How to enhance your older dog's life

Exercise

Older dogs still need exercise and the change of scenery that their daily walks bring. This helps to keep them healthy and happy, gives you dedicated time every day to spend with them, and prevents boredom setting in. Long active walks however can easily put a strain on ageing muscles and joints, so instead of one long walk a day, take your older dog out for two or three short walks every day instead.

Let your dog spend these walks doing whatever they like to do – and you may well find that sniffing and exploring their environment in smell-o-vision is more enjoyable and enriching for them.

Grooming and massage

As your dog’s exercise needs decrease with age, it is easy to not spend as much time with them as you did when they were younger. This is a time when your dog needs your social companionship even more as they might not be spending as much out and about time with you but their love for you is just as strong as it ever was.

Most dogs enjoy the touch of their human guardian and that social contact can produce additional neurotransmitters in a dog’s brain that gives them pleasure and contentment. Spend time every day grooming your dog, stroking them and even massaging those bits of their body that you know they enjoy being touched. If you’re not sure, book a one-off session with a canine physio and get them to show you how best to do this.

However older dogs can have aches and pains that we may not realise – and if their hearing and sight is fading, sudden unexpected touches can be startling instead of enjoyable. Gentle grooming and massage can enhance the life of your elderly dog – but make sure they always see you coming and that focus your attentions on the areas you know they enjoy being touched.

Companionship

As your dog gets older, their world may well shrink down a little. They’ll be having less exercise and be less active. Activities like agility or just long country walks will be reduced and they may well spend more time at home. This means that you become far more important to them and your companionship is needed much more. It’s this closeness that has developed through your years together that makes living with an older dog such a joy – but never forget how much you mean to your dog.

An extract from an article written by Behaviourist and Trainer, Carolyn Menteith as part of a series surrounding caring for senior pets.