Story and photos by Nancy Gallimore
Brooke and I stepped onto our front porch to enjoy a blissfully temperate morning. As we moved into the yard, I paused, letting the lead go slack between us in silent invitation for her to choose our path forward. It’s Brooke who charts the course, not me.
Our dog-guided walks are a tradition we started right around the time Brooke turned 12. Now she’s about to turn 13, and our sniff strolls continue as a treasured part of our day. Once, we were on a mission to cover miles, burn calories (me), and tone muscles (me and show dog Brooke). We tackled hills and pushed hard. We came back sweaty (me) and panting (both of us).
We now move at a different pace. Actually, we move at whatever pace Brooke wants. We stop when Brooke’s nose needs further information about a clump of grass. We serpentine briskly through the pasture when Brooke is following an invisible trail, perhaps left by our coyote neighbors the previous night.
And when Brooke decides it’s time, we head back to the house. We both enjoyed a little exercise together, but more importantly, Brooke exercised her mind.
As our pets age, they may move a little slower. The once endless games of fetch turn into one or two retrieves. Or maybe the ball launches, but the dog doesn’t. And how often do we decide not to interrupt our elder furry friend’s midmorning, afternoon or post-dinner naps? It’s natural, right? We should just let sleeping dogs lie. But should we?
The answer is an enthusiastic no! As humans are encouraged to stay active in body and mind as we age, it’s no different for our canine counterparts. The issue is our dogs can’t tackle Wordle or head to a senior water aerobics class.
Angela Rodriguez, a Tulsa area professional dog trainer and owner of The Joyful Hound, is concerned that senior dogs sometimes get stuck in a rut. Dogs who once enjoyed lives filled with walks, car rides and fun activities are often sentenced to retirement that leaves them bored at home day after day. Joints stiffen with inactivity, minds dull, and well-meaning owners assume the dog is just old now and needs to rest.
Rodriguez is an avid proponent of creative canine enrichment for dogs in all stages of life. “If you have always taken your dog for fun outings, don’t stop just because your dog is growing older and is a bit less active,” encourages Rodriguez.
“It’s so easy to modify adventures to meet your dog’s changing needs. Drive somewhere new, bring a blanket, some treats and water for both of you. Walk for a short amount of time, and then set yourself up in the shade to let your dog watch and smell the world.”
Rodriguez offers creative ideas for keeping your senior dog active and engaged at home. “Enrichment activities that include scavenging, chewing and licking are all important behaviors for senior dogs to continue to engage in, again with a bit of modification from how they may have enjoyed these activities in their puppyhood.”
Rodriguez suggests serving fluffy snuffle mats with treats or kibble buried in the fibers, or lick mats with a smear of dog-safe peanut butter or yogurt for a fun activity. Place the mats on a raised surface so your dog doesn’t have to bring their mouth all the way to the ground for a prolonged period. If you give frozen treat dispensers like the FreezBone or a West Paw Zogoflex, it’s advisable to thaw them just a bit to make the task of extracting the yummy filling a bit less challenging for your senior. You can also soak chews like bully sticks in water to soften them up.
Smell is still any aging dog’s strongest sense, and as natural scavengers, searching for scattered and hidden treats around your home or yard can get them moving and keep their brains working. You can even toss some kibble in one of your empty Amazon boxes (you know you have them!), fold the top shut, and let your dog solve the puzzle to gain access to the yummy reward.
The takeaway? When your dog reaches double digits, life doesn’t stop — it just shifts. With guidance from your veterinarian, you’ll likely find that keeping your senior dog appropriately active is one of the best ways to keep them healthy and happy during those golden years.
In the evening, it’s my 14-and-some-serious-change-year-old cattle dog Edie’s turn to meander our property to her heart’s content, while Brooke relaxes inside with a rubber lick toy filled with a frozen cocktail of yogurt, treats and fruit.
Edie trots with steady purpose along the edge of our pond as tiny frogs leap frantically out of her way. Occasionally, she stops to watch the ripples left behind as the minute torpedoes shoot to safety beneath a sturdy lily pad. Then she enjoys digging in the soft shoreline mud, soaking in the smells unearthed with each scrape of her paw. Turning from the pond, she stops to roll in something that caused her nose to twitch, and I’m very sure I don’t want to know what it is.
After her sniffathon, Edie settles beside me on the porch to watch the sunset, and we both exhale contented sighs. There is something incredibly beautiful about the connection you can foster with your senior dog if you just focus on what is possible today, instead of what exercise looked like in years gone by. This is definitely the time to let your dog stop to smell the roses or, as my girls might prefer, poke their noses in a stack of rocks or under a soggy pile of fallen leaves.
