Senior Dog?

[AmyMay]

Daisy is now 7 (????), and her food is for ages 1 to 7 years.

Do people move their dogs on to a senior food once they reach 8? And if so, what are the benefits?

 

[Roxylola]

I never have although I feed raw now.I think one thing is that senior is often lower calories. Tbh, I don't consider my dogs senior at 8 anyway, maybe by 12 but I think I'd be more inclined to add a bit of oil or something if they're doing OK on the food they get

 

[CMcC]

I have 3 dogs, 12 and two 4 year olds. They all have the same adult food and arE doing fine.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I change based on their workload/activity level rather than age.

 

[Moobli]

I don’t think I’ve ever fed a specific senior food.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I haven’t done. Collie dog seems very happy on her current food. She’s 15. She adds to her diet, eggs from the coop, bits of dead bird, rubbish, horse hoof etc etc.
Its not broke so I haven’t fixed it basically!

 

[planete]

Having found a food that suits all my dogs I am not about to rock the boat!

 

[Nicnac]

No I've never changed to Veteran as mine have stayed as active so needed the calories.

p.s. can't believe Daisy is 7!

 

[Honey08]

I did as my two labs hit 9 or so and were showing signs of being elderly. My little dog is seven this year and doesn’t seem even remotely elderly. I’d hope she will live a lot longer and this is just middle age for her.

 

[meleeka]

Mine are both over 7 and I haven’t considered changing their food.

 

[dogatemysalad]

No, I never have. The 13 year old is doing well on the same diet as the 7 year old. He does however call it a successful day if he manages to supplement it with the cats food or, better still, a barbecue.

 

[islander]

No, l feed raw and stick with it. They do well on this and l shall carry on with it as long as l can get supplies. I have three at seven years old, they don’t think they are senior!
OH’s gun dogs get proportionately less food as they age and become less active.

 

[AmyMay]

Many thanks for everyone’s replies.

I certainly don’t consider Daisy being (or nearly being) a senior dog. Nor does she! ??. So we will continue to feed her on her current food as she too definitely needs the calories.

Thanks all xx

 

[CorvusCorax]

It's just a turn of phrase, 'veteran' classes start at 7, anyone with larger breeds will know to start being a little more conservative with their management as they get older because of wear and tear on the joints.

 

[fiwen30]

I do feed senior to my 10 year old, just because he needs to be kept on the trimmer side, and it has benefits for the joints too - handy with his cruciate recovery.

 

[TheOldTrout]

That's an interesting question, a couple of our terriers have had kidney failure at the end of their lives (in their late teens) and I've wondered if I should have started them on a low protein diet when they were 13, 14ish to help their kidneys.