Ramp it Up! (Or Down) for YOUR Senior Dog

When we moved to our acreage home from the city, our dog was just five. Not old enough to be considered a senior dog yet still young enough to enjoy running free on our two acre lot. He was still able to leap in a single bound down the four stairs from the laundry room door to the ground and chase every last chattering squirrel back up any one of the dozen plus oak trees in our backyard. That was when we moved in but a decade later as arthritis began to take a toll on his joints, he would stand at the bottom of the stairs and stare while he struggled to get the momentum to start what sometimes was a five minute struggle. 

This was the point where we made the decision to install a doggie ramp on the back stairs to our home. It was a godsend! Tikki was much happier and quickly learned to walk up and down the ramp. It was wonderful that he no longer struggled to get down the steps every time he had to go outside. It made the last two years of his life much more pleasant not only for him but for our entire family.

Our only regret is that we hadn’t bought the dog ramp sooner. We watched our older dog struggle for several months before making the decision to get him a ramp. How short sighted we were. It wasn’t as if he was going to change from his senior dog status overnight and become a pup again. We live and learn. There are so many awesome dog ramp options: collapsible, car ramps, stationary.  There is virtually one for every type of situation and size of dog. Should we face a similar situation where  a senior dog of ours struggles, we would immediately invest in a dog ramp for the home and a second one for the car. Our best friends will continue to live in dignity throughout their lives!

Visit Old Dog Paws  for help selecting the best ramp for your dog by CLICKING HERE.

Copyright 2011 Old Dog Paws.com

Is YOUR Senior Dog Geriatric? Or just a Good Old Dog!

 Many times when you search the internet for information on senior or older dogs, the sites tend to incorporate the term geriatric as well. So are all old dogs considered geriatric? According to Webster the term geriatric refers to “dealing with the problems and diseases of old age.”  Since all dogs are not raised exactly the same I think it is inaccurate to put all dogs into a category based on there age and breed. With proper nutrition, exercise and preventive care any aged dog that is still active, may be senior but still considered relatively healthy.

 I would consider two separate categories for our aging pets. Senior dogs have simply grown old but still remain active, eating well and have not been affected with any age related illnesses. Geriatric dogs have come down with some kind of ailment associated with getting old age and are usually on some kind of medication.

 Based on statistics, our old dog should have had a life expectance of 10-12 years and was considered old at six. Our family was very fortunate to have had our senior dog with us for 17 years but I would have only classified his last year as geriatric.  The saying, “you are only as old as you feel,” also apply to our pets. Treat them well and hopefully yours will be as fortunate by living a long time past the statistical charts.

Copyright 2011 Olddogpaws.com