Should I keep exercising my senior dog daily as she gets older?

That's a good question. What I find is as long as Bailey wants to go and isn't sore or lame afterwards then let him go. I do recommend limiting jumping and severe rough housing with other dogs as those things are more likely to promote an injury. Keeping senior dogs fit and lean reduces the development and pain of arthritis. When they have strong muscles they support the joints and activity keeps the joints lubricated. Please listen to Bailey and as he ages he will not want to go as long and as far. I still want you to keep him active but don't push him, let him decide on his activity level. Having a day of rest between strenuous days is also helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bailey.

Lucy is a cutie. You can certainly start taking her on walks and even short runs if you’d like daily. Over time you can increase the length of the walks and eventually even longer runs. They do have to condition just like us to running longer distances. If she likes to swim, swimming is an excellent exercise especially as they get older. After she finishes swimming be sure to clean out her ears with an dog ear cleaner to prevent an ear infection from water getting down in the ear canal. I hope this helps!

This is a great question! It is normal that your dog will slow down with age, and want to play less. I would recommend following her lead. If she wants to play ball for 5-10 minutes and then stops after that, it's fine. Same for when she is on walks. If you wants to end early, I would stop the walk and bring her back home. It's great that you are getting her as much exercise as you are now, and I'd keep it up as long as she wants it :-)

Keeping Josie thin and fit will increase her quality of life. Walking once or twice daily will keep her muscles strong and help reduce arthritis discomfort. I prefer to limit jumping and heavy physical activity. Keeping her thin can be a challenge as dogs age. I like to feed a good quality senior food and if she's heavy reduce the amount and add in vegetables like green beans, broccoli or canned pumpkin to fill her up. As far as supplements I recommend a high dose of omega 3 to reduce joint inflammation. She can have up to 6,000 units of fish oil daily, usually I split this morning and night. Other joint supplements are good too. If she's painful and reluctant to exercise then pain medication may be helpful. A big dog like Josie needs to be able to rise to maintain her quality of life so addressing her weight if needed and regular exercise to keep the rear legs strong is the most important thing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Josie.

I would exercise her at her pace. If she appears painful from her arthritis, then cut the walk short. I think any exercise she gets is great, and it's awesome you take her for three walks a day. I would keep up the good work!

Sticking with the current diet, or seeing if there is a weight loss diet from the same brand can help in calorie reduction. You can also speak with your vet about if a prescription weight loss diet is needed at this time. As with any increase in exercise, you will want to start gradually, especially if Angel has any health issues such as arthritis. Starting with a quick walk just around the block, and then gradually increasing over time (to two blocks, or ten minute walks, etc) can help build muscle and strength without overtaxing the body. As with any change in routine or diet, it is always a good idea to schedule a wellness check with your vet first. They can rule out any health issues that may cause problems that you need to watch out for, and can also work with you on tracking weight loss progress over time.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Her signs are likely the result of her advanced age. However, they are pain medications that make her feel better. She likely has some degree of arthritis effecting her mobility. If some pain medication could increase her quality of life, I think that would be wonderful. In the meantime, be sure not to give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!