It is very good to be active and sharp as we grow old, the same way pets are too. As pets grow old they become stiff and mentally weak. 15 minutes of a walk for a senior pet is okay but they need more attention and activities than the younger ones. The most common symptoms in senior dogs are fatigue, tight muscles, and a stiff body. The surprise is your can you can follow more straightforward steps to sharpen your senior dog’s brain. Here are the best five ways to keep senior dogs engaged and mentally sharp. It is not much complicated but needs time.
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5 tips for senior dogs to make them sharp mentally
1. Short walks
Don’t forget every dog need to work out but senior dogs, they need short walks. Get out and sniff! Many of the dogs like to play in bushy gardens, let them go around sniffing around each bush and tree. They can be very slow but they enjoy!
Also Read: How to Travel with Your Aging Pet
2. Puzzle toys
We often give these toys to the younger and the tiny ones at home but these are very helpful to the senior dogs. They easily give up puzzles after some time, hence making them interesting and give easy puzzles. Include treats and surprise your lovely pets so that they solve more puzzles to get the treats as well. Incorporate food with the treats so they try to eat. There are a number of such treats for pets online too, choose one for your friend.
3. Training clubs
There are some senior dog training clubs that give activities that are specially designed for them. They might sound funny but they are interesting and worth it, so find a club near you and put your dog there when you are at work. Pet surely enjoys seeing other senior dogs.
4. Healthy Diet & Supplements
Pet’s everyday activity counts on what they take in. Their brain can work only to a certain level if there is no proper energy in their meal. Plenty of Vitamin enriched foods like pineapple, almonds, spinach, and egg can serve the necessary portion of everyday nutrition. Supplements are an easy and quick way that bolsters your senior dog’s brain. Supplements give necessary nutrients that the dog cannot take in food. Before embarking on supplements, remember to ask your Vet.
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5. Exercise
Senior dogs may become tired in a short time while they accompany you for a walk. Despite this, they need necessary exercise for their well-being. Exercise can increase a pet’s heart rate, pushing more oxygen to the brain. When the brain gets oxygen, it helps the pet to stay focused, clear, and sharp. Remember, your senior pet is not active like before. Give them enough rest to restart the outdoor games.
Final thoughts
Many pet owners forget to play with the senior dogs but playing with them for a few seconds and getting them tail wag matters a lot. Senior dogs aren’t the same as younger ones but need more attention and care. Go ahead and try all the ways to keep them engaging and sharp. Don’t forget our best 3 tricks for keeping pets engaged and sharp to see the difference in the pet’s behavior.
Above all, you need to monitor your senior pet’s environmental temperature also to make sure it does not suffers heatstroke. Getting a pet temperature monitor can help you in avoiding heatstroke.
