Helping Your Senior Dog Live Longer
Your dog is just as much a part of your family as any other human member. Just because they walk on four legs doesn’t mean they need to be treated any less. If you want to keep your dog around for companionship and to love for a long time, you need to start now. Here’s how to help your senior dog live longer!
Take Them on Walks
Just as humans need daily exercise to keep their bodies in shape and healthy, your dog needs exercise as well. A daily walk will keep your senior dog healthy and active, and help him or her to live longer in dog years. Bonus: it keeps you healthy and active too!
Give Your Dog Love and Attention
Studies have shown that without love and attention, the will to live decreases. This is true not only in people but in animals as well. If you want your dog to live a long, full happy life, show them how much they mean to you. Give them hugs, rub their bellies, scratch their ears, and tell them how much you love them.
Brush their Teeth Everyday
A Brush a day keeps the Vet away! As your dog ages, decay can build up in their mouth. As with humans that don’t brush, their teeth begin to fall out. This leaves room for diseases, bacteria growth, and lack of nutrition. Brush your dog’s teeth once a day to keep them healthy.
Keep Up on Vaccinations
Vaccinations are crucial to keeping your dog healthy. At each stage of a dog’s life, there are certain diseases and ailments your dog is susceptible to. It is especially a good idea to always get their rabies vaccine.
Keep Your Dog Clean
Hygiene is an important part of keeping your dog healthy. Their fur is the first line of defense in protecting them from insects, diseases, and germs. Keeping your dog clean by giving them a bath once a week will help keep your dog healthier.
Choose Dog Foods Meant for Older Dogs
Dog foods made for seniors are made with a special ingredients meant to meet their needs. What’s good for a puppy in terms of nutrition isn’t always good for a senior- or maybe just not enough. We use Purina dog food because they use science and ingredients to make formulas to help your senior pets have longer and more active lives. As your dog ages, their metabolic rate decreases, activity decreases, fat increases, and their nutritional needs change. Use Purina Pro Plan My Plan to figure out the best formula for your senior dog, today!
We were invited to attend the Purina summit in Brooklyn and were able to hear several panels speak about the importance of the right formula for giving your pet what they need most based on what stage of life they are in. Research has taught companies and helped them to formulate recipes for foods that offer specific benefits to each stage of life for our beloved pets, so that they can live full, happy lives. It was so refreshing to hear stories from real consumers who spoke of their older dogs not having much energy to play, only to have them see big changes once they changed their dog to a senior formula.
Do you want the best for your senior dog? What strategies are you taking to ensure they live a long healthy life? Share them in the comments below!