Just like you, your canine BFF is getting older, and unfortunately, it's happening at a greatly accelerated rate compared to your own aging process. The good news is that the care you've lovingly provided your dog up to this point will go a long way toward ensuring she/he continues to thrive during her/his golden years.

Once your pet begins to show signs of aging, it's important to focus on making their senior and geriatric life stages as happy, healthy, and comfortable as possible. One age-related condition that many older dogs develop is canine cognitive dysfunc­tion (CCD), which is similar to Alzheimer's diseases in people and is the result of an aging brain.

Clinical signs of cognitive dysfunction are found in 50% of dogs over the age of 11, and by the age of 15, 68% display at least one sign. And because large and giant breed dogs age more quickly than smaller breeds, dogs as young as 6 can begin to experience mental decline.

There are five classic signs of cognitive decline in dogs:
• Decreased attention to surroundings, disinterest, apathy
• Decreased purposeful activity
• Increased total amount of sleep during a 24-hour period
• Intermittent anxiety expressed through apprehension, panting, moaning or shivering
• Loss of formerly acquired knowledge, which includes housetraining

Other symptoms include failure to respond to commands and/or difficulty hearing, inability to recognize familiar people and difficulty navigating the environment. Additional physical manifestations of CCD can include excessive licking, lack of grooming, fecal and urinary incontinence, and loss of appetite.

Offer your dog lots of opportunities for exercise, socialization, and mental stimulation. Senior and even geriatric dogs still need daily exercise to maintain good health and physical conditioning. While older dogs can't exercise or compete with the same intensity as their younger counterparts, they still derive tremendous benefit from regular walks and other age-appropriate physical activity on a daily basis, or even better, twice daily.

No matter how old your dog is she/he still needs regular social interaction with other pets and/or people. As is the case with humans as we age, if dogs don't stay active and involved in life, their world can become a confusing, intimidating place. Your pet needs regular exposure to other pets and people, but never to the point of overstimulation. Short periods of socialization and playtime in controlled situations are ideal.

Food puzzle and treat release toys provide fun and a good mental workout, as does nose work and brief training sessions to refresh their memory or teach them a new skill.

Schedule regular senior wellness check-ups. Keeping abreast of your animal companion's physical and mental changes as she/he ages is the best way to catch any disease process early. Over-vaccinating is something older animals do not need, so advocate for your older dog by refusing additional vaccines and insisting on titer tests instead. A titer is a blood test that measures protective immunity. Chances are your dog is very well-protected. Switch to titering to help reduce their toxic load.

Minimize stress in all aspects of your dog's life. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to minimize anxiety and stress in your older dog. Senior and geriatric dogs, especially those with CCD, are often disoriented, so sticking to a consistent daily routine your pet can count on can help them stay oriented, which will in turn reduce their anxiety. Try to get up and go to bed at the same time each day, feed them at the same times, and go for walks on a set schedule.
Keeping your dog at a healthy weight and physically active will help control arthritis and degenerative joint disease as he/she ages, insuring he/she remains comfortable and mobile. Acupuncture and chiropractic care, stretching, and hydrotherapy (exercising in water) can also provide enormous benefits in keeping dogs mobile in their later years.

If your dog is having some urine dribbling or incontinence as a result of their age (and not caused by an underlying condition that should be addressed), provide them with more frequent potty trips outside. You can also reintroduce them to a crate if he/she was crate trained initially. Acupuncture can also be very beneficial for age-related incontinence.

If your dog has problems hearing or seeing, use odor cues like properly diluted essential oils or pheromone products to help them find their way around. Also consider purchasing or building ramps if they are having trouble getting into the car or up on the bed or a favorite chair, and if he/she's slipping or unsure on bare floors, add some runners, yoga mats or area rugs.

For sleep problems, try increasing their daytime activity level. Let them sleep in your bedroom. Sleeping near you should help ease any anxiety that may be contributing to their nighttime restlessness. Guide them with clear cues and easy-to-follow instructions, and when you talk to them, keep your voice quiet, calm and loving.

Feed a nutritionally optimal, species-appropriate fresh food diet — A species-appropriate, nutritionally balanced diet rich in healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids such as krill oil and others such as MCT oil, is very important for cognitive health.

The best fuel for an aging dog is a variety of living, whole foods suitable for a carnivore. Eliminate all refined carbohydrates (which are just unnecessary sugar), as well as grains, potatoes and legumes. Replace those unnecessary carbs with extra high-quality protein. Eliminate extruded diets (kibble) to avoid the toxic byproducts of the manufacturing process.

Processed dog foods are manufactured in a way that creates byproducts that can affect cognitive health, including heterocyclic amines, acrylamides and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Fresh, biologically appropriate foods provide the whole food nutrients your pet's aging brain requires. The right diet will also support the microbiome, which has been linked to improved cognitive health in humans, and I've seen an improvement in dogs as well.

Provide beneficial supplements. When it comes to supplements, I typically recommend digestive enzymes and probiotics for all older pets. If your dog needs additional fiber in the diet, choose natural sources such as psyllium husk powder, ground dark green leafy veggies, coconut fiber, or canned 100% pumpkin.

I also almost always recommend an omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as krill oil or another fish body oil (but not cod liver oil), or algal DHA for pets who can't tolerate seafood.

Most aging dogs can benefit from joint and antioxidant supplements such as glucosamine sulfate with MSM, cetyl myristoleate, eggshell membrane, perna mussel (green-lipped clam), several homeopathic remedies, ubiquinol, super green foods, and natural anti-inflammatory formulas (herbs such as turmeric and yucca, proteolytic enzymes, SOD and nutraceuticals).