How To Care For Your Senior Pet

Senior dogs or dogs around 8 to 10 years and plus have different needs and care requirements than those of a much younger dog. But how do you know when your dog is considered to be a senior or reaching his retirement years?

It really depends on the individual dog breed. In general, giant or large breed dogs age faster than smaller breed dogs. A Great Dane or Saint Bernard or similar large breed dogs are considered to be senior by roughly 5-6 years old, whereas a Chihuahua or Pomeranian or a Lhasa Apso and similar smaller breeds would likely only be middle-aged then, and probably not considered a senior until 10-11 years. Medium breed dogs fall somewhere in between. A Golden Retriever or a Labrador Retriever might be considered senior by 8-10 years of age. Genetics, nutrition, environment, exercise all of these play a role in how fast your dog reaches seniorhood.

What are some of the things to expect as your dog ages? Your dog may develop arthritis or other degenerative diseases that cause him to slow down. Like all senior dogs also may get tired easily. He may not be able to walk as far or play as long. He may tire more easily with a simple game of fetch which he would love to play in his younger days. He may have difficulty getting up or finding a comfortable position to sleep in. He may become reluctant to go up and down stairs or have difficulty getting into and out of the car. It may be difficult to control his bowel movement for a longer duration. He may be losing some weight.