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(From a dog’s point of view) You know you need a new mindset when your dog would say: I am a small breed dog that should weigh about 15 lbs but I weigh 40. My owner jokes about how she is guilty of feeding me table scraps (I am four now, but I may not see seven or eight because of this. I like to eat and it’s my owners’ job to maintain my weight because I don’t know how) I am a medium size breed that should weigh around 60 lbs but I weigh 110 lbs. The vet, told my owner to put me on a diet, so he/my owner cut back to 6 cups per day (that means I was getting way, way too much before because 6 cups is way too much for me now and I will probably not live long because I don’t know how to control my own weight, this makes me sad)

My owner doesn’t want me to see, smell, look at, greet or play with any other dog (since I am by nature a pack animal, he can expect me to have issues including possible aggression and fearfulness. I don’t think he realizes that I am just like a human child that needs to play and have fun and make friends with other dogs just like a human child does) I am a large breed, long haired dog and my owner hasn’t brushed or bathed me in 9 months and she wants my groomer to bathe, brush and get all the mats out without clipping me. (which isn’t possible without a haircut and hurts me and makes me really anxious) I am a small breed dog and I have gotten severely matted because my owner doesn’t brush me.

She has this silly notion that a hairbrush is a stress on me, so she tried “hacking” and “chopping” at the mats herself then decided to take me to the groomer but didn’t want me to be bathed or brushed, just clipped. (It hurts me to cut my hair when it’s this matted and it can’t be done without brushing what can be brushed out first. Lack of regular care causes me way more stress when I am dumped on a groomer for care and have to endure tugging and pulling at mats, than if my coat was maintained to begin with. Hacking and chopping what she can’t see, can cause cuts she can’t see)

My owner lets my toenails get so long that they curl around and dig into the pads of my paws, then takes me to the groomer. (this would be to him, like walking around in shoes that have nails driven into them stabbing into his feet. My toes will become splayed and I will probably develop joint pain, not to mention that I may have hoof rot, which can get very stinky and painful.) When I jump up on counters or people, my owner says “look what I taught my dog” (I’m behaving badly and I should not be encouraged) When I bark and growl at people and other dogs and my owner says “Good boy!, you go get em” (If I am allowed to behave like this, he may end up getting rid of me to another owner who may give me up again and I might get euthanized in a shelter because I wasn’t trained to behave to begin with.)

I bite people and when my owner is told about it, she says “Oh yeah, he gets a wild hair every now and then and decides to turn” (I am being very naughty and I should not be allowed to act like this. I’m afraid if she doesn’t get me trained to behave, I might end up in a shelter or get euthanized for my bad behavior) My owner doesn’t want to have me spayed or neutered because he thinks I will become fat, lazy or that it will take away what I should have. (What he doesn’t realize is that I will want to mark and mount the girls and other dogs and I might become a fighter and a dangerous dog. The girl dogs out there like me will probably have puppies that no one will have a home for and they will end up in shelters or get euthanized. This makes me so sad)

My owner wants my caregiver while she is on vacation to feed me human treats for my snack but they are unhealthy and one is actually poisonous to me. (If you want to feed me human foods, please make sure that they are safe for me because I want to live a long life with you, not die of poisoning that you didn’t know about.

For Dog Owners courtesy Dog Articles.

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Older dogs have special needs. If you decide to bring home an older dog you will need to do some special things for him. His health, his activities, his comfort in your home, his diet– all of these things will depend on you.

Whether you are adopting an older dog, you receive one from a friend, or you find an older dog as a stray, your first step should be to take your new friend to the vet. Even if your older dog looks healthy, many times older dogs have some hidden health issues that you can’t see. Your older dog will need geriatric health screening at some point but you may not need to do that right away. Your vet should, however, look at your dog’s teeth to make sure they are in good shape. Poor teeth can often cause an older dog to be unable to eat properly. This can lead to loss of weight and general poor health. Your vet can make sure that your older dog is current on vaccinations — although you should not over-vaccinate an older dog. This general checkup should be able to catch any immediate health problems in your dog.

You should also pay close attention to the diet of your older dog. What has he been eating? What kind of condition is he in? Is he too thin? Too fat? If he’s in good condition you can continue to feed him what he’s used to eating, but if he needs to gain or lose weight you can gradually switch him to a better food. You do not have to choose a “senior” dog food. Experts are split on whether these senior foods are actually good for older dogs. Many dogs lose weight on them. They are generally designed for dogs that gain weight in their later years — they are tested on Labrador Retrievers and Beagles, which gain weight easily. If you have a breed that loses weight when they’re older, as many dogs do, these senior foods would be a bad choice. Instead, you can continue feeding a dog food for “all life stages.” You can add supplements for joint health, such as glucosamine-chondroitin, MSM and others, if you wish. People are divided on whether these supplements actually help an older dog but they don’t do any harm.

If your older dog has any particular health conditions, as diagnosed by your vet, you can add the appropriate supplements or medications.

If your older dog has hip dysplasia or other joint problems, you can work on activities that may help him. Swimming is often good for some hip dysplasia. If your dog is overweight then moderate exercise, such as long walks with you, is highly recommended. Find the appropriate exercise for your older dog. He’s not a young dog anymore but he can and should partake of exercise that he’s able to do.

Finally, make sure that you keep your older dog comfortable in your home. His joints and bones may be achy sometimes. Provide him with comfortable places to sleep, such as a soft doggy bed. Orthopedic doggy beds are very good for dogs with any kind of hip dysplasia. If your dog has joint problems or just feels old and moves more slowly, heated beds or heating pads under some covers can make him feel better. If your dog eats more slowly because he’s missing some teeth give him plenty of quiet time to eat his food. Don’t rush him.

Your older dog may take some time to adjust to living in your home but he will most likely be very happy living with you if you do your best to take good care of him. Follow these tips and your older dog will adjust to your home very quickly.

Bringing Home An Older Dog courtesy of Dog Articles.

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