A dog is considered a senior when he’s in the last third of his life. Different breeds have different life expectancies, so your pet could be a senior dog at anywhere from 6 to 12 years old. You’ll likely notice the telltale sign of aging: his body will be less limber; his sight and hearing will deteriorate; his fur will turn gray in places; and he’ll start sleeping longer and moving around less. If your dog’s healthy—and was spayed or neutered before six months—he’ll likely age slower than a dog that’s struggled with disease.
At this stage in his life, he requires a diet that’s low in calories, protein and fat, since he’ll be less active; and high in fiber, since he’ll be more likely to develop constipation. Although you could stick with the same food and simply reduce your dog’s intake, you may want to switch to a senior formula that caters to his unique needs to ensure the correct nutritional proportions.
Some good brands of senior dog food include:
- Artemis Fresh Mix
- Canidae
- Go Natural
- Innova
- Merrick
- Nature’s Logic
- Nature’s Variety Prairie
- Solid Gold
- Timberwolf Organics
- Wellness
If your senior dog suddenly won’t eat, you should schedule an appointment with your vet or try one of the following:
- Moisten his food with water to make it easier to chew.
- Add some of the liquid from canned tuna, or a small amount of chicken broth, to make it tastier.
- Feed smaller amounts of food more often.
Be sure not to overfeed, as this could lead to health problems that may shorten your dog’s life. Also, consider adding a dietary supplement such as glucosamine or chondroitin for arthritis. By following these basic nutritional guidelines, you’ll ensure your older dog lives his final years feeling healthy and happy.
Great article. Diet and exercise become even more important for our dogs as they move into their senior years. As you mentioned, as they get older their needs begin to change. Just like humans, our senior dogs require certain nutritional elements to maintain their health so they can live long, healthy lives. Some other things to consider are alternative treatments such as canine massage and dog acupuncture as non-invasive ways to help your older dog deal with the issues they may face in their golden years such as arthritis. The good news is that we have so much available to us to help our older dogs…in the past this was not the case so look around, do some research and take some positive actions to help your senior dog continue to enjoy life.