My dogs Gracie and Kona were 13 and 15 when they passed away. So, I recently spent a lot of time in the senior dog phase, and I really loved it. But, it was definitely an adjustment, one that was ongoing as age, illness, and injuries shifted my dogs’ exercise and enrichment needs, the activities we did together, and the overall dynamics of our relationship over time.
If you have a senior or a soon-to-be senior dog, here are a few of my top tips on what changes to make and what to watch out for as you and your dog adapt to this new phase of life together.
Shift your mindset on stubborn, naughty, weird, or aggressive behavior.
Many dogs have shifts in their behavior that show up before other, more obvious signs of pain. A few examples are ignoring cues to sit, lay down, or stand, refusing to fetch a ball or play with you, growling or snapping during certain petting or touch, dragging behind on walks and hikes, and aggressive behavior when meeting or playing with other dogs.
Always take your dog to the vet if you see a behavior change that might be a sign of pain.
Let your dog take the lead on walks.
As your dog ages and develops more aches and pains and sensitivity to extreme temperatures, it is important to let your dog control the pace. Senior dogs often push themselves harder than they should to keep up with us, even if we don’t mean for that to happen. Staying next to or behind your dog, even when they stop or slow, can help take the pressure off them to keep up.
Embrace slow, sniffing walks.
If you haven’t already, this is a great time in life to lean into sniffing on walks. Dogs’ sense of smell is incomprehensibly better than ours, so sniffing allows them to explore their environment, learn about the other humans, dogs, and critters in the area, and detect changes in seasons and ecosystems. All of this stimulation makes a slow, sniffing walk that doesn’t cover much ground similarly tiring and enriching as a long, speed walk that uses more physical energy. It’s a great way to satisfy a dog whose mobility limits how much physical activity they can get.
Try new activities together.
It can be hard on your relationship and diminish your dog’s quality of life as they have to stop participating in the things that you used to love to do together, so try to swap in activities that work better for them as you phase other activities out.
This was a big one for me as Kona aged. She had a lot of joint pain in her last year, which dramatically changed our daily hikes together. But she still had some sassiness to her and mental energy to burn, so we got into a routine of trying new, enriching activities for about 20 minutes every evening. New experiences help humans bond and form more memories, and that was certainly true for us!
Some of our favorite enrichment activities for seniors are nose work, scent tracking, and clicker training games.
You can also incorporate your sugar face into other aspects of your daily life that would have been harder when they were younger, like letting them come in the car for errands, nap in your office during the day, or relax on a mat in the kitchen while you cook.
Look for different ways to socialize with other dogs.
The dog park is not a good place to be if you have arthritis or something else going on that makes you sensitive to being body slammed. Similarly, on leash greetings with young, jumpy dogs can be quite painful. Skip these unenjoyable social interactions and opt for time one-on-one or in small groups with other mellow dogs. Even if they don’t play, interactions with other dogs are incredibly enriching. I loved to watch my seniors trot around on a trail with other dogs, all sniffing and/or peeing on the same spots.
Tip: Call out to other dog owners from 50-100 feet away that your dog has arthritis, bad knees, bad eyes, etc. and doesn’t want to say hi. I know it can be scary to push back against other people who want to let their dog say hi to yours, but my experiences were all positive doing this.
What to keep the same.
As dogs get older, they often mellow out and aren’t as pushy or troublemaking, which can make it easier to put their mental and social needs on the back burner. So try to hold yourself accountable for keeping their spark going with daily exercise, enrichment, and social connection, even if it’s not as essential as it once was.
Keep giving food puzzles.
We often give our dogs food puzzles to keep them out of trouble, but just because your senior isn’t so naughty anymore doesn’t mean they wouldn’t enjoy the challenge! Because older dogs often have dental health issues that can make chewing difficult or painful, look for puzzles that rely on licking or motion to get the food out.
Keep training your dog.
Positive-reinforcement training strengthens your relationship with your dog and improves their wellbeing. So, even if you don’t have the same need to train your dog that you once did, it’s great to keep up regular training sessions. You can practice the tricks your dog already knows or teach new ones. Check out Do More With Your Dog’s Tricktionary for ideas!