No matter if you’ve got a lively adult doggo or your pooch is showing signs of sneaking into the senior years, there are some things you can do to help your dog age gracefully. From diet tips to DIY home improvement projects and more, these are some of the easiest and best ways to keep your pup young at heart, even as they qualify for senior status. With this approach, you and your local Dog Minder can keep your pooch feeling young and spritely!
Step One: Help your dog age gracefully with the best care
Without contest, the best thing you can do to ensure that your dog can age gracefully is to improve their professional care. That means finding a great veterinarian who can help you dog navigate their senior years. Your vet will be able to suggest preventive care and the best diet plan for your doggo so that they’re as healthy and comfortable as possible.
You will be spending more time at your vet office, but proactive care is key if you want to help your dog age gracefully.
Step Two: Get some high-quality senior dog food
Some Owners feel that they don’t need to switch their dog’s food when they get older. They argue that most senior dog foods are just regular formulas in different packaging. And sure, as a responsible Dog Owner, it’s important not to fall into some of the misleading packaging that you might come across with cheaper dog food brands.
Yet, high-quality senior dog food can help your pup age gracefully by providing valuable vitamins and minerals for bone strength and organ health. Moreover, senior dog food is designed to be easier to digest for doggos in the golden years.
Again, check in with your vet to learn about the best senior pet foods on the market.
Step Three: Take care of those pearly whites!
Dental hygiene is another key way of helping your dog age gracefully. Plaque build-up doesn’t just lead to expensive and uncomfortable dental work, it actually affects your dog’s overall health. So, staying on top of regular brushing and scheduled cleanings at the vet will go a long way to keeping your dog healthy. You can also enjoy the improved doggie breath, too!
Learn more about building a regular teeth brushing schedule by reading our article on How Often Should I Brush My Dog’s Teeth?
Step Four: Make some home adjustments that your dog will love
As your doggo gets older, their mobility will start to become slower and more laboured. To help your pup navigate these changes, here are a few simple changes you can make at home:
- Install senior dog ramps. Regardless of their age, your dog will probably continue to claim their place on the couch or the foot of your bed. Help them out with some dog ramps.
- Raise their food and water bowls. This applies to taller doggos who may struggle to bend down to reach their food and water bowls as they get older. Even just raising them a little bit will help your dog to have a more comfortable eating experience.
- Doggie-proof smooth surfaces. Avoid slips and slides by putting down more carpeting or materials that your pup can grip onto. This is especially important for stairs and other potentially dangerous place in the house. For more ideas on how to doggie-proof your floors, check out our article on Why Do Dogs Struggle to Walk on Some Surfaces?
- Provide plenty of on-the-ground napping spots. Your dog will love the chance to age gracefully in the cosiest and quietest places in the house. Provide them with more floor-level areas for snoozing, preferably away from some of the nosier areas and family members.
- Don’t make any sudden changes. With more limited vision and mobility, shifting furniture landscapes can be confusing for your older pup. Help them stay confident by keeping things in place or introducing changes slowly.
If you’re looking for a senior-friendly Dog Sitter, don’t be afraid to ask if they have some of these accommodations for older dogs! Many are easy changes that a dedicated Dog Sitter will gladly make for your senior doggo.
Step Five: Keep your senior dog active, at least mildly
You might assume that lowering your older dog’s activity level will help them age gracefully; to an extent, that’s true. However, it’s also important to let your dog enjoy some fresh air and stretch their legs every day. While they may not run like they used to, they’ll still benefit from some mild exercise and social time.
If you’re unable to give your senior dog regular exercise, try booking an experienced Dog Walker to pitch in! They’ll be able to give your senior dog a relaxing stroll when you’re not home. This can also help with another common condition in older pups – separation anxiety. In fact, older age can make your pup more dependent on human contact. So, calling in a friendly Dog Walker is a great solution.
Keep an eye on your pup when you’re exercising to avoid exhaustion or overheating.
How will you help your dog age gracefully?
These five steps are a great start to helping your doggo age gracefully. Because while science sadly hasn’t figure out how to make dogs live forever, we can make our senior pups happy and healthy in their old age.
If you’ve got your own tips to keeping your older dog young-at-heart, let us know!
