He is very old. He has lost most of his teeth, so I feed him soft high-flavor food.
He is completely blind (that is the hardest part) and he is completely deaf.
He likes to be petted, and I put scents around the house (like orange oil and peppermint) and he likes that.
He sticks close to me. I keep the house really warm because he has bad arthritis.
I wondered of there was a special way to massage a really old dog, or if someone else had some ideas on how to entertain him once in a while.
2007-11-08 11:25:38 · 16 answers · asked by Emily A 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
If you got a very.. docile puppy. That would maybe help. Old dogs sometimes like a puppy to teach things to. Then again, you know your dog the best and perhaps that would be worse for him. Sometimes dogs dont like puppies at all. I think that what you are doing for him probably helps a lot. I know that there are treats you can buy called Ol' Roy Smart Bites. Those have glucosamine in them which would definitely help his old joints. We feed them to one of our dogs with hip and back problems and they work. Also if you have baby asprin you can give him half or even a whole one depending on if he seems to be in mild pain or a bit more. That is, if he's in pain at all. We have given our little dog a whole one so if he's bigger a whole one definitely wont hurt him. (the dog we gave it to is jack russel sized to give you an idea of what I mean by small, that way you know if he's bigger than that it's perfectly fine for him)
2007-11-08 11:32:01 · answer #1 · answered by Amanda92 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I know where you're comin' from! We have got some antiques too: a 16 yr. pointer, and a 15 yr. mini schnauzer. Even without teeth a dog can lick peanut butter out of a hoof chew, which makes them feel like they can still chew ( it really tires them out). We put one in a crate on wheels and haul him around the yard, parking him in the sunny spots--there's so much to smell outside. And the little one goes in a little movable fence we got at PetEdge, which we can position in different sunny spots in the yard. Instead of long walks, we carry the little one in one of those pooch purses. And they both love car rides, especially when you hold them up so they can put their nose in the corner of the window and sniff.
I hope all this care we take of our old dogs means we are gonna be awesome if we have to care for aging parents. (Would parents appreciate it as much as our dogs do?)
2007-11-08 11:35:48 · answer #2 · answered by 2bzy 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Awwww, we have one of those too! She can't hear anymore and her eysight is very, very poor...so we can definitely sympathize with your situation.
My daughter suggets you get a long-bristled brush if his coat is thick to really massage his skin.
And I like to actually "massage" her...just rub her down like you would any "person" slowly progressing from one section of the body to the next.
I don't really get the impression my old girl really "wants" to be entertained at all. She seems very content being with her "family" and getting any attention we give her.
A suggestion for his arthritis is a heating blanket. It'd defnitely warm his old, tired bones to have one on the top of his bed or favorite lounging spot.
2007-11-08 11:34:49 · answer #3 · answered by Deno D 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
This dog is really lucky to have such a caring owner. And yes, there are techniques for massaging dogs that make a tremendous difference to the dog. However, you have to be trained in it. Some vet offices, especially those vets who do chiropractic and acupuncture treatments on dogs, often have certified massage therapists. Why not treat your dog to a session and you can watch so you can learn to do it yourself.
2007-11-08 11:39:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Found a website about dog massages but that would just relax him, not cheer him up completely. You can probably try new, different scents in a different room to see which one makes him cheer up(try awakening scents instead of the flowery, relaxing ones)
2007-11-08 11:32:29 · answer #5 · answered by **ArMaNi** 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Poor old thing...he is living in total darkness. If that was me I wouldn't be able to leave his side.
Put things of yours near him so he can smell you. Take him for walks. I think the dog appreciates you being there for him.
You must love him very much.
Here's a star for you and your dog. Good Luck.
2007-11-08 11:31:33 · answer #6 · answered by Veritas 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow,You are so sweet! You sound like you are taking good care of him.Keep up the good work! You could just rub softly on him while he is lying down.His back ,his head,his tummy.Just rub slow and be gentle.You are doing so well.I applaude you!!!As far as entertaining him,just be sweet,you said he was old.
2007-11-08 11:31:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Warm his food up to 100 degrees.
2007-11-08 11:31:01 · answer #8 · answered by RodiKenley 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Like old people, old dogs just want company. You sound like a wonderful owner.
2007-11-08 11:29:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Sorry i dnt have an answer. I have an old dog aswell and would love to know! Have a star
2007-11-08 11:28:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋