Senior dog care guide

When a dog becomes a senior

The age at which a dog is considered senior varies — large breeds often enter senior years around six or seven, while smaller breeds may not reach that life stage until ten or eleven. Aging is gradual, and the small day-to-day shifts often matter more than a calendar number.

The goal of senior care isn't to slow time. It's to make the everyday feel comfortable and predictable, while keeping a closer eye on the signals that point to an issue worth raising with your vet.

Mobility and comfort

Joints stiffen with age. A few practical adjustments can make a real difference: orthopedic bedding, ramps or steps to favorite resting spots, non-slip mats on slippery floors, and shorter but more frequent walks rather than long outings.

Keep an eye on how your dog gets up, navigates stairs, and settles down. Reluctance to jump, slow rises, or stiffness after rest is worth noting and discussing with your vet.

Health observations to track

Small, consistent observations are more useful than occasional snapshots. Worth keeping a rough log of:

• •Appetite — eating more, less, or with hesitation
• •Water intake — a sudden increase or decrease
• •Weight — gradual gain or loss over weeks
• •Bathroom habits — frequency, accidents, or straining
• •Energy and sleep — more rest, restlessness, or pacing at night
• •Coat and skin — lumps, dullness, or new patches of irritation

Cognitive changes

Some senior dogs develop canine cognitive dysfunction, which shares features with dementia in people. Confusion in familiar spaces, restlessness in the evening, altered sleep patterns, or new vocalization at night can all be early signs. Raise these with your vet so they can assess and discuss what may help.

Vet visit preparation

Senior dogs benefit from more frequent veterinary visits, and those visits go better with notes. Bring a brief summary of changes since the last visit, current medications and supplements, and a short video of any behavior that is hard to describe.