Our "Senior" Dogs...

Do you have an older dog? Do you ever look into those beautiful eyes and think, "How much more time do we have together?" Seeing our pups get older can be hard!

Looking back at photos from years ago, I see how fun loving, bouncy, and full of life my boy was in his youth. He found joy in so much and helped me to take a step back and appreciate my experiences. Always ready to play, train, and engage with me in fun ways. Sure, naps happened, but as infrequently as possible and then he was raring to go!

Fast forward to now and it is a very different picture. There definitely is more grey in his beautiful face, he has slowed down, and his health is not what it once was. Occasionally, that little voice in the back of my head asks, "I wonder how much more time we have together?" He sleeps much more and those fun and games moments are shorter and further between. We now go to the Vet for biannual checkups and the past few have involved blood tests-which he hates. Despite this, he loves his Vet and is always happy when we visit.

As our pups slow down, there is a balance that we need to maintain to keep them happy and healthy in their later years. Here are some tips!

1) Watch their weight!

They are not moving around as much, so it is easy for those pounds to sneak up on them and it is harder to shed them for the same reason. Modification of their daily caloric intake may be in order.