Prepare your pup for senior life

If there is one thing I would do were I to get another puppy tomorrow, it would be to feed it herbal remedies for older dogs from the moment I bring it home. That might sound a strange thing to say, but you can never start early enough preparing a young dog for life as a senior dog.

Just take a look at the enthusiasm with which every puppy attacks life. Just think about the wear and tear on those young joints. Now that’s okay when your pup is young, although of course, you still have to be mindful that those young joints are initially very fragile until they are properly formed. But the puppy never leaves most dogs, and that’s one of the things we love so much about them. It’s also one of the reasons we as responsible pet parents need to protect those joints as much as possible.

Dogs don’t understand old age

Dogs don’t understand the concept of old age. And aren’t they the lucky ones? But we need to protect those joints as much as possible when our pups are young if they are to enjoy the old age they deserve. And the best way of doing that is to start feeding herbal remedies for older dogs right from day one. What I like to consider, investing in your dog’s future.

And that doesn’t just mean protecting their joints. It means investing in their immune system, their digestive system and their heart. Providing them with mental stimulation and natural foodstuffs that will protect them from canine cognitive dysfunction as the grow older. Providing them with healthy nutrition that will give them the best possible protection for all that life may throw at them.

Chronic disease doesn’t have to be a fact of canine life. Growing old doesn’t have to be a painful experience for your best friend. Growing old should be just as much fun as growing up. Just different.

Homemade dog food

The first thing to consider when investing in your dog’s future is to feed it a healthy diet. And by that I don’t mean commercial dog food because that isn’t healthy at all. I mean proper food. Real food. The kind of food you and I eat.

The average pet parent doesn’t realise it, but nutritional deficiences add up. They are cumulative. Every month on poor food is likely not only to impact your pet’s life as it grows older, but the length of its life as well.

Another thing most people don’t take into account is that your dog’s diet needs constant adjustment. Adjustment both in the quantity of food so that it doesn’t put on unnecessary and life-limiting weight, but also in terms of its content to take into account the senior dog’s slower digestive system.

Dogs and human beings are remarkably similar in so many ways. As any of us ages, things change. Our digestive system slows down. The metabolism slows down. Our brain doesn’t function quite the way it once did. We get aches and pains. But none of these things need to be debilitating facts of life.

Adjust and supplement

In the case of your dog, adjust its diet. Add in digestive enzymes. Supplement with extra vitamins and minerals. And by the way, I don’t necessarily mean supplement with traditional, over the counter, synthetic supplements. I mean supplement your dog’s diet with natural goodness. Essential fatty acids in the form of a good quality, omega-rich fish oil. This will help protect the liver and boost the immune system. It will also help keep your dog’s brain in good working order.

If its digestive system is more sluggish than before, add in a little psyllium husk on a daily basis. Or add in a little flaxseed or slippery elm to obviate signs of constipation. And add in those digestive enzymes to help break down its food more efficiently so that the entire waste elimination process works more efficiently.

Protect those joints

For those tired joints, if you haven’t been giving your senior dog bone broth and a good quality natural joint supplement, start now.

Start making homemade bone broth as well. It’s rich in collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin that will help protect those. Not only is it the perfect overall tonic for the senior dog, it will encourage your best friend to eat and drink on days when it might just prefer to put its paws up and rest.

Add in a few extra herbs for digestive support. Dandelion root and burdock root to help with waste elimination.

And don’t forget to add in a few green foods. There are dozens of them to choose from. I try to include on a regular basis spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, barley grass, dandelion greens, nettle leaf, parsley and cleavers.

The senior dog’s diet

If you have a senior dog and you are looking for the best diet, I’d suggest you download by Senior Dog Feeding Guide. It’s full of hints and tips on the best food for your senior dog. The ingredients you can use, the supplements I recommend and tips on how to get the best out of your senior dog.