Workout Wednesday: Exercise and Your Senior Dog

Imagine this:
You've reached your 60th birthday - a little achy around the joints, that spring in your step perhaps a little less... sprung, but generally healthy and still in love with life. And suddenly, your family says to you: Now that you're old, we've got a special new food that you'll be living on until your final days, and - because you've gotten old and we don't want to tire you out - from now on, you can just hang out. Don't worry about long walks or running around or anything, because we've noticed you're having a hard time with that stuff, anyway. Just chill out, relax. Sleep the days away.

I don't know about you, but that's hardly the way I want to spend my final few years on earth. And yet, that's just what we do to our beloved senior pups on a regular basis. We notice that getting up is a little tougher, or he may lag behind on a walk, and - because we love him so very much - we decide to either cut the walk short, or just stop it altogether.

What we actually need to do for our senior pups is quite the opposite. Regular exercise has been proven to improve heart and brain function in canines, slow joint degeneration and the aging process, aid digestion, and regulate bowel function. For senior dogs, exercise can quite literally mean adding years to your best friend's life. Here, then, are five tips to ensure that your dog stays fit and happy by your side just as long as possible.

(1) Start by checking in with your veterinarian. Regular visits are critical to maintaining health for aging dogs, in order to detect or prevent life-threatening issues like cancer, heart disease, or even periodental disease. Working with your vet, you can determine the best nutritional regiment and supplements for your pup, as well as ask any questions you may have about creating the best exercise routine for your dog.

(2) Take it slow. With the exception of the dog who has spent his life sprinting by his guardian's side, it is typically best to avoid strenuous aerobic activity with your senior. Dogs will push far beyond their physical limits to please us; it's our job now to tell them when to quit. A regular walk of from ten minutes to half-an-hour twice a day is a great way to keep your senior limber, active, and interested in the world around him. Senior dogs have the added challenge of requiring more frequent bathroom breaks, so a short walk in the morning and another in the evening helps your pup get into a more bladder-friendly routine. Try to stay consistent, be patient, and watch your pup for any changes in behavior, increased stiffness, or shortness of breath. If any of these occur, consult your veterinarian for recommendations.

(3) Watch the weather. Cold, wet days exacerbate joint problems, while hot days increase the possibility of heatstroke. Whenever temps dip or soar, indoor activities like hide and seek, fetch, or tug of war may be best. For cooler weather, invest in a doggie jacket or sweater to ease joint pain.

(4) Swim it out. If you have an aging water hound on your hands, now is the time to focus on the healing power of the sea. Because swimming is a low-impact exercise, it's perfect for painful joints and arthritis, and is also a great way for overweight dogs to take off some pounds. However, it's still important to watch temps - warm spring and summer days are great, but avoid icy dips. Even on warm days, have a towel handy to dry your pooch before he becomes chilled.

(5) Listen to your pup. If you have a senior dog, chances are good that you've spent considerable time getting to know him; you can tell when he's dragging. if he's having a tough time getting up when sitting or lying down, it means there is probably some arthritis or other joint-related issues at work. Limit physical activity to shorter walks on a more frequent basis, and look for a quality canine supplement containing glucosamine and chondroitin. You may also invest in quality essential fatty acids like those found in cod liver, flaxseed, or salmon oils, or a quality pet product like Dream Coat.

In my experience, the senior years can be some of the most cherished you'll ever spend with your dog. Now is the time when you know each other well, discipline isn't as much of an issue, and you can relax and just enjoy life together. Be sure to include him in as much of your life as possible, and your aging pooch will truly learn to love retirement.

For additional information and some excellent articles and tips on senior dogs, you can check out The Senior Dog Project, or this article from petplace.com. Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out next Workout Wednesday, when we'll look at the benefits of turning your hyper-hound into a Working Dog.

Thursday's Nutrition Beat: The Scoop on Supplements

If you've investigated or actually started feeding your dog a homemade diet, you know firsthand just how confusing the supplement issue can be. The bad news is that your pup's good health is dependent on a balanced diet and - if you're making your own food - that diet begins and ends with you. The good news, however, is very good: It's not actually as complicated as it might seem. And with the overwhelming interest in animal companion nutrition today, there are some great products out there that make it that much simpler. In this post, I'll profile a few of those products, and give you recipes for some that you can make on your own.

We'll start with essential fatty acids, the same ones that get a lot of hype for the health benefits they provide for you and I. EFAs - in this case Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids - aid in digestion, help prevent or clear up breakouts, and keep hair and nails strong. They do the same for pups. Cod liver and other fish oils, as well as soybean, flaxseed, and safflower oils, are particularly high in Omega-3 and -6 acids. The number one product that I always have on hand to ensure the proper blend of these critical elements is Dream Coat, distributed by HALO pet products. While Dream Coat is not cheap (a 16-ounce bottle is usually around $21), its blend of cold-pressed soybean, wheatgerm, safflower, sunflower, garlic, and cod liver oils provides not only the aforementioned fatty acids, but also provides your pup with adequate doses of vitamins A, D, and E - all critical for your dog's good health.

If you'd prefer to forego the expense of DreamCoat, HALO founder Andi Brown provides a homemade recipe for DreamCoat in her book, THE WHOLE PET DIET. Using cold-pressed, high-quality oils, the homemade version is still a little pricey, but is certainly worth the expense. Here, then, is Ms. Brown's "Recipe for a Beautiful Coat."

5 ounces soybean or olive oil
1 ounce cod liver oil
1 ounce wheat germ oil
1 ounce flaxseed oil
1 clove garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2-inch sprig rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse for 30 seconds. Pour into a dark or opaque glass bottle or jar and seal tightly. Mix the recommended dosage (listed below) into all of your pet's meals:

2 - 11 pound dog: 1/2 teaspoon
12 - 25 pounds: 1 teaspoon
25 - 50 pounds: 2 teaspoons
51 - 100 pounds: 1 tablespoon

The next supplement that I use is based on the recommendations of Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn in his COMPLETE GUIDE TO NATURAL HEALTH FOR DOGS AND CATS. Because dogs require a balanced intake of calcium and phosphorous in order to maintain optimum health, it is critical to include a mixture of these two supplements in each homemade meal. While there are natural pet vitamins out there with calcium and phosphorous included, based on the research I've done and the case studies I've conducted, I believe that the over-synthesized materials are simply not as conducive to total health. With that in mind, here are a few items that always make it into my recipes.

NOW Bone Meal Powder, available at most natural food stores or online at Natural Canine. A good, balanced source of calcium and phosphorous made from domestically raised cattle, and simple to add to recipes because of its powdered form. $13.95 for one pound, which should last you quite some time.

Herbal Multivitamin, formulated by Gregory Tilford. Available online at Natural Canine for $24.95 for a 300-gram container, which typically lasts about one month for my two dogs. I use a combination of the NOW Bone Meal Powder, Tilford's Herbal Multivitamin, and either Dream Coat or flax seed oil in all of my dog's meals. The recommended dosage is based on your pup's weight, and is included on the labels of each of these products.

For a less costly alternative to the Herbal Multivitamin, you can try NaturVet's VitaPet or VitaPet Plus for Dogs, available at most pet stores or online at Waggin Tails. NaturVet has a number of great, affordable products out there that I have used on more than one occasion with good results.

For recipes and more information on the nutritional needs of your favorite pooch, I highly recommend DR. PITCAIRN'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO NATURAL HEALTH FOR DOGS & CATS, as well as Andi Brown's THE WHOLE PET DIET: EIGHT WEEKS TO GREAT HEALTH FOR DOGS AND CATS and, if you're feeling really ambitious, CANINE AND FELINE NUTRITION: A RESOURCE FOR COMPANION ANIMAL PROFESSIONALS. All of these books are available at Amazon.com, or can likely be ordered through your local independent bookseller. Next week, I'll get you started on a fun, low-maintenance kitchen herb garden that will keep your pup's recipes tasting fresh all year round. Until then, be sure to drop any questions you have my way, and thanks for reading.