As a Golden Retriever, SUGAR exceeded her life expectancy. Many are surprised to know that she’s 15 years old. For her age, SUGAR is an active senior dog. She loves to play fetch, go for long walks, fun run, and swim. After two major surgeries (mass removal on her tongue and splenectomy), SUGAR remains in good health. I continue to be a proactive pet parent to help SUGAR live a happy and healthy senior life.
5 Ways to Help Your Senior Dog Live Happy and Healthy
1. It is vital, as a pet parent, to EDUCATE yourself on how to care for your senior dog. Learn the symptoms of common ailments in senior dog. Do not hesitate to consult your veterinarian. Keep an open-minded and learn all that you can about the things you know little about senior dog health.
2. I get asked this question often, “What do you feed SUGAR?” it seems that many pet parents believe that a nutritious diet can prevent many common health issues and contributes to a happy long life. It is important that you choose the proper DIET with the right nutrients to keep your senior dog active, happy, and healthy.
3. Incorporate PLAY and EXERCISE to your daily activities. It is crucial to keep your senior dog’s mind and body engage. A study shows that “Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks.” Establish the right amount of activity for your senior dog.
4. For optimal health, enhance your dog’s diet with SUPPLEMENTS. I’ve tried many reputable supplement brands for SUGAR. This year, since SUGAR’s digestion issue, I’ve been loyal to the FetchFuel brand. In previous posts, I shared how FetchFuel ACTIVE revived SUGAR’s energy after her splenectomy and how FetchFuel’s nutritional sauce makes SUGAR like an Olympian. Recently, I’ve incorporated FetchFuel BELLY, squeezable nutrition for dogs digestion. It is naturally tasty and contains fiber, prebiotics, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Great to soothe a sensitive stomach, or enhance your dog’s diet.
… everyday should be the best day, boost your dog’s nutrition with FetchFuel!
FetchFuel was formulated to work for all dogs; age, breed and size. It’s easy to serve, simply squeeze the bottle (according to the recommended dosage) directly on dog food. FetchFuel uses natural, healthy and tasty flavoring your dog will love. There are no colors or dyes added to any FetchFuel products and are produced in their human-grade facility in California. To learn more about FetchFuel visit FetchFuel.com. Sign up to receive a FetchFuel sample. You’ll love the result, and your dog will love it too.
5. Due to side effects, I’m not a big fan of prescription medication. As much as possible, I AVOID giving SUGAR PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS. I learned that it might take a while, but there are many ways to naturally and effectively treat an illness.
Our friends from FetchFuel are offering one of our readers a bottle of ACTIVE and BELLY.
Follow the giveaway tool for a chance to win.
[Giveaway provided by FetchFuel]
Do you have a senior dog?
How do you keep your senior dog live happy and healthy?
I (Frankie) take a “PILL” fur my joints every day… You furgot to mention NAPS… we seniors need lots of NAPS. Just sayin.
SUGAR, you are amazing. Thank you to your mom, Sadie is doing well and loving her new diet. Will check with our vet if Sadie can have this special sauce.
that are 5 wonderful tips for our older furfriends… specially the hip&joint treatment can be a very helpful thing :o)
Sugar is so cute. My doggy Buffy is 8 years old now. Nice tips 🙂
I keep Schooner & Skipper happy by interacting with them everyday. They know everyday what time we walk and if I forget them remind me…by barking and running to where we keep the leashes. Love to play catch with balls. They are happy going in the car with us. They love going to the farm where he get free range chicken eggs. The love seeing the chickens out in the field running around.
Great tips on keeping senior dogs happy and healthy. You have surely taken good care of sugar for reaching 15 years!
my ways to keep my 3 girls healthy and happy is to feed them correctly, brush their teeth, plenty of exercise, watch their waistline, give them proper nutrition, vitamins, heartworm medicine, and flea and tick medicine when necessary, also have yearly visits for my girls and 2 or 3 times for my senior. i also keep them mentally challenged thru exercise, training, toys, etc. in addition, proper grooming, toenails clipped, ears cleaned, clipped and bathed on a regular basis….and plenty of love and kisses.
my dog are not that old we wlak when we can up to 8 mile day and then go and now play in leaves they love that
My tip would just be to listen. Know your dog, know their “normal” and listen to what they “tell” you they need.
I love add ons like this. Effective and easy is the best combo!
Dogs are happier and healthier when they are loved. I’ve seen so many dejected dogs at shelters – nothing physically wrong with them, but they just don’t have that light in their eyes. That spark. My dogs KNOW I love them and I make sure to show them affection all the time. After that, making sure they get enough healthy food, have access to fresh, clean water, get their vaccinations, and go to the vet for anything that goes wrong.
My dogs are rescues and one is a senior, I keep them happy and healthy by walking them twice a day no-matter-what. My suburban neighborhood is full of miserable dogs stuck in yards and never walked. It breaks my heart for them. I also make sure that my senior dog Monty get Glucosamine in some form (added to food or in treats – he prefers the later, ha!) every single day. It makes an unbelievable difference – very visible – in his mobility.
Excersize, high quality food and supplements!
Happy & healthy = watching the number of treats to maintain a healthy weight (well more healthy than happy since she would prefer more treats!)
Make sure he’s got lots of love (hugs & kisses), yummy treats, good food, lots of babies (toys).
We feed high quality food, change water daily, get their vaccinations.
Exercise and high quality food!
Lots of exercise, play, and good food
Lots of love. That’s the secret to a long pup life.
Regular short walks are better than one big long one, we find in keeping #Finndawg on the go. However, as he’s just had a knee reconstruction he’s laid up and dreaming about those walks… so for now NAPS are good too!
I use a turmeric paste for my senior dog with his food. He is 11 years old and acts a lot younger.
A healthy diet, exercise, fun and love 🙂
I love these products, have them sitting in the kitchen and give them to Layla daily 🙂
oops forgot to put that the way I keep Layla healthy is with good walks at least once a day, park time where she is with other dogs plus healthy home cooked foods
We have regular teeth cleanings and vet visits. She also likes fish oil and that seems to help her stay active. Then we go play at the dog park!
Take your human for a walk at least once every day. It’s good for us and for them.
If you socialize and acclimate your dog to going places, you can take them more places, and that’s always very stimulating for them.
Yay! We are so grateful here at the home of the rescue dogs – seniors a specialty! Monty is about 15 years old and he NEEDS his Glucosamine. the one thing that I know is that it only helps if you keep it up all of the time.
So, we are the happiest winners ever. I sent you an email response. My emails say that they are from Anna Z – I hope that doesn’t create too much confusion.
It is very important to keep your dog active and healthy, especially as they get into their latter years!
The more we care, the more dogs are happy and healthy. I keep them happy and healthy by walking them. After that, making sure they get enough quality food and clean water. We should visit the vet to give them a periodic health examination.
Because I had a golden retriever, this blog is super helpful. It was so hard losing my dog this past year and would have done anything to help her live longer. That being said, she had a good diet and exercise, but did not use any supplements. This would have been helpful to know, so thank you for sharing! I currently have a king Charles cavalier, so I will definitely look into the supplements for her. Thanks for the help.
Madeleine Mills, anticipated graduation May, 2018
Freeman School of Business/Tulane University
WONDERFULLY apt article! Im so glad Champ is better… Maybe that vet could do my booty overhaul too… hmmmmmm…. in the mean time I will just stick with walking and watching our 16 yo. doggie snore…. doing” what they can ‘ was the biggest adjustment in our house. We always want him to do more but he just cant and stay comfortable…we have to remember he is an old man.