Does Your Pet Qualify as a Senior?

One of my collies, Desi, turns 8 years old in October.  I have to admit that this is kind of freaking me out.  My previous tri-color rough coat Collie, Cooper, passed away suddenly just before he turned 9 years old.  I never thought of Cooper as an "old dog," nor do I think of Desi that way.  However, collies are big dogs and it's a fact of life that large breed dogs have shorter life spans than smaller breed dogs.  Still, 8 years old doesn't seem that old really, especially given how well cared for my dogs are.  Okay. Yes, they are spoiled.  Nonetheless, I want to make sure I am doing everything I can to not just increase my dog's life expectancy, but increase his quality of life.  So, how old is old?

First of all, it's a total myth that one human year is the equivalent of 7 dog or cat years. This is just too much of an over-simplification as this popular notion was based on the "average sized dog." What in the world is an "average sized dog?" And cats vary little in size and yet this same reference point was used for them as well. Not too long ago, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) came up with a new way to measure the age of our pets using something called the "Canine Life Stages Guidelines" and the "Feline Life Stages Guidelines." These guidelines make a lot of sense and help pet owners and their veterinarians to better determine the needs of these animals.  AAHA divided dogs into six categories: Puppy, birth-6 months of age; Junior, 6-9 months of age; Adult, 9 months to 6.5 years, Mature, 6.5 years to 9.75 years; Senior, 9.75 years to 13 years; and Geriatric, over 13 years old. Here are the guidelines they came up with for cats: Kitten, birth to 9 months of age; Junior, 9 months of age to 3 years; Prime, 3 years to 7 years; Mature, 7 years to 11 years of age; Senior, 11 years to 15 years of age; and Geriatric, over 15 years of age.

So, looking at Desi coming up on his 8th birthday, he is considered a mature dog; he is in the middle to last 25% of his life expectancy, and he certainly isn't a senior! And while he is a large dog based on his breed, this isn't the only determinant of his life span.  His nutrition and associated weight play a significant role as well. And his diet affects his teeth and the health of his teeth affects his life expectancy, and so on.  So, basically, me doting on my dogs with healthy snacks, bones to clean their teeth, a high quality diet, daily walks, daily grooming, interactive toys, and new daily experiences is not only enhancing their quality of life, but helping to insure that they live longer as well. That's a huge relief!

Many of my clients focus a lot on the physical exercise their dogs receive, as well as the diet they feed their dogs.  As an animal behaviorist, I also try to get them to focus on the mental exercise and psychological well-being component.  Those interactive toys and games, letting their dogs sniff and explore on walks, and moving away from free-feeding are key factors in stimulating the brain.  Older dogs (and cats!) can't do the New York Times crossword puzzle, but they can forage for their meals, play with interactive toys, and have their daily environments enriched.  Keeping those older minds active will extend their life expectancy too.

The bottom line is this: Work with your veterinarian to determine what your pet needs based on these guidelines.  Enroll your dogs of all ages in classes to keep them active or try a new sport or activity.  Even pet assisted therapy qualifies as a brain-building job and is one that can be performed by a pet of any age.  That is definitely Desi's favorite job!

I am looking forward to many more birthdays with Desi and intend to make every one of his remaining years count...because he is family.