Help your older pet stay healthy and active by feeding them specialised dry dog food for senior dogs
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What is the best dry dog food for senior dogs?
A senior dog's food requirements differ from those of a puppy. Animals' metabolism slows down when they become less active. As a result, once your dog reaches a certain age, it's essential to change their diet. Which type of food should you give your older pet?
Senior dogs tend to be overweight. Their muscle mass gradually decreases, and numerous diseases can occur, including intestinal problems. To counteract this loss of shape as much as possible, kibbles designed specifically for senior dogs are available. The content of this dog food is adapted to senior dogs' nutritional needs and is enriched with vitamins. These dry senior dog food products stimulate the immune system, maintain a healthy coat, and support the proper functioning of the joints, heart, and respiratory system.
Is your Labrador approaching the age of seven? Even if they still seem active and playful, you should be mindful that their physical abilities begin to decline. For their well-being and health, it's time to switch to dry senior dog food. Choose the best dog food for your dog by browsing through the buying guide we have prepared for you.
Summary
At what age does a dog become senior?
It all depends on the breed of your dog. Dogs have different lifespans depending on the breed, and small dogs live longer than large ones. Other factors that affect a dog's ageing include their diet and lifestyle.
From roughly ten years old, small breed dogs such as Jack Russells, Dachshunds, and Yorkies are considered senior. The typical lifespan of these small canines is 15 to 16 years.
A medium-breed dog, such as a sharpei, Australian Shepherd, or Husky, becomes senior at 9. This type of dog has a 13-year life expectancy.
Large breed dogs can live for up to 9 years. Dobermann, Collie, and Dalmatian are just a few of the breeds concerned. In this case, we talk about seniors from the age of 7. Giant breed dogs, such as the Livestock guardian dogs, Saint Bernard, or Newfoundland, reach senior status at five. These canines have an average lifespan of eight years.
What is the difference between regular and senior dog food?
Since the nutritional needs of animals change with age, adult dog food and dry senior dog food are different. As a result, the kibble will not have the same composition.
There are also soft kibbles for older dogs. As they have no teeth or suffer from toothache, this type of food saves them the trouble of chewing.
Does a senior dog need a special diet?
Yes, senior dogs require a different diet than younger dogs since their energy needs have changed.
Over time, their metabolism slows, and they get less exercise. This is why senior dogs' diets must be lower in calories: otherwise, they would gain weight, which can lead to a variety of problems, including diabetes, respiratory and cardiac problems.
Senior dogs absorb water less efficiently than younger dogs, so it's best to feed them semi-wet food or wet kibble. This food has a higher water content than dry kibble, preventing dehydration in senior dogs.
What should include a senior dog's diet?
Senior dogs' diets should include high-quality proteins that are easily absorbed by their bodies.
To maintain healthy joint function and stimulate immune system, senior dog food should be high in calcium and vitamin D.
Make sure that your senior dog's diet includes fibre, which is helpful for digestion.
Moreover, the fat content should not exceed 10-20%. This is especially important if your dog tends gaining weight.
Why should I opt for dry senior dog food?
It can be harmful to your senior dog's health if you don't feed them a diet appropriate for their age and needs. Since older dogs are more likely to gain weight, dry senior dog foods have a lower fat content.
Also, senior dogs are more likely to develop digestive and liver problems, diabetes, and kidney failure. As a result, kibbles are specifically designed for these conditions, making life easier for older dogs. You can make your senior dog's life healthier by choosing specialised dog food.
How much kibble should I give my senior dog?
It all depends on the breed, age, weight, and activity level of your pet. To find out how much kibble to feed your pet, you need to take 10 grams of food per kg of their body weight.
Since older dogs have lower nutritional needs than puppies and adults, multiply this theoretical amount of kibble by 0.8. If your pet weighs 20 kg, their daily kibble portion will therefore be 160 grams (200 x 0.8).
Ideally, this amount should be split between two meals, one in the morning and one in the evening. Don't feed your dog treats during the day: it's not a good idea for overweight animals!
