The Home Environment And The Older Dog

The Home Environment And The Older Dog

An older dog is a creature of habit. Just like all of us as we get older, the average older dog will hate change. He or she will like knowing where everything is and what to expect because the unexpected can make an older dog feel insecure and troubled. This is not healthy for him or her and can actually cause anxiety or depression, but can in fact be reduced if the dog feels comfortable within the home. There are many ways to achieve that and this article will cover just a few.

Introducing any changes, even those as simple as furniture alterations, slowly but surely so that the older dog has time to get used to one change before another occurs. This may appear as if it is drawing out the process, but by doing things gradually, the older dog will soon get used to the change occurring and will finally ignore them as they do not seem to affect his or her space. This is especially important when introducing and training your elderly dogs to use dog steps or dog stairs so that they are able to get to their favorite spots in the house. Be patient and take small steps and using treats and of course lots of praise to make the training process as pleasant as possible for you dog.

If a major change is necessary, then shower your older dog with love and affection. It may seem like a silly suggestion, but it really does work. This is a tried and tested method that can allow your older dog to feel far more comfortable in his or her home environment.

Keeping the home environment as stable as possible in terms of the people that live there and the location of placed objects remaining the same goes can result in a comfortable environment. Introducing and external changes will not necessarily bother an older dog. An older dog is as sensitive as a human, so take good care of your pooch and provide him or her with a comfortable home environment as long as he or she lives.