Our dogs are our best friends and watching them get older is hard. They are not as energetic and move slower. Growing up we always had a dog, but due to moving so much we usually had to get rid of them before that happened. Eventually we settled and got a puppy. She was sweet and lovable and was a member of our family for 19 years. It was hard watching her get older, it was hard to eventually put her down. We knew though that we had done everything we could to give our sweet dog a happy life.
While they might be shorter than a human’s, a dog’s life will always be filled with loads of excitement, adventure, and plenty of mess. These animals are incredibly easy to please when it comes to entertainment. Simply being around you being is enough to improve the mood of your pooch. Of course, things can start to slow down as they get older. Just like a person, their bodies won’t last forever. Little problems can start to show up long before your pet will show it. To help you to keep them comfortable during this time, this post will be exploring some tools which will enable you to cover this important element of dog ownership.
Don’t Overwork Them
Having been able to run rings around you for most of their life, it can be hard to see your dog is not able to anymore. These animals won’t show when they are getting too old to do certain things, either. Together, both of these qualities can make it hard for dog owners to know when their pet needs a bit of space. If you overwork an elderly creature, though, you will almost certainly do damage to them, making their life less comfortable, while also having the potential to make them sick. If you’re unsure about this, it could be worth getting in contact with your local vet.
Give Them Chill Spots
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As a dog gets older, they will spend less and less of their time walking around the house looking for fun. Old age brings tiredness with it, and they probably won’t feel like staying on their feet all the time. To make up for their increased laziness, it will be worth giving them as many places as you can to be lazy. Even fancy dog beds can be found nice and cheaply. This gives you the chance to start adding more of these to your home without having to make a huge investment, all while avoiding having the dog sleeping on the sofas or beds in the house. Of course, as a big part of this, you need to make sure that the dog beds you choose are nice and soft.
Feed Them Right
A lot of dog owners make the same mistake when it comes to feeding an older dog. Animals like this have very different needs to younger ones, making it important that their diet reflects the nutrients they are after. If you fail to do this, they could end up getting sick, ultimately making their life very uncomfortable. To avoid this, it will be worth reading the can when you buy food for them. Along with this, you could also talk to your vet, looking for ways to provide for your dog without having to buy processed options for them. Making dog food is a lot easier than most people would expect.
Give Them The Right Treatment
Sometimes, discomfort is something which can’t be avoided, with loads of medical conditions coming with their own painful symptoms. This can often be overcome with a little bit of treatment. Though it will be hard to figure this out yourself, you will probably need a professional opinion before it is safe to medicate your furry friend. Most vets will be more than happy to offer advice in this area. Below, you can find some common examples of the natural treatments which dog-lovers have been using to look after their pets. All of which can be bought right over the counter.
- CBD: Over the last few years, CBD oil has become a hit among humans. Providing relief from pain, anxiety, and loads of other issues, this can be a great place to start when you’re working on making your dog’s life more comfortable. CBD pet treats are an incredibly safe way to achieve the aims of this post. Of course, though, you will want to avoid mixing this with other prescribed medications.
- Keratin: Most large mammals suffer with the same problem when it comes to their joints. These weak points tend to go bad before everything else on your body, and dogs will often have to deal with far more of this than a person. Chemicals like Keratin can improve the lifespan and quality of these parts of the body as an animal ages. In some cases, this may reduce pain and swelling almost instantly.
- The Right Touch: Not all medical treatments have to come in the form of a pill or injection. In fact, in a lot of cases, the very best thing for an ill animal will be the right kind of touch. For example, there are loads of companies out there which offer dog massages. If your pooch has stiff muscles or painful joints, this will solve this issue for them, making them feel far better.
Spending Time With Them
Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about the social side of a dog. Being pack animals, they will find it very hard to spend too much time alone, with loneliness being one of the most common forms of discomfort they will suffer with. You have the ability to solve this by spending more time with them. While they may not be as exciting as a puppy, they will still need a similar level of care and attention. To achieve this, it will be worth setting aside time each day for your dog, always giving them the same, even when you’ve had a very busy day. They will never get tired of spending time with their owner.
It can be easy to overlook this sort of issue as an animal gets older. They won’t be able to tell you when they feel bad, and they are often a lot less obvious with their symptoms than a human will be. This makes it worth keeping up with regular checkups as your dog gets older, ensuring that they have the best chances of spotting issues before they become a real problem, all while keeping them more comfortable.