Helping You Care for Your Senior Dog
Isn’t it heart breaking, watching a fat dog barely able to walk, panting with each step he tries to take. If you have a dog that needs to lose weight, the first step is to make an appointment with your vet. He will weigh your dog, discuss a new diet or adjustment to his current … Read more
What do you do when your dog hates the vet, but a health condition makes frequent appointments necessary? To help reduce anxiety, drive to the vet, park far enough away so your dog doesn’t react, give her treats and drive home. Try that a few times. If that went well, next step is walk her … Read more
There’s a difference between a puppy nipping because he hasn’t learned bite control yet, a dog aggressively going after someone and biting them, and an old dog that bites due to stress, anxiety, pain or vision loss. Should you automatically get rid of your dog because he bit you or someone else? No. Just because … Read more
How do you feel when you see rain in the forecast, and you have a dog afraid of rain? Do you start panicking because you know the anxiety he will experience? Dogs typically cry when it rains because they have a noise phobia. That means they experience excessive fear, stress and anxiety when they hear … Read more
You’ve always wanted to raise a dog and kids together, but what happens if your dog is afraid of them? Using a process known as desensitization, you may be able to make it happen. This involves the gradual introduction of your dog to your kids, and rewarding him/her every time he/she remains calm. While the … Read more
It’s a pretty common problem to see senior dogs waking up in the middle of the night, or spending their nights pacing and restless. Not only is it rough on our dogs, it’s also rough on us when we lose sleep, affecting mood and the ability to function well. There are several reasons why your … Read more
What could be more heart breaking than watching a dog experiencing separation anxiety? Running from room to room, frantically looking for his people, and not finding them. There are varying degrees of this behavior, ranging from mild discomfort to ripping the house apart. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, provide plenty of physical exercise, … Read more
It’s heart breaking seeing our older dogs stressed and nervous, and not knowing how to help. The good news is, there are options! Some of the natural options you may want to look into include Rescue Remedy, Valerian, Adaptil, a Thundershirt, acupuncture and the best dog calming music that worked for us – Through a … Read more
While nothing can replace a nice walk or hike in the fresh air, it’s good to know your dog can still get a great workout indoors. From walking your dog around a big box pet supply store, to setting up an obstacle course in your living room, these are just two ideas to ensure your … Read more
Toys help dogs learn, they tire them out, prevent boredom, help with anxiety and they’re fun. Many old dogs do love to play with toys, a fact confirmed by a recent survey I did of senior dog parents. Many old dogs also have no interest in toys, another fact confirmed by that same survey. Some … Read more