When Dogs Slow Down and Decline (and what to do about it)

That pause before the stairs.

The shorter walks.

The slow rise from lying. 

Most people chalk it up to age and assume nothing more can be done, but...old age isn’t a condition.

Arthritis, pain, and muscle loss is what happens with age that affects how your dog moves and feels.

 As we, and our dogs, get older we are more likely to suffer from arthritis. Also, as we get older we all are subject to sarcopenia (age related muscle loss).

The good news is that we can fight these changes so that our dogs feel better and move better, essentially we can "slow down" the "slowing down"!

 Why Rest and Supplements Aren’t Enough

 It’s common to be told to rest an older dog or try a new supplement. And while those things can play a role and be helpful, they're kind of like just putting a band aid on the problem and not helping solve the problem  which is pain and/or weakness. The truth is that too much rest leads to more stiffness and faster muscle loss and supplements can’t rebuild strength.

  So our dogs need strength training and they need us to guide them through it.

  "But we do walks and hydrotherapy, don't they count?" you may ask!

 What many loving pet parents may not realise is that walking and hydrotherapy aren't the best at strengthening muscles. They are great for heart and lung health, cognition and joint movement but they often don't provide enough stimulation to challenge the muscles to grow. 

And strength changes a dog's ability to move and function. 

 "We do Cavaletti's and Sit to stands, that's enough isn't is?"

Yes and no!

These are great strengthening exercises but to be "enough" and work, they need to be challenging enough.

They also need to be done regularly.

And need to be the right strengthening exercises.

If these are the only exercises you do everyday the muscles will eventually get used to the exercise and it will no longer be challenging enough, that's when adding different exercises and progressing the exercises is the only way to continue muscles growing.

Are you ready to learn these exercises today?

 My app - The Dog Rehab App - has a free one week trial. Download the app and access the free week to learn the exercises that can change your dog's life.

No more hesitation before the stairs.

Walking faster and further again.

Standing up with ease.

 Our senior and arthritic dogs deserve more good days. And we deserve the peace of mind that we're spending our time and money on what actually works.