Mary Allen
As dogs get older, not only physical symptoms are to be expected. The mind can also degrade and lead to changes in behavior. Consideration and empathy are now required.
Sometimes senior dogs “only” experience a kind of stubbornness in old age. Some quirks that appeared earlier are now amplified. Reasons for sudden quirks are, for example, circulatory disorders or calcifications in the brain. Changes in behavior are often the result of physical complaints such as visual impairment, hearing loss, organic diseases, or pain.
“Early detection is extremely important with an old dog. From the age of eight, you should have a health check with the doctor at least once a year,” says veterinarian Susanne Winhart from Ebersberg (D). In addition, support through geriatric medication foraging animals is very helpful. “Many a four-legged friend becomes forgetful in old age or suffers from cognitive dysfunction syndrome, which corresponds to dementia in humans,” says Wishart. Others would increasingly lose their orientation, suddenly walking in the wrong direction on a well-known walk.
Don’t Change Anything, Keep Rituals
“Sometimes seniors get lost within their own four walls, look for a water bowl or suddenly stand helplessly in the aisle, squeaking, feel left alone and don’t know what to do,” says Wishart. In such situations, it is important to keep calm and walk over your four-legged friend’s trailer with loving sovereignty by gently guiding the dog back on the right path and showing him that everything is okay. “A calm caress and physical closeness of the person calms the senior when he feels disoriented and lonely.”
Perhaps the dog unconsciously loosens itself up in the living room because it has forgotten that it is not outdoors at all. Then it is important not to make a drama out of it, but rather to take precautions in advance, such as displaying washable carpets, so that such a mishap can be eliminated quickly and hygienically.
“I know from experience that fixed rituals are important at the same time, especially for dogs with a weakening mind,” reports Lore Köhne, whose last beagle bitch accompanied her for almost 17 years. She advises: “Do not change anything in your home furnishings! Always leave the dog’s food and water bowl and lying areas in the same place!» It may also be necessary to defuse certain dangerous spots such as steep stairs or basement shafts with a protective grille. “It has proven useful for us to leave a light on at night so that the senior can find his way around better, provided of course that he is not yet blind,” says Köhne.
Sovereignty is Waning
Some old dogs generally show increased restlessness. But there is also increased anxiety, timidity, sudden fear of being alone, insecurity towards strangers and situations, as well as apathy and disinterest. Older dogs also become late sleepers. They mutate into morning grouches, which first need a certain amount of time before they can get going, especially since the deep sleep phases are now increasing.
Some seniors also show an increased tendency to bark. They often vocalize in situations where they are at a loss or feel lonely. In such a case, distraction with a little game or chewing rolls helps. Many Methuselahs become extremely clingy, while others prefer to go their own way. All of these age-related behaviors that can occur as part of a completely normal aging process should not be held against a senior dog.