As your dog grows older, their body begins to break down, just like a human’s. Their senses are not as sharp, they are a little slower, and their memory begins to fade. All of this does not mean that you should trade them in for a younger pup. On the contrary!
These helpful tips ensure that your older dog has a good quality of life as they age.
Use Bone Broth
Packed with nutrients, bone broth has a flavor that dogs love. You can even pour bone broth over your older dog’s food to encourage them to eat more. In addition to many healthy vitamins and minerals, the ingredients in bone broth include collagen and glucosamine, both which help with joint health.
Give Them a New Bed
Help alleviate an older dog’s joint pain by giving them an orthopedic bed. An orthopedic bed supports their joints while they sleep, relieving pain and promoting better overall joint health. It does this through the use of memory foam, a firm, yet springy material that distributes your dog’s weight more evenly.
Take Care of Their Teeth
Rid your older dog’s teeth of built-up plaque and tartar by giving them a dental treat to chew on. In addition, brush your dog’s teeth regularly, just like you would your own. Make sure to use toothpaste specially formulated for dogs, because the fluoride in human toothpaste is poisonous to dogs.
Buy Them a New Toy
In order to keep your older dog occupied with new and exciting things, buy them a new play toy each month. This helps keep an older dog’s mind more active and can even encourage them to play more often, leading to better overall health. Cognitive toys provide even more benefits for an older dog’s memory.
Disguise Their Supplements
In order to encourage your older dog to to eat healthy supplements, disguise them as treats. Most supplements for older dogs come in liquid or solid form. For liquid supplements, just put them over their normal food. For solid supplements, use either joint chews or place the pill in a specially designed toy.
Give Them a Massage
You can give your older dog a massage for pain relief. Start by petting them gently before moving to the neck area, massaging as you work your way down their body, making sure to massage all joints and limbs as well. Massage helps relieve pain, remove toxins, and improve movement in an older dog.
Keep Their Mind Active
Try teaching your older dog new tricks. This can improve their cognitive health and keep their minds more active. Keep in mind that teaching an older dog requires more patient, though with the right attitude you can have your dog learning something new in no time. Also, include a healthy treat as a reward.
Make Walks Shorter
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You should continue to walk your dog, even as they get older. While many older dogs tend to suffer from joint pain, shorter, more frequent walks might be just what they need. Even if they can no longer get around like they used to, take them out in a padded wagon so that they can enjoy being outdoors.
While harder to do as they age, even older dogs like to play and get outside from time to time. The above tips help ensure that your dog stays healthy and happy as they get older.
