Caring for Senior Dogs: German Shepherd Edition

There comes a point in every pet parent’s life when their lovable pup becomes a senior dog. This change almost always happens far too early for any pet lover. While each dog breed has its strong points, the German Shepherd is one of America’s most popular breeds. Particularly intelligent, devoted, and courageous, the German Shepherd is often trained to guide and assist people with disabilities, work for police and military service, heard, search and rescue. But yet, even the German Shepherd falls victim to aging like all other dogs.

As they age, their diets change. Typically, a German Shepherd is considered to be a senior dog at the age of 9. It is important to remember this as their diet may need to be adjusted as they age. Dog foods may contain ingredients that will do more harm than good as your furry friend gets older. In order to keep your pet healthy and as active as possible in his old age, make sure to provide them with a proper diet to represent their changing body. Between the ages of 7 and 9 your dog’s metabolism will begin to slow down. Make sure their diet reflects a less active lifestyle to avoid unnecessary weight gain.
Be their human guide. An unfortunate part of aging includes vision loss. Keep a close eye on your curious canine as they wander around. Common vision impairment symptoms include bumping into things and red or cloudy eyes. A trip to your veterinarian can help to decipher if the problem is treatable or not. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for your German Shepherd.
Stay Active. Make sure your senior dog is exercising. While it may be hard to keep your dog moving, it is important that your canine companion gets the necessary exercise to stay healthy. If mobility is an issue for your German Shepherd, DGP can help keep your dog active.

Be sure to work on getting your senior German Shepherd the best care available as they age.