Is my 10-year-old Cavalier too old for a therapy dog program?

Hi there. A dog does not normally need any specific training to be an emotional support animal - this just means that they make you feel better by being around. So she doesn't need to learn any particular skills. I would not expect her age to be an issue for this, as long as she has a calm, confident personality and gets along well with you :) If you mean that you want to train her as a service dog to accompany you in public places, this is much more involved. In that case, her age doesn't really matter, but her temperament matters a lot - some dogs are well suited to be service dogs, and others are not. If this is something you're considering, I would recommend getting in touch with a professional trainer in your area who can evaluate her in person and help you get started on training her the skills she needs if she seems suited for this job. You can search for a qualified obedience trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unless your vet had given you specific diet requirements for a specific disease (kidney disease for example), this percentage should be fine. I will warn that some dogs actually develop diarrhea on high-protein foods, though I have seen many pets do great on it. Best wishes to you and Chloe!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would recommend a vet visit to assess Honey’s health. CKCS can be prone to severe cardiac disease so I recommend having her assessed to be sure she doesn’t have any heart issues causing her to tire easily. The vet may also discuss doing some diagnostic if all appears normal on her exam to rule out any metabolic disease.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you would like to get Mandie certified as a therapy dog there are certain requirements that have to be met. There are many organizations that can help you get her certified. Dogs have to be spayed/neutered, have a negative stool test, on flea/tick and heartworm prevention and up to date on vaccinations. Most organizations are local and your Vet can likely point you in the direction of an organization to get her certified. Or the internet can be helpful. I do not see why she can't be a therapy dog and a medical alert dog for you. She probably can not be used for others as a medical alert dog. Those dogs are usually trained from puppy-hood by other non-profit organizations. I hope this helps!

An eleven year old Cavelier is fairly old for that breed. They are prone to heart disease which could cause him to sleep a lot and not walk fast. He could be missing his sister but I'm concerned about a heart or medical problem. I would take him him for a senior exam and blood work. If he's just starting with a medical problem and it's treated he may gain back some energy and interest in life. Heart disease can be treated with good results with medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Buster.

This breed is prone to luxating patellas which can cause knee joint laxity, pain and arthritis. I recommend X-rays of her back, hips and knees to see if there is a disc problem in her back, check her hip conformation and check her knees for patella luxation and arthritis. Then your veterinarian can prescribe pain medication if needed. You can also get a second opinion with a rehabilitation veterinarian who can give you rear leg strengthening exercises for her. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Many spaniels have sensitive stomachs as well as skin in my experience. If Chloe is doing well on the food, with no diarrhea or upset stomach, I personally do not have a problem with it. I like a food that is within the ratios of protein to fat as you have said-with the caveat of patients that deal with things like irritable bowel or chronic pancreatitis, in which I make the fat as low as possible while still being a healthy food source for our canine companions. While you have said you aren't a fan of many commercial diets-there are types that cater specifically to sensitive stomach and food allergies from many of our large brands-and if you don't like these there are comparable brands as well that you can find at your local Petco. If Chloe is having active issues with this particular food, please let us know and we can suggest a comparable diet. I find that probiotics often work well for my sensitive GI patients as well. Fortiflora is commercially available and has a high palatability when tested. I hope this helps!