Putting Pep in Your Senior Dog's Step

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Finding Your Senior's Inner Puppy

If you're familiar with horses, you may know that your ride is likely to be more energetic on the way back to the barn than it was as you left the barn. Unlike dogs, horses enjoy the thrill of knowing the end of the walk or ride is near. Horses love the barn for friends, food, family, and familiarity.

Our dogs are quite the opposite. They need--actually thrive on--excitement, new and different experiences, and problems to solve. Unlike horses, they are rarely fearful of the noises or flickering sunlight on the leaves; dogs love these things and enjoy figuring out where they come from and what they can do with them to make the day even more exciting.

As a result, our dogs tend to have stored up energy at the beginning of the walk that means you may need to step up your pace to keep up with Fido for quite a ways. Take Tanner, for example. He's just now beginning to show signs of slowing down, but only on the return trip. As we leave the house my arm needs to be solidly in its socket and I must always remember to ask Tanner to sit as we exit the house, allowing me to lock up and store my supplies before we take off. That departure is sometimes much like a jet.


Fast forward to the point at which we turn back toward the house and everything changes. While Tanner's pace used to remain the same and required multiple walks, bike rides and swims each day, he now is beginning to show his age and will pace himself on the return trip. Some days I think this is simply his way of telling me he wishes we would continue the exploration, while other days it is very clear that he is just plain tired. We had one of those today and I was ready.

We walked during the mid-afternoon when the sun was bright and there was a beautiful, cool breeze. No complaints about being overly hot or freezing cold. As Tanner began to lag behind, I slowed down to mimic his baby steps. This confused the tar out of him and at one point he stopped and looked up at me as if to say, "Where's the pep in your step?" I ignored him and slowed down a tweak more. 

As Tanner became more confused his problem-solving skills went to work. I guess he decided he needed to take the lead in order to speed up the process of getting home to his post-walk treat and a fresh bowl of water. That's what I was waiting for--him to step up and show me what he could do. Yay Tanner!

And there's more. Just before we turned the corner to re-enter our neighborhood, some flickery sunshine under a group of large shade trees caught Tanner's eye. He was curious, yet knew that home was not far. He seemed ready to let this one go and continue on. I held back and asked him to investigate. I wanted him to be reminded of what his curiosity brings him--joy, fun, excitement, and playfulness.

Tanner lost himself in chasing the lights as they flickered through the leaves, filtering and moving without warning. He danced, pounced, and bobbed around the area, totally enjoying this experience with complete abandon. Suddenly he appeared to be a puppy again. 

After he exhausted himself in play, we headed home, eager to see Oliver who was napping off a day of doctor's appointments and shopping with Grandma. At the door, I squatted and took Tanner's face in my hands. I looked him in the eyes and told him he would always be my puppy. I took a vow to myself to find new and different ways to help him find his energy when it is lost after a long walk. And yes, I have more #SilverSlippers ideas that will be coming soon to the #WeeklyWag. Please share yours below....

Grab your #SilverSlippers and let's get walking,

Inspire Your Dog's Instincts for Brain Work

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Add Yourself or a Toy for Swimming "Work"

Just like my dogs, each of yours come from a rich history of jobs that they were once trained for and worked at daily. Even if your pup is a Heinz 57 mix, he has likely got a strong suit of instincts that can help you guide him through activities that will work his brain, helping to keep him young. Finding these interests will be key to working your senior dog as he ages and is less able to handle extensive, physical activity.

Not sure what your dog's instincts are? You may want to pick up a DNA test kit to see what your particular Fido's primary breed profile looks like. This should aid immensely in finding out what you can do to find Bowser's favorite activity.

Some of you may think your dog is not much more than a lap warmer. Dogs like Oliver, for

Dogs With Jobs Live Longer,
Happier Lives

example, started their breed development as attendants to queens, acting as daily companions. Oliver's breed history as a companion dog--despite his puppy mill breeding--has bode well in his new job as a Medical Alert service dog. He keeps tabs on me quite attentively, rarely losing focus except for the occasional social opportunity. I can't complain about that; a social life is healthy for us all.

Tanner, on the other hand, has a strong Retriever DNA thread. His instict for retrieving is so strong, in fact, that I have witnessed several episodes in which he cornered a live critter, only to sit and await my arrival and instructions. There's no killing instinct in him, which I am told is true to a pure Golden--the need to return the downed animal to his handler without damaging it. Who knew?!!! 

Retrieving is an activity that involves both mind and body, a good combination to keep your pup young and alert. Using his brain to solve problems and follow through on a job helps to keep him young.

All that said, I've been able to put my boys to work in ways that best suit them. To maintain the health of Tanner's hips, he is now spending a greater share of his exercise time swimming and fetching in water. These activities put little weight on his joints, while helping maintain the strength in his muscles. 

This is my limit today, Mom. See my pile of retrieved toys? Treat time now and I need a nap!

A photo posted by Carrie Boyko (@allthingsdogblog) on May 16, 2015 at 9:20am PDT

Today's exercise involved retrieving 7 toys from the pool and returning them to a pile. This is an activity we have developed since he mastered the toss and return game at a young age. I wanted to keep him learning. 

Oliver's job requires his keen observation skills and attention to my scent. If there's a shift in this, he's up and in my face, letting me know it's time to take action. All seems to be well in his world as long as he is able to be near me. What's not to like about that?!!!

We hope you have enjoyed some of our other #SilverSlippers tips for enhancing the benefits of your senior's walks. These techniques can be used with any and all dogs, but are designed specifically to give your seniors some extra challenge, rather than extra physical work. 

Theming a Dog Walk
Putting Pet in Your Senior Dog's Step
Inspire Your Dog Walks

Happy tails,

#SilverSlippers: Theming a Dog Walk

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Tanner Found a Cat in Our Elm Tree

Lately the boys and I have been testing out some new walking themes in our efforts to give Tanner a few new thrills in life as a senior. Don't get me wrong, Oliver enjoys these games as well. To be honest, I do too! It's always fun to change things up a bit, and plugging in a new theme for each walk--or even each week's walks--can be a fun way to teach your dog to reconnect with his senses, even if they may be lagging a bit behind their earlier abilities.

Since Tanner's ears and eyes are less acutely active these days, I'll be working to help him focus them to get better results. However, today's post is more about the first route we have recently tested--nosework. It seems that Tanner's nose is as keen as ever, now that we've had a chance to work this theme for a week and see how he performs.

Here's one method I tried: Oliver and I took a quick walk to place some markers for Tanner to find. I took an old rag and rubbed it around inside an empty bag from cheese we had used in breakfast eggs that morning. You could use most anything with a scent your dog will perk up for--peanut butter,  a tiny dab of yogurt, or even chicken broth. I wouldn't recommend meat due to spoilage. Remember, your dog may not find all the plants you sow for him.

Let's Do Some Nosework!

After I coated the rag with the cheese, I tore up the rag into small bits and dropped them in bushes, behind trees along our path, and even under large Sycamore leaves. Thankfully it wasn't a windy day, so they stayed put and Tanner had the opportunity to upturn them while following his nose. This game has been great fun!

We've tested each of the four scents I recommend and Tanner has approved them all, while finding cheese the most thrilling. Your dog will have his own favorites. Please let me know what he enjoyed best.

Placing Tanner on an extra-long leash, I set out with him after first offering a sniff of the cheese bag before discarding it in the trash can. I could immediately see his eyes perk up and his nose wiggle. I decided NOT to teach him the command "Find", since I'm not eager to train a hound. However, the message was clear as we left the yard. His nose was in high gear in search of cheese! If your dog IS a hound, go ahead and use that command. Why not let him enjoy performing his favorite game! 

If you're using these themed activities to continue to extend your senior's training, by all means offer a treat when your Fido is successful. This can also aid in assuring that he doesn't eat the rag while licking the delicious taste from it. Simply make an exchange--the rag for the treat. Keep the snacks small to watch his weight, but do encourage his enthusiasm with this--or another--desired reward. If your dog is fighting a battle of the bulge, offer a favorite toy or a loving belly rub at the end of your expedition to let her know what a good job she did.

After four days of this Canine scent work game with Tanner, I'm pleased to report he has definitely earned an A in nosework. While I'm not expecting the same results in hearing, that's okay. My goal is to develop better focus on each of his senses, not to mope over their diminishing level of acuity. That's what #SilverSlippers is all about.

I hope some of you will share your experiences with similar activities. What sort of themes have you tried? How did you employ these? Dish!

Grab those #SilverSlippers and let's get walking,

#SilverSlippers: Inspire Your Dog Walks

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

I've been walking dogs for more years than I care to admit. They make good motivation and great company. Beyond that, though, I can't help but notice that as they age they need something different--a bit of a changing up--not only in pace but in approach. Between Tanner and I, we're totally almost 130 years of life experience. We're making some changes to enjoy our walks in different ways. Read on....

Walking your senior dog has never been so safe or as fun as it will be starting right now. After a recent walk with Tanner--just the two of us--we seemed to be on the same page. We're both approaching our Golden years, although his will be more Golden (aka Retriever) than mine. :) We'll be working to share our tips for walking more safely, having more fun, and getting more inspiration out of your daily walks, even as you and your dog age and slow down a bit. It's time to stop and smell the pee-mail, or maybe just the flowers. :)

Before I commence with tips and ideas, inspiration and problem-solving, I'd love to hear from you. What are your issues with walking, both for you and for your senior dog? Tell me all about it in the comments and give me your no holds barred version of what you need help with. I'm out to find more ways to make our dogs' Golden walks, as well as our own, more fun, more safe, and more inspiring. Enter #SilverSlippers, our series on ways to modify, improve and enjoy your walks even more as your dog ages.

First, let's be clear. #SilverSlippers is not just a series for senior dogs. Just as the name may intimate, silver is a microstep younger than Golden. Tanner is not yet ready for a meandering walk to the mailbox and back. He needs more stimulation, variety and fun. Finally, the second part of the name--slippers--refers to our walking, and how it may be changing from an athletic pursuit to one more aptly described as a time for wonder, reflection, bonding and soul-searching, while still providing exercise, of course.

All that said, I invite you to join us for ideas to theme your walks, changeup your approach, and give your dog some much-needed brainwork along the way. This is our opportunity to learn from one another and find new and enjoyable ways to keep us all walking happily for years to come. Watch for this series to appear often on Saturdays when we seek to inspire you with information to help you bond with your dog at our #WeeklyWag. I'll return soon with the first of this series. Be sure to subscribe if you'd like to be sure you don't miss this series.

Grab your #SilverSlippers and let's get walking,