Old age can creep up with dogs and it can be easy to miss the little signs and changes in behaviour that show their maturity. Some seniors won’t show their age at all on the outside but most will gain distinguished silver coats and muzzles as they get older. Senior dogs are generally easier to handle than younger dogs as they don’t ask for as much exercise and playtime, are less likely to run off and they will often become more affectionate and dependant on you making it even easier to bond with them. However, on the downside they are more vulnerable to illness and need a warm comfortable environment to rest and recuperate in.
Breed and size play a role in when dogs become seniors, for instance a Border terrier will be a senior at 9 whilst Bloodhounds are seniors at 6-7 years of age and whilst for some dogs they can expect to have many long healthy years as senior dogs, for others this can be a few brief years.
As they age you may notice their behaviour changing, as well as looking for more affection and time with you, they can be grumpier with other dogs and dislike changes in their routine. It’s common for senior dogs to become more anxious and sensitive as they start to lose sight or hearing and they will often dislike being separated from you. Major changes in behaviour and mood can be a sign of pain or illness so, if in doubt, contact your vet.
The biggest change is with their activity, as they gently wind down senior dogs are naturally less active, joint function can be affected and arthritis and stiffness becomes noticeable. This change in activity alongside reduced metabolism can often lead to weight gain, so monitoring weight and condition is important in senior dogs.
Finding the right food for your senior is important, a good food for senior dogs is one which they enjoy eating and suits their digestion. In most cases lower energy, low fat diets but with high digestibility will match their reduced metabolism and prevent any weight gain. As senior dogs are more vulnerable to illness keeping a close eye on appetite and feeding habits is important to detect problems early on giving you more time to resolve them. Adding a joint health supplement either separately or within their food can also help, as this will support joint health and movement as they get older.
As all senior dogs are individual, at tails.com we make sure we include all the nutrients and extras your dog needs as he gets older. We take details about your dog when you sign up with us but will also amend his blend if you let us know about anything that has changed over time.
My dog barney is 15 in January, he is almost blind and deaf – he can hear high pitched whistles and claps, we get his food from you and he loves it. Considering his age he is doing very well still going to toilet on his own, I have started giving him flexi joint to see if this helps but we think he may have dementia as well, it is upsetting to see – is there anything that we can help him with or any vitamins that can help with this please – any advice would be gratefully received. many thanks Laura Devanney
We’re so sorry to hear Barney’s showing signs of dementia, Laura. Unfortunately dementia in senior dogs is more common than people realise. There are a few dietary changes that we can make to his blend which may help if you’d like to get in touch at hello@tails.com. Adding Omega fatty acids to his blend with ingredients such as salmon and linseed can sometimes benefit. Anti-oxidant rich ingredients can also help. Apart from diet, there are a couple of supplements and medications which your vet can advise on. In any case, we would advise a senior wellness check at your vets in case anything else is contributing to his problem.
Thanks for your help.
Hi we currently have food for Eddie which you tailored to him loosing excess weight and dodo bring good for his heart.
This has been great and he loves it. However he has now developed eczema and we wondered if it should be changed slightly to be hypoallergenic if possible. He is 13 now and still loves life but just takes his time. We would be enormously grateful if this can be done .
Kind regards,
Karen Maleedy
Hi Karen,
If you send us an email at hello@tails.com, we’ll get back to you on this.
Millie
My dog, (German shorthaired Pointer) is 10yrs old tomorrow. He has always had kibble. We’ve recently had both kibble and wet food from you. He absolutely loves the wet food and doesn’t seem so bothered about the kibble anymore. Would you advise that we just keep him on wet food from now on?
Give him a big birthday cuddle from us, Sue! We’d recommend a mix of both, as his kibble will be the tailor-made part of his diet, whereas the wet food can bring more texture and variety of flavours to his meals. For tips on how to keep him interested in his kibble, you can take a look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb-Zrndfb2o Alternatively, you can pop our Customer team an email at hello@tails.com and we can look at introducing a new flavour to his dry food for him to try out 💙