{"id":1269,"date":"2016-11-06T11:05:31","date_gmt":"2016-11-06T11:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aercmn.com\/?p=1269"},"modified":"2016-11-06T11:05:31","modified_gmt":"2016-11-06T11:05:31","slug":"the-senior-class-enriching-the-lives-of-our-silver-muzzled-dogs-pt-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/the-senior-class-enriching-the-lives-of-our-silver-muzzled-dogs-pt-i\/","title":{"rendered":"The Senior Class: Enriching the Lives of Our Silver-Muzzled Dogs Pt. I"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1270 alignright\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sharon-Sr-dog-training-blog-1-189x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"189\" height=\"300\" \/>I have been blessed by having two amazing teachers in my life \u2013 my senior dogs \u2013 who have taught me that getting old doesn\u2019t mean giving up fun.\u00a0Even though they move more slowly \u2013 so do I \u2013 and take more time getting started in the morning, they still look forward to every time we go on a walk or get in the car to go to a class, the pet store or the park. During her last weeks of life, Izzy, my 15.5-year-old Border Collie mix, still gave it her all in class because we were in the ring, just the two of us, having fun together.<\/p>\n<p>Senior dogs, especially those retiring from sport careers, need continued enriching activities to stay healthy and mentally vital. There are many simple ways we can provide physical and mental activities for our silver-muzzled companions and resist consigning them to \u201ctoo old to do anything fun\u201d status.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Short and Sweet<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1271 alignright\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sharon-Sr-dog-training-blog-2-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" \/>The long walks up hills and over rough terrain may be coming to an end for your senior dog, but don\u2019t give up on walking; it\u2019s still one of the best things to do for you and your dog\u2019s health. Plus, it\u2019s a great way to spend time together. Remember to adjust your pace to what your dog is capable of doing. Choose a nice, relaxing stroll instead of a brisk, fast-paced trot, and your dog will be happy, have less discomfort afterward, and love being with you.<\/p>\n<p>Let the nose have fun too! \u00a0In their lives, sniffing is the first sense that dogs have, and it\u2019s usually the last one they lose. On a walk, giving them time to occasionally check things out delivers \u201cthe daily canine newspaper\u201d and enriches them mentally. Don\u2019t be so focused on getting the walk in that he doesn\u2019t get to enjoy just being a dog. This is so important for our older dogs as it can help them understand that they are safe, orient them in the world, and its just good fun for them!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1272 alignright\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sharon-Sr-dog-training-blog-3-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Don\u2019t forget the simple pleasure of going for a ride in the car as well.\u00a0Even a short ride to nowhere and back is fun for your dog as it provides visual and olfactory stimulation. Remember to have a safe way for your dog to ride in your car either through a harness or a crate, and never leave them unattended.<\/p>\n<p>Looking for a safe, ice-free place to walk your dog in winter and give both of you something to do? Try hardware stores! \u00a0Many local hardware stores are dog-friendly, including Lowe\u2019s\u2122 and Ace Hardware\u2122. Don\u2019t forget pet supply stores as well \u2013 just watch out for those open bins on the lower shelves \u2013 many dogs like to self-serve! \u00a0One thing to keep in mind for our senior dogs is that the flooring may have less traction, so keep an eye on them while walking in stores.<\/p>\n<p><em>Written by Sharon Middendorf, CNWI with\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.animalinntraining.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Animal Inn Training School<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Photos by\u00a0<\/em><em>Caprise<\/em><em>\u00a0Adams Photography<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have been blessed by having two amazing teachers in my life \u2013 my senior dogs \u2013 who have taught me that getting old doesn\u2019t mean giving up fun.\u00a0Even though they move more slowly \u2013 so do I \u2013 and take more time getting started in the morning, they still look forward to every time [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Senior Class: Enriching the Lives of Our Silver-Muzzled Dogs Pt. I | Animal Emergency &amp; Referal Center of Minnesota<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/the-senior-class-enriching-the-lives-of-our-silver-muzzled-dogs-pt-i\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Senior Class: Enriching the Lives of Our Silver-Muzzled Dogs Pt. 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