Ten is the New Five

By Carol Bryant, guest blogger, and blogger at Fido Friendly

How often have we been told that 40 is the new 20 or that 60 is the new 40? With all of the advances in nutrition, supplementation, veterinary medicine and, of course, the human-canine bond, 10 certainly has become the new 5 in the canine world.

Teach your dog hand signals while he can hear well.

As with his human counterparts, a dog’s sense of hearing is one that threatens to diminish with aging. Solution? Turn back the hands of time by using hand signals. Teaching Fido to “come” in association with a hand signal, reinforcing it with a finger point and asking Fido if he “needs to go potty” with another hand signal will be invaluable should a hearing deficit develop. Hand signals can be taught and reinforced in conjunction with verbal commands while a dog’s hearing is intact and throughout his life.

Old Dogs and New Tricks
Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks? Hide-and-seek is a perfect year-round game for dogs of all ages. Not only does this game work perfectly on rainy and snowy days, but it heightens Fido’s sense of smell in a fun and rewarding manner. This game requires two people initially. One person stays with the dog in a room while the other hides. When ready to be sought, the hider lets out a sound to initiate the game. As Fido scours room to room, occasionally let out a verbal signal. Once found, praise him like he just won an Olympic medal and reward with a treat. Repeat. One caveat: be sure to remove grandma’s heirloom plates from the end tables.

Those Pearly Whites

Yes, you can brush your dog's (and cat's) teeth.

Your canines need not lose their sparkle. It only takes a few minutes a few times a week; yet proper canine dental hygiene is pivotal. Many kidney, cardiac and liver diseases are directly related to gum and tooth disease. Be certain to use Fido-friendly toothpaste along with a dog-comfy toothbrush (i.e. toddler-size). Long-term results mean no more doggoned bad breath as well as disease prevention; it’s a win-win.

Canine CPR
Breathe in, breathe out, and repeat. Canine CPR and first aid classes are available throughout the country, both in person and online. Check with a local chapter of the American Red Cross for more information or do a simple Internet search for canine first aid classes. Knowing what to do if Fido is choking, in shock or is injured can mean the difference between life and death, as precious seconds count. Classes often feature canine replica models to learn CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.

Dog lovers, unite. We can’t stop the hands of time from ticking forward, but we can play some magic tricks on the motion they take. Abracadabra these techniques do work. It’s up to us to tap the magic wand and set the stage for a lifetime of canine happiness.

Carol Bryant writes the popular blog Fido Friendly and the print magazine of the same name. Now in its 10th year, each bimonthly issue of FIDO Friendly includes hotel and destination reviews along with health and wellness topics, dog training advice and the latest fashion trends. FIDO Friendly can be found in Borders, Barnes & Noble, Hastings and Fido-friendly hotels nationwide or by subscription.

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June 11, 2010 at 9:44 AM

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June 11, 2010 at 10:37 AM

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DogBreedStore

June 11, 2010 at 10:51 AM

As a huge advocate for adopting older dogs, this was a great reminder.I have found that sometimes these older dogs are very hesitant to have their teeth brushed, probably because they have never had it done on a regular basis. To get them to comply, I use chicken flavored toothpaste on a toothbrush, and let them lick it off the first few times. Then I introduce just one “brush” on one side, then let them lick again. Next time I add two “brushes” and so on, till they are willingly getting their teeth brushed.
Yes, older dogs have special needs but they are also more mellow than younger dogs and frequently are already housebroken.I also think that dogs are particularly attuned to our body language, so incorporating hand signals while using verbal cues is a great way to transition. But if the hearing is already gone by the time they become part of your family, training with only hand signals is very easy as they are natural experts at reading our gestures.
Great blogpost.
Thanks.
Elizabeth

Michele

June 11, 2010 at 11:11 AM

Thanks Elizabeth for these great comments. The next dog I adopt will be an older dog.

Jim@DoggyBytes

June 11, 2010 at 6:52 PM

Great post with some sound advice for helping to keep an old dog young.

Keeping a dog as healthy as possible as long as possible is first and foremost a function of feeding him or her an optimal diet. Sadly most people still feed their dogs commercial kibble foods where deficiencies, excesses in nutrients or poisonous additives manifest in health problems later in life.

Kibble and canned foods also do nothing to keep teeth and gums clean, and brushing teeth (if you are even able to do it effectively) will only clean the teeth and do nothing for the gums. What do human dentists always tell us to do? Brush AND floss, daily! Gum and periodontal disease is invariably the result, then requiring expensive trips to the vet for cleaning. If gums and teeth are not adequately cleaned, then many of the potential life threatening conditions that Carol mentions will arise.

Feeding a diet of raw meat and bones is the most effective way to keep a dog’s teeth and gums healthy, not to mention that meat and bone are the exact foods dogs evolved to eat.