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"My dog is too old to start conditioning"
Nope. Never. My dog started conditioning when he was 8 years old.
We'll cover some signs of aging, recommended exercises for senior dogs, and WHY I like these exercises for senior dogs. But there's some really BIG safety things we do before we exercise our dogs.
*This post is for informational purposes only. Please see your vet before starting a fitness program.
General Training Tips
Be consistent
Make a schedule that's reasonable for you to be successful.
Set a time that's convenient for you to feed your dog.
Set a bedtime.
Set aside time for fitness training and obedience, skill, or trick training and walks.
Safety Concerns for Senior Dogs:
Vet Checks
Before starting a fitness program for your senior dog, you need to see your vet first. Fitness programs are not meant for morbidly overweight dogs or dogs suffering from arthritis pain.
Dogs with chronic ortho conditions should be under the care of a specialist.
Supplements and Medications
We do NOT start exercising a dog until pain is controlled.
Pain control is our first priority.
Visit with your vet about supplements or pain medications your dog may need. Lots of dogs show signs of pain from arthritis, spondylosis (bone spurring), bursitis (inflammation of fluid space between the joints), and many other bone and joint diseases. Discuss a treatment plan with your vet or specialist. This will depend on the age of your dog, the affected joints and the severity of the degenerative changes.
Some vets and most rehab offices have acupuncture, electromagnetic, laser and other therapies. Include these in your discussion with your vet. Not all treatments are appropriate for every dog.
Metabolism and Diet
Keeping your senior dog lean is a must. Dogs don't lose weight by increasing activity, only by decreasing calories. Metabolism slows down as our dogs age, which makes it easy for older dogs to gain weight. This extra weight puts more pressure on your dog's joints, which causes pain and inflammation.
If you can't feel your dog's ribs, they are likely overweight. Rule of thumb is to decrease calories by 10% and add pet safe fruits and veggies such as green beans, apples or blueberries. Every dog is different. Please see your vet for proper weight loss protocols for your individual dog. Visit with your vet about potential metabolic disorders as well, dogs can suffer from diabetes, thyroid and many other conditions that prevent them from losing weight.
On days you condition your dog, use part of their kibble for rewards during your training session, or cut back on their raw food. Treats and rewards used to condition your dog are included in their daily calorie allowance.
Benefits of a fitness program for senior dogs
The short answer: fitness slows down all the signs of aging: muscle wasting, decreased elasticity in their joints and muscles (flexibility), decreased balance and body awareness, and cognitive decline.
Low Impact Strengthening Exercises for Senior Dogs
Reclaiming muscle mass is the most obvious benefit we can see and measure. We can see and feel more muscle tone, and you or your vet can measure and compare thigh and shoulder circumferences.
Muscles move bones. Strong senior dogs have better mobility and less pain and stiffness.
All strength training exercises for senior dogs are low impact and focus on core, posture and stability. The dog's "core" isn't just the abdominal muscles, it also includes the hips, trunk (ribs) and shoulders. When we do our strength training with our senior dogs, it's critical ensure the exercise is done correctly with proper form. Allowing our dogs to cheat doesn't active the correct muscles.
Position changes, pivots and sidesteps are my favorite strength training exercises for senior dogs.
Examples of Position changes:
Push ups: Echo is using her shoulder and chest muscles to move from a square sit into a sphinx down, and her hips and abs are stabilizing her rear.
Stand to fold down:
Nike is using her entire core to coordinate this fold back down movement.
Pivots:
Dagon uses his hips and abs to move his rear end around the pivot bowl, and his shoulder muscles keep his front end mostly still
Why I like these: Position changes work multiple muscle groups at the same time, making them incredibly efficient. They require little to no fitness equipment.
Pivots and sidesteps move the dog sideways, which they don't normally do a lot in everyday life. These muscles tend to deteriorate without use, so it's really important we don't overlook this motion. They have little to no impact.
Bonus Strength training: High 5's, Shake, or Give a Paw. This is a great shoulder exercise that stabilizes the rear while working the shoulders and trunk muscles. You can do this in a sit or a stand, just make sure your dog is square. There's a bonus weight shift element here, too.
Did you know there was so much going on when we ask for a paw?
Leave a comment and let us know if your dog can do a high 5!
Body Awareness, Balance Exercises for Senior Dogs
Body Awareness, Proprioception and Balance
Just like with humans, our dog's neuromuscular pathways deteriorate as they age. The nerve cells that come from the brain to the muscle die off, causing slower reaction time and decreased mobility. We can strength train our dogs all day, but if muscles aren't getting signals from the brain, those muscles can't function.
These neurons have a "use it or lose it" philosophy. Walking on a mattress, walking backwards to a target, 3 Leg stands and cavalettis are my favorite exercises for using those neurons.
Walking over unstable surfaces also strengthens your dog's core. Think about how much harder it is for you to walk through sand or deep snow. This is what our dogs are doing here.
Any sort of foot targeting increases body awareness, but when we add distance to our foot target, the dog engages their hamstrings (the muscles behind their thigh) for some extra strength training.
A 3-Legged stand is exactly what it sounds like.
Cavalettis check all the boxes. There's a balance, weight shift, strength, body awareness and cardio component. The dog has to know where their paws are to avoid hitting a pole, they have to balance and weight shift as they lift their feet off the ground AND trot at the same time, it strengthens their core and elevates heart rate and respirations.
For more cavaletti setups, see this post or visit our Cavaletti Chronicles Course page.
Flexibility Exercises for Senior Dogs
We need to keep those muscle fibers stretchy too!
You'll see a lot of active range of motion stretches in this section. The dog is in control of the stretch. They are following a lure or a target. When we ask for too much of a stretch, the dog will move their paws or adjust posture, so the dog is less like to overstretch or tear a muscle this way. Easy active range of motion stretches are cookie stretches, nose to shoulder, play bow and leg weaves or spins.
In this cookie stretch, Dagon is stretching his neck and shoulders. If I move the lure too far, he will move a paw to get the treat and avoid overstretching and tearing a muscle.
The nose to shoulder stretch gets deeper into the dog's neck, shoulders and ribs.
Leg weaves and spins stretch your dog's spinal muscles. And if you're wondering how I get Echo to go between my legs, I don't.
Passive range of motion (PROM) stretches are when your dog is laying on their side, and you are manually stretching and moving your dog's legs. How far do you stretch your dog? Literature says to "stop when you notice signs of discomfort", which doesn't really answer the question. Do PROM stretches under your vet's supervision.
Cardio Exercises for Senior Dogs
Walks
Taking your senior dog for a walk is great for his mind and body, and its low impact.
Be mindful of your dog in extreme heat (temps above 85 F) and extreme cold (temps below 40 F) as they may cause heat related illness, burned paw pads or frostbite. If your senior dog has a heart murmur, a super cute smushed nose (Boston terrier or a pug), or other heart or lung condition, consult your vet for guidance on your dog's limitations. It may be difficult for your dog to breathe on long walks.
Swimming
Swimming helps reduce impact on your dog's joints and it's a great cardio exercise. Before your dog jumps in the water, make sure it's a safe activity for your dog.
Swimming is generally not recommended for dogs with some ortho or spine diseases. Talk to your vet or specialist to make sure swimming is appropriate for your dog.
Environmental Updates for Senior Dogs
Flooring
Slick surfaces are difficult for our senior dogs to walk on, especially if they also have arthritis. They have no traction on these surfaces which increases slip hazards and injuries. Imagine if you had to walk on a sheet of ice down your hallway just to use the bathroom every day.
Limit their time in the kitchen on tile or linoleum and put down area rugs or runners in hallways and large rooms with hardwood floors. It will be much easier for your dog to move around their home.
Bedding
If possible, provide a thick orthopedic bed for your dog to sleep in. This will take some of the pressure off their joints and decrease pain, so they can rest easy.
Ramps and Stairs
Try to limit jumping from heights if possible. This can put extra pressure on elbows and wrists and cause sprains or strains. Train your dog to use a ramp or stairs to get in and out of the car or on and off the bed.
Science-y Stuff for Senior Dogs
Longevity
The little pieces on the ends of chromosomes (telomeres) break off each time your dog's cells divide. When chromosomes get too small, the cell dies. If too many of the dog's cells die, very sad things happen to our canine companions. Engaging your dog in a structured conditioning plan slows down the rate of telomere attrition. By preserving these crucial ends of chromosomes, conditioning extends the life and vitality of your dog on a biological level.
If you want a deeper dive into the biology of telomeres and cell stuff, this article in LiveScience is a great read for the nerds.
Brain Exercises for Senior Dogs
Cognitive Function
Remember those "use it or lose it" neurons in our dog's muscles? Well, they're in our dog's brains too! Doing fitness exercises with our dogs slows down their cognitive decline, so our dogs stay smarter for more time. Our dogs have to use their brain when they do these exercises. They have to focus on keeping their feet still in a cookie stretch or putting their paws between the rails on a cavaletti exercise. They have to think about how they're going to move from a sit to a down to a stand.
Brain Activities for Senior Dogs
Nosework: Hide a treat in a box and ask your dog to find it. You can make this more difficult by adding empty boxes for your dog to choose from.
Snuffle mats: This is similar to hide and seek and it's a great way to feed your senior dog their kibble. This is a mat made of fabric or felt, so that the kibble falls between the fabric pieces.
Hide and seek: Hide around a corner or under a blanket and let your dog find you. Remember to be silly and give lots of treats, praise and toys.
Sniffy walks: Take your dog for a walk and let him sniff and explore at his own pace. Off leash is best, but if there's leash laws or it's unsafe to let your dog off leash, a harness and a long line are great alternatives.
It's NEVER too late to start conditioning your dog. My hound, Dagon, started his fitness plan at 8 years old, and our collie, Echo, started her plan at 7 years old. Talk to your vet first, make sure your dog is pain free and healthy enough for a fitness program.
This is NOT a complete list of exercises. For more videos, written lectures, and fitness circuits, please see our Senior Dog Fitness Training Plan. You can also submit any video for feedback on any exercise.
I love watching people working out with their dogs.
What exercises are you already doing with your senior dog?
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