Keeping Older Dogs Active: Tips for Maintaining Mobility and Muscle Mass
As our dogs enter their golden years, it’s essential to focus on keeping them active to maintain their mobility. Just like us, aging dogs can face challenges like joint stiffness, decreased strength, and loss of muscle mass. However, with a consistent exercise routine, senior dogs can remain healthy, mobile, and happy well into their later years.
In this post, I’ll share some effective ways to help your older dog stay active and keep their muscles strong. These tips come from both my 20 years of experience and great collaboration with the wonderful Dr. Ashlee Barr of FurWell Veterinary Hospital.
1. The Importance of Regular Walks
A simple yet effective way to keep your senior dog active is by taking your pet on regular walks into their routine. Even some cats can acclimate to a harness! Even 15 to 20 minutes of walking a day can make a significant difference. Start with a short leash walk in a straight line, allowing your dog to move at his/her own pace. Walking helps maintain joint flexibility, strengthens muscles, and supports your pet’s heart health.
Once your dog is comfortably walking on flat surfaces, you can introduce gentle hill walks. Walking uphill and downhill is a great way to strengthen the leg muscles. It also provides a natural way to increase the intensity of your dog’s workout without overexertion.
2. The Power of Water Therapy
Water therapy is a fantastic way to keep older dogs active while reducing the impact on their joints. Water provides buoyancy, which takes some of the weight off your dog’s joints, making it easier for your pet to move while still offering resistance that helps build muscle mass.
A simple and affordable option is to use a kitty pool at home. Just fill the pool with water and let your dog walk around in circles. The resistance from the water helps maintain his/her strength, and your pet will also enjoy staying cool, especially during the warmer months. Never leave your pet unsupervised during this activity or any water activities.
For a more colloborative approach, you can consider underwater treadmill therapy. Some veterinary clinics and rehabilitation centers offer this service, where your dog can walk in water with controlled resistance and you get the benefit of working with a certified rehabilitation therapist.
If you're lucky enough to live near a lake or ocean, you can use natural bodies of water to similarly create bouyancy. Walking in shallow water, submerging your dog up to the elbows or knees, can be an excellent low-impact workout.
If your dog enjoys swimming, this is another wonderful workout. Swimming works the entire body, allowing full range of motion of joints, and helping to maintain overall health. It’s especially beneficial for dogs who love to retrieve, who naturally have a penchant for water. You can toss a toy into the water and encourage your dog to swim back and forth doing controlled and gentle laps.
3. Using Tools to Aid Mobility
As your dog ages, extra support may be needed to stay active. There are various tools available that can help, especially if your pet struggle with arthritis or stiffness. For example, an orthopedic bed made with memory foam can relieve pressure on the joints and help your dog rest more comfortably, aiding in muscle recovery after exercise.
You can also use harnesses that provide support your dog when walking, especially if they’re having trouble getting up or moving around. These harnesses typically have handles on the front and back, allowing you to lift and guide your dog as needed. These harnesses also are easier on your back!
Providing traction at home with yoga mats or carpet runners can help prevent your dog from slipping, which is important for avoiding injury. Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed and using paw grip products can also enhance traction and help your pet move around more easily.
4. Make a Routine and Stick to It
Consistency is key when it comes to keeping your senior dog active. Establishing a regular exercise routine will improve your pet’s quality of life. Whether it’s daily walks, water therapy, or some gentle playtime, make sure you schedule these activities consistently.
Over time, you’ll notice that regular movement not only keeps your dog physically fit but also supports his/her mental well-being. Dogs thrive on routine, and keeping them engaged with new and exciting activities can prevent boredom and help reduce anxiety as they age.
5. Weight Management and Diet
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for any age, but it can get harder and harder to get your senior pet back to a healthy body weight. Weight loss is the number one thing that all pet owners can do to prolong a pet’s life and also improve quality of life. Work with your veterinarian to find a healthy, well balanced diet that meets your pet’s nutritional needs while keeping calories in an appropriate range. A healthy diet combined with regular activity is the foundation for a longer life and mobility in older dogs (and cats!).
Conclusion
Keep your pets active through all their life stages, especially our senior furry friends. By incorporating regular and consistent walks, water therapy, and using mobility assist tools, you can help your older dog maintain their muscle mass and mobility and improve overall quality of life.