscle just trying to keep from falling.

Elevating the water and food bowls will allow them to eat and drink more comfortably. You can easily find some specially made platforms for food and water bowls that keep them up off of the ground and are easy to clean. Otherwise, you can make one yourself out of wood if you are handy enough.