One in four people consider their dogs to be old by the time they reach 10 years old, according to research by Burns Pet Nutrition to mark senior Dog Week at the start of this month.
The pet food business is ‘hosting’ the week – designed to raise awareness of the different care that mature dogs need as they age – and has launched a new senior range.
While the oldest recorded dog in history was Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who lived to the ripe old age of 29 years and five months, most live for 8-15 years, depending on breed and size.
Much like people, as dogs age they tend to slow down and take less exercise, Burns says. This leads to fewer calories being used and increases the chances of weight gain. Other side effects may indicate an accumulation of waste in the dog’s system, which could include bad breath, poor coat quality, lack of vitality, stiffness and excess body odour.
FIT AND HEALTHY
According to the nutrition team at Wales-based Burns, owners could start by changing a senior dog’s feeding routine by including smaller, more frequent meals. They could also take shorter, lower impact walks and allow them more time to get from one place to another. Making sure pets have an adequate bed to support ageing joints would also be a good way to care for the older pooch.
To complement this advice, Burns Pet Nutrition has launched a new senior range, which has been specifically created to keep senior dogs fit and healthy.
Creator of Senior Dog Week and founder of Burns Pet Nutrition John Burns said: “We created Senior Dog week to celebrate our most loyal canines, the dogs who have been part of the family for many years.
“Dogs can start to have problems as they get older, but with healthy food and controlled levels of fat and protein, they can live long healthy lives”.
