Sure, puppies are fun, but they can also be a handful. And anyone who has had the pleasure of taking care of a senior dog, on the other hand, knows just how fulfilling it can be to snuggle up next to your best lifelong friend. 

But now that your dog is no longer a young pup, how do you keep your aging dog young at heart? It turns out there are plenty of simple, low-key ways to keep the pep in their step well into their golden years.

Stimulate their brains

You’ve probably heard that doing crossword puzzles or reading can help your mind stay active and even lower the risk of dementia. The same is true with older dogs. The more you can get them to use their brains, the less bored they will be, and the younger their minds will stay.

There are plenty of dog puzzle games you can get, and most of them involve food treats that are released once your pup figures out the puzzle. Snuffle mats are great examples. It’s basically what it sounds like–a shaggy rug where treats are hidden and have to be sniffed out and found. 

Others hide treats in compartments, and dogs will need to open the doors with their paws and noses. Some are balls that need to be rolled to drop treats out, and others are more complex, like jugs with a rope that has to be moved to release the goodies.  

If your dog can’t have too many treats or isn’t treat-motivated, try the interactive toys where smaller stuffed toys are hidden inside a larger one. If you’ve got a pretty smart pup, you could even try out the dog talk buttons where you teach them to associate a word with a certain button, and then they push them to “talk.” 

It can also be as simple as working on teaching your dog a new trick. Find out which options your dog seems to be most interested in, and then set aside time every day to expand their mind.

Take care of their joints

One in five dogs on average have joint pain and mobility issues. As your dog gets older, you may see changes in their behavior that you thought were just due to getting older, but they could actually be from joint problems. 

Some common signs include:

• No longer giving enthusiastic greetings (jumping up and running to the door)
• Shifting their weight while standing or changing positions often while sleeping
• Not jumping up on the couch or bed, or needing help to jump up
• Seeming to be stiff or walking differently
• Having trouble getting up after lying down
• More irritable or sleeping more than usual
• Restlessness, pacing, or seeming anxious

These can all be signs of pain in the joints, but it’s something that your vet can help relieve. The first stop is a vet visit, and then you can discuss the best method for helping your dog get their youthful mobility back. They may prescribe a combination of things, including certain low-impact exercises, joint supplements, pain medications, weight management, a change in diet or prescription diet, and alternative therapies.

Go on adventures

This one goes along with keeping your dog’s mind young at heart, except instead of learning things, it engages their senses and their sense of wonder. Plus, it’s just fun for both of you!

You’ll need to schedule regular time to take your dog on little adventures. They don’t have to be huge expeditions or amazing places; just small diversions from your usual schedule. It could even be just taking different routes when you go for daily walks, maybe even ones that sometimes end at a doggy bakery. Your pup will enjoy the new scenery, and above all, the new and exciting smells along the way.

On days you have more time, you can plan bigger excursions to pet-friendly places, like new dog parks or beaches, boat trips, paddleboarding, car trips, staycations, or hikes. 

One very important thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn’t plan anything too strenuous for your aging dog. Check in with the vet first to make sure their joints are in good shape, and ask them about any excursions you are thinking about. You want to make sure your dog is having fun and not just trying to keep up.

Get them a young playmate

If you’ve been thinking that you might want to add another furry friend to your family, it may be just the thing to keep your senior dog young at heart. Of course, you’ll need to be careful to make sure that would be the best thing for your dog. If they’ve never liked playdates or any other dogs, you might not want to do it.

But if you’ve seen evidence that your dog is into other dogs, especially young ones, or even kittens, that’s a good sign. When you’re exploring possible matches, include your pup. Take them to meet the potential new family member in a neutral place if possible to get an idea how they might interact. 

You may even want to try fostering an animal first, so you’ll get to know whether a particular dog or cat may be the perfect match for all of you. That way, you can decide to adopt if they really fit in well.

Give them a new purpose

Ever heard of a dog with a job? Dogs love having a sense of purpose, which is pretty much like people. That’s why people find new activities, social groups, and hobbies to keep them from getting bored when they retire. 

You may not even realize that your dog thinks of certain things as their “job,” like alerting you to people at the door or bringing you a toy to greet you when you come home. It doesn’t have to necessarily be a job, but you can introduce a new hobby to your dog that they might love.

Here are some example and ideas:

For the ball-obsessed dog: Instead of playing fetch, which can be really hard on their joints, switch them over to a low-key soccer game, or the lesser-known treibball, where dogs gather large, inflated balls into a goal.

For the dog that loves to meet new people: Look into signing your pup up as a therapy dog. These dogs visit places like children’s hospitals and senior homes to spread love and joy. It’s truly fulfilling for both you and your dog.

For the loner dogs: If your pup does not like other dogs or people, you might want to give them a job of something like finding hidden treats in the yard or around the house.

Feed them well

One of the biggest ways you can keep your senior dog young at heart is through their diet. 

If you’re feeding Sundays for Dogs, you’re already on the right track. The recipes are vet-formulated with human-grade ingredients. You won’t find any synthetic vitamin and mineral “packs” because the ingredients themselves naturally provide the nutrients dogs need for a healthy life.

Your dog’s diet isn't just about what you feed them, but how much and how often you feed them. Keeping your dog at their ideal body condition has profoundly positive effects on their overall health and especially their mobility and joint health. This can help keep them more active, even in their later years. 

The best way to figure out how much of a diet your dog needs is to calculate this with the help of your veterinarian. The guidelines on a package can only give you a very generic estimate, but your vet can also take your dog’s specific health background into account.