5 Ways to Help Your Senior Dog Age Healthier

An aging dog can still have several quality years left! As pet parents, though, we also want our beloved furball to age as comfortably and as healthy as possible.

In this article we will take a quick look at some of the best ways to help your senior dog age better.

When Does a Dog Reach Seniority?

Different dogs have different life expectancies, largely dependent upon breed. For your mutt, the average lifespan of your dog will likely be a mix of their genetic makeup.

In general, larger breeds do not live as long as smaller breeds. For example, a Great Dane lives, on average, 8-10 years. At about 6-7 years old, you can expect a Great Dane to have reached seniority.

Smaller breeds like chihuahuas, on the other hand, might live as long as twenty years! On average, they live about 12-20 years. So, a chihuahua might not reach seniority until 9 or even 12 years, depending on the dog’s overall health.

The rule of “smaller live longer” doesn’t always hold true, however. For example, the medium-sized breed Australian Shepherd is one of the longest living breeds, with an average of 15 years. But a smaller breed like a bulldog might still only have an average life expectancy of about 8 years.

Since there’s no exact rule about seniority, the main focus should be your dog's overall health and longevity. Your veterinarian can confirm if your dog has reached his senior years.

How Can You Help an Older Dog Live Longer?

Alright, so you suspect your dog has reached seniority. Your vet confirmed it. Are there ways to help your older dog live longer?

While there might not be a direct relationship between your behaviors and your dog’s lifespan, there can certainly be correlation. You may help add years to their life, or, at the very least, life to their years.

Here’s how.

What to Look for As Your Dog Ages

Most of the ways to help a senior dog age healthier have to do with preventive veterinary medicine. Problems are easier to address before they’ve grown! So, the sooner you start these healthy habits for your pup, the better!

However, even if your dog shows signs of ill health, you may be able to improve her condition.

Here are some of the key conditions to address with your aging dog:

• Obesity - Obesity speeds up your dog’s aging process and puts extra stress on joints. So, if your dog is overweight or obese, make the necessary dietary and activity changes to address it.

• Joint health - Certain dog breeds are more susceptible to joint problems.
• Anxiety - Anxiety may occur at any age, but anxiety in older dogs, especially, may cause excess barking or aggressive behavior.

How to Help Your Senior Dog Age Healthier

 Fortunately, there are ways to help your dog age healthier, including:

1. Providing consistent veterinary care - Regular veterinary care means any health issue your dog develops gets caught sooner, which can lead to more or better treatment options.
2. Staying active - Aging dogs still need stimulation, such as walks and play. However, they may not be up to the same activity levels. So, maintain whatever vigor your dog can through a mixture of physical activity and mental stimulation (such as toys and play time).
3. Decreasing environmental stress - New people, other animals, noise, and other external factors, may stress an aging dog. To whatever extent possible, you should help decrease anxiety and aggression in an older dog by providing a calm environment.
4. Maintaining a schedule - As much as possible, it is also important to a senior dog to know what to expect and maintain consistency in their schedule. If they still go outside to “do their business” at the same time every day, even if the interval might need to increase with age, it can be easier for them. The same is true for feeding schedules. They may need more rest time, but senior dogs still like their routine. Any changes to schedule should be gradual.

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