As a dog gets older, they often tend to mellow out and therefore become easier to manage. Even those dogs that when younger, would have a lot of energy and hyper personality, will eventually become more relaxed and laid back.
A mature dog needs to be kept in shape and doing so will help ensure they live a long and happy life. With that being said, there are certainly ways in which you could help keep your mature dog in top condition. That way, they’ll need to spend less time at the vets and more time enjoying the simple pleasures in life, like peeing up a lamppost.
Make sure to keep exercise regular
Exercise should be a regular thing, even for dogs that really don’t go out that much or need walking in general. Just like humans, every dog needs a good twenty minutes of exercise a day in order to keep them fit and healthy.
If you’re slacking on walking your dog, then you’re going to experience more health problems with your mature dog as they get older and further into their senior years. Even if they’re not moving in the same way they used to, you should certainly make exercise a regular, daily thing.
Take some out of your day to give your little fur friend a walk, even if it’s only twenty minutes of walking a day. It’s stimulating and it gets some fresh air into the lungs, which in itself can be helpful for their health and wellbeing.
Don’t overdo it when it comes to exercise though
While exercise can be good for your furry friend, you shouldn’t overdo it. Mature dogs like exercise and dog walk in general but you shouldn’t have them doing anything that would possibly injure their bodies. Remember, just like humans, the dog’s body can be brittle as it gets older, leading to more problems with their mobility and bones in general.
Therefore, if you want to take them out for longer walks and they have mobility issues, then getting a brace from Go Hero Go might be helpful. These braces are great for those dogs recovering from an injury, or just needing a bit more support when out and about.
Be mindful of just how much exercise you’re giving your dog and avoid anything that might have a higher risk of harm to your dog now than it did when they were a pup.
Keep in mind the conditions your dog has
Every dog is different so when it comes to senior or mature dogs, you’ll want to assess their capabilities depending on what conditions they have. Some mature dogs are extremely healthy because they’ve always been exercised to a high level if you have an active household.
However, if your dog has a heart problem or lung issues, then you might want to slow down the frequency of walks, making sure not to wear out your dog too much when exercising.
As much as you may want to keep your mature dog in tip-top shape, their bodies might not always be able to keep up with the demands. It’s worthwhile speaking to your vet about exercise and what levels of exercise are appropriate for your dog at their current age.
Use familiar routes for your dog’s senses
It’s important to look at the familiar routes your dog typically takes when you go out for a walk. After all, you want to be using these familiar routes to help your dog remember, especially if they have problems with their senses.
As they get older, their sense of sight might not be as good as it used to be, so therefore they can rely on other senses and vice versa. A familiar route is helpful for your dog’s memory too, especially when they’re struggling to remember where to go on new walks or walks you’ve only been a few times.
Try to have one walk that you go on every week that’s the same so that it becomes familiar to them.
Be aware of the surroundings
For older dogs, they might not be as nimble or aware of their own surroundings or body as they used to be. Therefore, you have to pretty much be their eyes and ears when they reach the ripe old age.
Being aware of your surroundings in general is something that’s important to you as well. Dogs have a great sense of danger, so when that starts to wilt, you should be making sure that you as the owner, are alert at all times.
If you’re being neglectful of your surroundings, then you could cause yourself or your dog harm as a result.
Move at your dog’s pace
When walking your dog or doing any form of activity that involves movement for your pooch, try to take it at your dog’s pace. You might be a bit of a fast walker in general and for dogs of a young age, that might have been easier back in their heyday. However, when the dog gets older, your two steps will be their four or six. That’s why you should be taking it a little slower.
Feed them nutritional food
As part of their diet, you should be trying to feed your dog nutritional food as they get older. The sooner you can introduce a healthier diet the better. It’s hard not to give your dog a bit of indulgence but like humans, it’s good to do it in moderation when you’re rewarding treats.
Be mindful of what food you’re giving them currently and if it looks as though you are giving them too much, then cut back. Look at the nutritional elements of the food to make sure it’s hitting all the markers.
Make use of mentally stimulating activities too
Finally, don’t forget about the activities you can do indoors too in order to keep them active. Mentally stimulating activities like lick mats and hard dog chews are going to make a great motivator when the dog is older in order to keep their brain ticking.
A mature dog that’s in shape is a happy one so use these tips to make sure your dog is fighting fit as it gets older.