Show YOUR Old Dog Some Love--Best Valentine's Day Gifts for a Senior Dog!

Your senior dog has melted your heart for years. An ever faithful friend deserves a reward for all those years of unconditional love. But what would be the perfect gift to show your older dog just how much you love them? If Valentine's Day is designated to show your sweetheart the love you have in your heart, why not spoil your senior dog with a heart shaped box of dog treats?


Our family loves to pamper our pets. Any special day, like Valentine's Day is a day to show our senior dog Tikki (and his cat siblings) how much we love them with special pet gifts. Every year as Tikki aged, we bought our old dog special presents like funky red dog booties to protect his paws or a box of heart-shaped dog cookies and chews for Valentine's Day. An elevated dog dish was the perfect way to serve his festive treats.



As he approached 15 years, Tikki didn't enjoy the rawhide chews in the heart shaped box as much as he had in previous years as they became too tough to chew. We opted for homemade heart shaped dog cookies and less chewy dog treats for his Valentine gift. But he still loved  the pink and red plush dog toys and and warm doggie sweaters well into senior life.


A dog ramp can be a gift that really shows your love. As Tikki started struggling with the back steps, we installed a semi-permanent dog ramp at our back door. This particular dog ramp model was designed with extra traction so there would be less trouble getting up and down  in snowy or icy February weather. We did consider a portable one too...Our old dog absolutely loved his car rides. After all, spending time with your sweetheart (especially your senior dog sweetheart) is what Valentine's Day is all about!

5 PERFECT Valentines Gifts to show your Senior Dog LOVE:

1. Therapeutic Dog Bed (Coziest Valentine's gift for the older canine!)
2. Dog Booties (Protect old dog paws from the February ice and salt.)
3. Portable Dog Ramp (Make it easy to take your canine sweetheart along for the ride.)
4. Elevated Dog Dish (Perfect way to serve up Valentine's treats for senior dogs.)
5. Holiday Dog Sweater (A fun, festive way to show how much you love your older dog.)

Copyright 2012 OldDogPaws.com
 

Winter Challenges--Senior Dog Accidents

Snow and ice cause accidents...and not just for cars either. Older dogs can be faced with winter woes too! Slippery sidewalks. Salted Driveways. Sub-Zero Temps. They all take a toll on the health of your older dog.

Our senior dog, Tikki, struggled on cold winter days to stand up on his arthritic legs and walk down his ramp on the back stairs to go to the bathroom. I know there were days he would try to avoid the process for a little too long. Some days he would just make it out the door...and some days he just didn't make it on time. So what's a senior dog owner to do when the temperature drops below zero and your older dog can't make it outside?

• Make it less painful to go out. Put on dog booties to protect the paws.
• Make it easier to go down the stairs. Get a temporary ramp that can be brought indoors so it won't be the metal surface won't be as cold and slippery when your dog needs to go out.
• Make cleaning up easier. If necessary, resort to the puppy pads to protect your floors and carpeting. Washable doggie diapers are also an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable dog diapers for older dogs who refuse to go out into the cold and snow..

Copyright 2012 OldDogPaws.Com

BEST Gifts for your Old Dog at Christmas!

Does your senior dog, an old friend who is a part of your family for years, have a special gift under the Christmas tree? Is there a holiday dog stocking by the fireplace filled to the brim with a chew toy and chicken-flavored dog treats for your lovable older pet? Well, by gosh, there should be!

Our family embraced the holidays as a time to spoil and pamper our pet. Tikki (and his cat siblings) had their own Christmas socks and special holiday gifts under the tree. Every year as Tikki aged, we bought our old dog a new dog bed as a holiday gift. The old one was usually worn down from extended use. He was properly spoiled the first year we purchased the plush orthopedic bolster bed. But as he aged, he really seemed more comfortable with the lower edge and smooth fabric of a large therapeutic dog mattress.


As he approached 15 years, Tikki didn't enjoy the rawhide chew bone as much as he had in previous years as they became too tough to chew. We opted for homemade dog cookies and less chewy dog treats to stuff his holiday stocking. But he still loved plush dog toys and chasing bright colored balls well into senior life.


The year of the dog ramp was especially memorable. Tikki was struggling with the back steps so we installed one at our back door. The dog ramp we purchased was designed with extra traction so there would be less trouble getting up and down the ramp in snowy or icy weather. We did consider a portable one too...Our old dog absolutely loved car rides and often joined the family as we toured the holiday lights throughout the neighborhood.

5 PERFECT Holiday Gifts for Senior Dogs:

1. Therapeutic Dog Bed (Coziest Christmas gift for the older canine!)
2. Dog Booties (Protect old dog paws from ice and salt.)
3. Portable Dog Ramp (Bring your old dog all through the season.)
4. Thundercoat for Dogs (Calming during stressful holiday parties and activities.)
5. Holiday Dog Sweater (Festive way to include Fido in the family holiday picture.)

Copyright 2011 OldDogPaws.com

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