All living creatures age. Thank you Captain Obvious I hear you say!
The problem is that dogs age more rapidly than we do as humans. As a general statement, dogs age approximately 7 times as fast as we do. So, in doing the math, both Finn and I will be 70 years of age in 5 years’ time: yikes!
It’s important that, as owners, we keep an eye on how our dogs are doing physiologically as time passes so we can adjust, for example, how much exercise they need. In living with your dog day in and day out, it’s not always easy to detect physical deterioration. Only when you look back in time do you realise that your once young puppy doesn’t walk as quickly as before or doesn’t play chase with other dogs like he used to. Rather than becoming lazy, appreciate that your dog doesn’t have the “get up and go” he once had and adjust his exercise routine accordingly. If the deterioration is rapid, you may want to take your dog to be checked out by your veterinarian in case there is a medical issue developing.
Another way dogs show they are aging is the amount of sleep they have during the day. This may not be easy to determine because their lifestyle may have led them to a certain amount of sleep anyway during the day. For example, if dogs are left by themselves during the work week. However, the combination of amount of sleep plus how active they are when awake will normally indicate if your dog is showing signs of aging.
As well as physical changes, dogs may start to experience changes in temperament as they age. The once mellow puppy is perhaps not so tolerant with other dogs or becomes more reluctant to come when called. Changes in temperament can sometimes be linked to physical aches and pains which, when fixed, can resolve themselves.
It’s between the ages of 7 and 9 years that dogs may begin to vary more widely in their physical and mental needs. While this period marks middle age in some dogs, others seem more elderly. In general, larger dogs have a shorter life span than smaller dogs.
As with humans, when your dog ages it’s metabolism slows so you may want to modify your dog’s food intake otherwise excess weight gain may occur leading to health problems. Cut out table scraps or reduce the amount of food you give your dog to reflect the reduction in physical activity. Better still, switch to a senior dog diet that is lower in calories, higher in fiber, and has adequate protein and fat. Specially formulated senior dogs diets are lower in calories and help to create a feeling of fullness.
You may have introduced a senior dog into the home recently or had him since he was a puppy. Either way, they are part of the family and need to be treated accordingly. Dogs give unconditional love to us: please reciprocate so that in their golden years dogs can feel loved to the very end.
