Caring for an elderly dog requires slightly different requirements
than caring for pupply or younger, adult dog. Exercise and food
requirements need to be adjusted, such as perhaps changing your
feeding times to 2 or even 3 times a day with smaller portions, rather
than one large meal. Walks may have to be shortened and slowed down,
as joints and muscles begin to ache more often too.
Depending on the breed and the size of your pet, the aging of dogs can
vary. A small breed usually lives longer than a large breed, and
therefore larger dogs tend to hit "senior citizen status" sooner -
usually around the age of 7 or 8.
How can you tell if your dog is entering his golden years? Some signs
are graying around the muzzle, decrease in mobility, and sometimes
weight-loss is noticed by the owner. One other sign that some people
pick up on is that their dog doesn't look as well groomed as they used
to. However, the good news is that proper nutrition can make a huge
impact on how well your dog ages. Here are some tips to keep in mind
when feeding your elderly dog:
1. For those that prepare their pet home-cooked meals, stick to medium
fat cuts of meat that are easy to digest such as fish and poultry.
Keep beef products to a minimum.
2. Your dog may also have trouble chewing bones (for those on a BARF
diet). Try using chicken wings to see if that helps. The bones are
softer and smaller, making it easier to chew. Soaking the wings in
apple cider vinegar overnight is also a good option since this makes
the bones more rubbery and much easier to bite through. If your dog
still has a problem though, you will need to stop supplying bones and
make sure you brush his teeth a couple of times a week.
3. Older dogs sometimes have an increased appetite, so make sure you
are providing enough food. People think they should cut back on the
amount of food, whereas
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