The Senior Dog: How do you navigate the senior years, treat them with dignity and honour their path and yours!

Right now, I am navigating the journey of life winding down for my senior dog Milo. She is a 10-year-old Rottweiler. It is definitely a journey for both of us. Awareness and compassion for all the things we navigate each day is the key for both her wellbeing and my own. The senior years can be such an incredible delight as the crazy puppy years have mellowed, and your relationship has solidified over the years, it is usually comfortable and easy especially when there are no major illnesses or behavioural issues happening. For others who rescue senior dogs it may be a little less comfortable and easy but no less rewarding when knowing you are stepping up for an animal that desperately needs your help through their senior years.

For every 1 year of a dog’s life, they age 7 of our human years. This means by the time your dog reaches 10 years old they are living in a body that is equivalent to a 70-year-old human. Now some 70-year-olds are spry and sprightly and others not so much. This can be exactly the same for our dogs.

 I have been very consciously aware over the last few years of Milo’s physical decline while dealing with hip dysplasia and arthritis. As she ages certain things get harder for her. This last year it has been so much more obvious than it has been previously. She certainly doesn’t let it hold her back but at the same time there are days when she feels every bit of those 70 years and lets me know it and then other days where we laugh and enjoy her puppylike antics as she enjoys each moment of the day.

Different breeds have different life expectancy; small breeds tend to live longer than large breeds and giant breeds like Great Danes. Rottweilers are considered a large breed dog alongside Labradors and German Shepherds. The average life expectancy of a Rottweiler is between 7 to 12 years of age. Small breeds like Chihuahua’s, Shih Tzu and Cavalier king Charles Spaniels can have a life expectancy of up to 15 to 17 years, while giant breeds have a life expectancy of between 5 to 7 years. Obliviously food, health, environment, behaviour and stress all factor into this scenario. Every dog is an individual and they will come with different challenges as they navigate the senior years.

Early in the senior years you may not notice too much change in your dog but as they continue to age things start to show up. You may start to notice small things that are different.

 ·         Greying around the muzzle, thinning coat and hair loss.

·         Changes in eyesight and hearing.

·         Their bark may become hoarse

·         Struggling to get up, unable to walk upstairs or jump on furniture

·         Stiffness in the joints and lameness

·         Teeth issues – loss of

·         Loss of body condition and muscle mass

·         Confusion when not in a safe space they know

·         Urinary incontinence

·         Cognitive decline

·         Behaviour changes

·         Food obsession or disinterest

·         Changes to sleep patterns

·         Unable to go for long or fast walks

Adapting your home environment and how you do things like walks is very important for senior dogs.

Accommodating to their changing needs as they progress through the aging process is one of the most important aspects to be aware of when you are living life with a senior dog. Sometimes you will get very subtle clues that things are changing and other times it will be very noticeable.

I have adapted our home to accommodate Milos physical needs by adding extra nonslip mats to the floor in front of her beds to help her have better traction when she needs to get up off the floor. We have also added nonslip strips to the treads of the stairs that help her navigate the internal stairs she uses every day. You may need to add ramps or stairs to give your dogs access to furniture if they sleep on couches or the bed. Usually jumping up on furniture will be the first thing you notice that is getting harder for your senior dog. You may also need a ramp for the car if you are unable to pick up your dog to help them into the car.

Adapting your walks and play to accommodate their needs is vitally important as they start to slow down physically. Walking every second or third day and doing shorter slower walks is best. I have had to do this for Milo, her walks are more of an amble these days, she loves to take her time, sniff everything, previously she would charge ahead of every walk and drag me along for the ride, now it’s the other way around I am constantly needing to stop and wait for her to catch up.

Playtime is also still important to Milo and most senior dogs love to still play like they used to. It’s not always great for them when the play is rough and exhausting. Adjusting playtime and how you play can be hard but finding new ways to play also helps to stimulate their minds. The weather also impacts when and how we walk and play. Throughout summer we walk and play much less than through the winter months. Summertime I tend to do more treat searches and low impact games that keep her body moving without creating extra heat that she struggles to cool down from.

Milo’s hearing has been slowly getting worse over the last few years. I have adapted to making sure I use hand signals and touch her to get her attention before asking her to do things for me. She still can hear certain sounds and tones but not the subtle frequency of my voice. You might be dealing with a senior dog whose eyesight is going, so adapting to touching and making sure they know where they are is important.  Often senior dogs that are losing their eyesight will be less confident with new places and they may also bark randomly when they think they are seeing or hearing things. This can be a challenge that is hard to work with, but consistency is the name of the game and helping them to feel safe is vital.

Diet and food may also need to be adapted as your dog progresses through their senior years. Older dogs’ digestive system winds down similar to the way it does with humans. It is very important to keep aging dogs slim and trim to keep the weight off their joints especially for those dogs with joint issues like arthritis. This is also important for the internal organs especially the heart, excess weight can cause the heart to work harder which can lessen life expectancy.

If you have an older dog that is losing weight it is important to get them checked by a vet as they may be experiencing an illness or disease that is contributing to the decline. Dogs that are in the last days or hours of their lives may choose to not eat or drink, others will eat right up until the last minute.  Generally, though if you have a healthy senior dog, they will be still loving the food and treats that they have always eaten. Be guided by your vet or animal practioner on correct diets and treats to continue to keep your senior dog in tip top shape.

Doggy dementia is a real thing; it is known as canine cognitive dysfunction. It is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. For more information on CCD https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/signs-of-dog-dementia

In the last few months Milo has become more vacant in her eyes and the clinginess is intense. I can’t move without her scrambling to get up and follow me. If I leave the room, she will come looking for me, her eyes are always on me, and she will often check to make sure I am still where she thinks I should be. Sometimes she will get very restless and agitated with heavy panting. She will often lay on the floor and randomly bark, it is loud and often really startles us when she does this. She is sleeping longer and harder and is moving around a lot less. One thing we have noticed with her that the new ceiling fans we had installed for cooling really freak her out. She is very anxious when they are turned on.

As your dog’s decline with the aging process, it is important to understand the process they are going through is very similar to a human. They are slowing down physically, and mentally. It is important to have patience with them as they navigate the process, to adapt your ways of doing things with them that helps them maintain their dignity. Also remember it is an honour to walk this path with your dog.

Maintenance is the key as you walk the aging path with your dog. Keep them as active as they can cope with. Work with appropriate activities like treat searches and puzzle games that help to keep their mind active and engaged. Keep their weight under control. Understand that some things that they are going to do as they age and lose the ability to function as a young dog will frustrate you and cause you stress. It is often distressing when you have to clean up puddles because they can’t move fast enough or forget to go outside. Or the constant barking at nothing. Remember to pause and keep your cool. Clean the messes maybe put down some grassy pads that are easier for them to access. Cut your pup a little slack and remember one day you will be old too.

Work with your vet to keep your dog comfortable and at ease in their body. (I actually use alternate products to keep Milo moving and as pain free as I can. There will come a time when I know that Milo will need more hardcore drugs to keep her comfortable, but right now she is managing really well with the alternate things I have her on)

Trust yourself, trust your decisions and most of all trust your dog to let you know what they need.

Looking after a senior dog can be such a loving time, but it can also be a time of intense stress and emotional upheaval especially as it comes closer to the end-of-life phase. Grief often starts before you reach end of life because you are watching the decline of your best friend with fear and trepidation of the loss you know is coming. Some people consciously ignore the signs because they don’t want to feel the loss, they can’t or won’t allow themselves to feel the feelings.

For me personally I have been preparing mentally and emotionally for the last few years knowing that it will come and wanting to honour our process as we walk this path together. When I have lost my previous dogs, they never got to their senior years. They were young and I was emotionally immature with where I was at during that phase of the journey. I didn’t understand about honouring their crossing all I knew was my own grief and loss.

Don’t be afraid to work out a plan and think about your dog’s death process. It seems a little crazy that we will plan a funeral to say goodbye to a human but when it comes to our pets, our hearts we think it’s not relevant. Let me tell you it is way more relevant because of the space our dogs have in our hearts.

They won’t hate you for the decisions you have to make for them. If you take the time to really feel into what your dog loves most and create a sacred space for the death to occur it can be one of the most beautiful and profound experiences, you might ever experience. It doesn’t mean it won’t be a sad process but even in the sadness there can be beauty.

To euthanise or not? This is such a loaded topic because generally we feel such immense guilt around making that decision for our pets. Who are we to take their life away. Who are we to play God. There are many more guilt patterns that come through for each individual that experiences this process, myself included. I have faced this decision multiple times and have had different reactions each time and none of them were great.

It is such a personal thing that people go through, but the guilt is similar for everyone.

My take on this with where I am at in my life now, is that it is important tool that we can use when needed and when we know our dog is at the end of their earthy time and in pain. Their quality of life is very low, and they are ready to leave. It can be a gift instead of a curse if you can change your perception and let go of the guilt. Honouring your dog may be making this decision. This gives you a chance to plan the how, and where the death occurs, meaning you can set a beautiful nurturing space for them, you can do it at home in a comfortable know space for them, taking away the stress and despair of a clinical vet setting.

What it doesn’t mean is you won’t feel sad or emotional or grief stricken. You also must honour your own feelings in these situations. Allow yourself to feel whatever you feel, if that includes guilt then honour that emotion but don’t let it stay too long. Get the help you need to work through your emotions.

Enjoy your dog and enjoy their senior years. I am older now myself and I know I appreciate Milo and her journey and what she is teaching me about aging so much more than when I was younger. Being present with your dog is all they really want whether they are young or old.

Milo still wakes every day and loves on me in her own crazy way no matter what she is feeling. She may walk a little slower and bark randomly, but this has absolutely no impact on her capability to enjoy her life and love on her people. I am returning the favour and loving on her every minute because I am not sure when it will end.

Good Luck on your aging journey with your dog.