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Suddenly seniors…
We know it is going to happen… our cute puppies are one day cute seniors with different needs.
I reflect on this as I have watched @catherine puppies learning and, recent changes I have noticed in my own seniors. I realized there are several things I have never prepared them for. In all fairness they were adults when I got them but, still I never thought about what will happen when they are seniors..
Recently, my 14 year-old who is still quite mobile and active has fallen trying to jump up on the bed, which was once so easy for him. His “jumpers” as I call them are not working as they once did.
I recently went out and bought doggie stairs for him. Kaiden who was my “bomb-proof”, confident, resilient, pro-social pup, always eager to do things is now fearful, less social, mostly deaf and a lot less willing to try new things. I thought stairs were stairs and he should be able to do them with ease, right? Thankfully, he did have the back ground he did. Although he showed hesitation to do them, he learned and felt comfortable doing them fairly quickly.
Anyone else wish they did some “senior” training when their pup was younger?
Here are two videos of me acclimating him to the stairs so he can sleep in “his” bed. There was some trial and error with figuring out what he wanted to eat for climbing the ladder (????) and , working with this ladder that was supposed to be “skid proof”. We finally made it work!
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14 Replies
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AWE!!! @jenz this is a beautiful training sequence. What a lucky dog that you are so patient and go at his speed. I’m amazed watching older dogs. It’s about trust with the trainer and staying in the safety zone, but knowing how to gently press the learning line!
I see so many senior dogs in my other lines of work (daily walks and pet sitting). They teach me LOADS about how older canine brains work. There are still some incredibly motivated senior dogs!!!
I’ve said they are some of my favorite dogs to watch. They go at a slower pace, usually content to sit by your side and get loved. It’s hard sometimes when they are hurting, but don’t know how to tell us.
My own regrets with my past dogs: that I never trained them on a ramp for my Jeep. They always jumped in, then one day, they couldn’t…stumbled…arthritis…and then with my Berner—bone cancer in rear leg! I switched vehicles (already had another car, an actual sedan) and he was able to get in.
I am also glad that I got a Help ‘Em Up Harness for my Lab. I had to SuperDog her outside a few times with my son or boyfriend when she couldn’t do stairs in my home at 13…she had a case of Old Dogs disease (aka vestibular), which came and went a few times.
It is so hard to see your dogs get old. But I love the work you’re doing, Jen!!! Excellent!
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” It’s about trust with the trainer and staying in the safety zone, but knowing how to gently press the learning line!” I love this statement! So true. We have to keep the criteria low for success and raise it too when ready for progress.
Seniors are a special population for sure.
I am sorry about your Berner and previous dogs. Thanks for sharing your personal story of what you missed in training. I don’t think it should be a regret. I think it was something you did not know about or likely experienced prior, to be prepared; that’s how I feel about it. None of my prior dogs ever needed a ramp or stairs so….. The next pup will be acclimated to a ramp, doggie stairs and anything else I will now be conscience of as my pups continue to age and change.
I am glad your Lab had your support as well as your son’s and BF’s help. I am glad you had their support too.
It is heart breaking to watch them change.
Thanks again for all you do to help make dogs’ lives easier and better.
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Thank you for posting this, @jenz — it’s really such an important topic!
Some things that might be helpful to teach proactively, for a time when they might actually be needed:
- Being comfortable and relaxed with person lifting/carrying them (I had a GSD years ago who could no longer navigate stairs safely, so I needed her to relax in my arms so I could carry her safely)
- Learning a hand signal for recall and possibly introducing flashing porch light at night to become a come-back-inside-from-the-yard recall signal for a time when their hearing fades
One of my dogs is about 11 years old now and luckily very healthy. I’ve had discussions with Bean about her needing to live healthily to at least 20!
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Wow, that’s a great skill for bigger dogs to learn, @virginiad . Being held/carried is sometimes something smaller dogs and some medium dogs are used to. But, yeah, I can imagine with a GSD…
That’s really awesome that Bean is in such great health and that you’re having conversations with her about living to a ripe age! Definitely awesome.
This is not a training of a dog matter…. But I think another thing pet parents overlook is just taking stock of a sudden change in a dog’s personality, for example: suddenly becoming stubborn, air snapping when you used to be about to dress them in a winter coat (arthritis or other pain), or fear about some things the dog used to be fine with (loss of vision or even blindness)…knowing your dog and consulting an external source can be helpful to get fresh eyes to see what’s going on: I’ve had this conversation recently with a walking client of a couple very old dachshunds and it is never easy for the owner to see a beloved pet age. But it can better help support the owner if they can begin to see their dog (who is not able to tell) who is acting that way because it hurts, they can’t see or hear properly or something (like cancer) may be lurking. A Vet visit to chat about those things is helpful at that point.
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Really great advice, @bernerlabreclectus !
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Did Bean listen about living healthy to 20 years? I have been trying to have that conversation with my 2! I keep telling them they are my last two (owned) dogs. I want them as long as I can knowing this.
Yes, the environmental/hand cues vs verbal cues are so important- I do have hand signals- getting him to respond is another story, I think due to cognitive decline. I really like the porch light idea!
I am glad body handling worked for you and your GSD- that is valuable! In my case with Kaiden, he has become intolerant of being handled; I used to be able to hold him on my hip like a toddler. He also requires a muzzle now at the vets.
Thanks for jumping in and sharing your experiences and ideas!
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@jenz , Bean still has years to go before the 20-year mark. Fingers crossed!
I really have been so incredibly lucky with my many dogs over the years. Even when in pain, they’ve never resorted to a bite attempt. Hoping Bond never has anything seriously wrong with him, but he may be the first dog I’ve had who would consider a bite when in considerable pain.
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Great share, Jen, and a good reminder to think about allllll the things our dogs will need and train before we need them. In some cases, I think the issue is less about the prop and more about hind end awareness and mobillty… both can change as they age.
Your dogs are lucky, lucky, lucky to have you… and I hope you get to keep them for another decade! Why are they your last dogs?
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Definitely about mobility for him. As we can assume in most seniors, arthritis starts and pain. I can see his rear legs moving as a “unit” vs independently (for lack of better description). There is weakness for sure.
As far as these two being my last owned dogs, well, it is because I am a volunteer responder with the HSUS and ASPCA and have been for about 7 years. I am drawn to that way of helping. I can’t explain it in words. I just know it feels good to be helping in that capacity. I want to be able to help more frequently and, it is a lot to leave to my dogs in general (I miss them). I feel guilty leaving them with my sister when I do go. (even though she loves them and is ok with it!).
Thanks for jumping in with your thoughts! I always appreciate it!
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Wow! Your work with the rescue organizations is amazing, @jenz I’m sure your skill is greatly appreciated. I sure get the feeling guilty part too – we want to be everywhere all at the same time and it’s hard to leave our hearts behind.
Have a wonderful holiday and thanks for all you do!
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Oh how I wish I had worked with Mal on mobility ramps before he needed one! We tried ramps of different materials and styles, but he just refused to use them. Eventually, we ordered a load of dirt and made a dirt ramp from our front porch down to the yard so he could go outside easily.
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Oh wow, @PerpetualCleric – I’m sure the dirt was appreciated by Mal! He lived a great life with you. Lucky boy for sure.
And you all are making me realize we all need to get to work on ramps, steps and other physical aids!
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