Are You Sure Your Senior Dog is Happy? 5 Signs Will Tell You The Truth
What’s the worst part about owning a dog? Every dog owner I know of will say the same thing, knowing that eventually, they get old. They start to slow down and their energy levels dip. As a dog owner, you want to make sure that your dog is still living a happy and comfortable life as they age. You want to make sure they’re happy.
Some of the most common ailments that older dogs experience, especially bigger dogs, are arthritis and joint pain. Sometimes, it can be tricky to tell whether or not your dog is suffering from arthritis or joint pain. After all, they can’t just tell you “hey my hips are hurting today.” It’s up to you as their owner to be able to see the signs and pick up on the clues of joint pain.
The easiest way to tell if your dog is suffering from arthritis or joint pain is to notice changes in their behavior. Let’s look at some behavioral changes that happen when a dog is in pain.
1. They Like to Play
All dogs love to play. Sometimes they like to play with other dogs but almost every dog likes to play with their owner. But, as dogs get older and their joints start to wear out, playing and roughhousing can become painful activities for them.
If you notice that your dog doesn’t enjoy playing with you anymore or that they will abruptly stop playing to lay down or if you notice a limp after playing, they might be experiencing some discomfort. When a dog’s joints start to deteriorate it’s a gradual process. At first, you might not even notice this. But it is always better to notice these things early and to start helping your dog before they develop serious problems.
2. Sitting and Sleeping with You
Dogs are instinctively pack animals, they love being with us at all times and feel safe and secure when they are by our side. If it’s normal for your dog to sit next to you on the couch or to sleep with you on your bed then it might be worth investigating if your dog stops joining you on those race platforms.
When a dog is suffering from joint pain one of the most difficult activities they can do is jumping. Jumping up onto the couch with you or jumping up into your bed can be a painful experience for your dog. So much so that they might stop sitting and sleeping with you altogether.
3. Jumping up and on You
When dogs get excited they love to jump around, especially up and around their owners. Even if the dog can’t jump up onto a couch or a bed anymore they still might try to jump up on you when you get home after being away.
Some dogs are trained not to do this but if your dog has a habit of jumping on you and greeting you when you walk through the door and over time they start to do it less and less, it might be worth looking into.
This sign is most prevalent in dogs that have arthritis or joint pain in their hips. Because when a dog jumps on you its hips are fully extended when they lean on you. If you notice your dog seems a little less excited to see you when you get home It might be because their hips hurt too much to handle their excitement.
4. Wagging Their Tail
Contrary to popular belief dogs will actually wag their tails for a variety of reasons. They can wag their tails when they’re excited or happy, but they will also wag their tails when they’re anxious or scared.
But when you walk through the door after a long day at work and your dog greets you with a tail wag going back and forth at 100 mph it’s definitely because they’re happy and excited. Just like elbows and hips, the base of the tail is also a joint that can be affected by arthritis and joint pain. Out of all the signs of arthritis, this one is probably the easiest to detect. If your dog usually wags their tail a ton and you notice that they’re holding it still more often it might be a sign of arthritis.
5. Following You Around
Dogs are incredibly loyal animals. They love being around their owners and being in a pack. I’m sure that your dog follows you around plenty. So it can be weird and a little sad to see your dog staying in their bed or curled up in the corner instead of following you around. If you notice that their overall mobility is decreasing you should definitely make a trip to the vet and see what you can do.
Even though your dog is getting older you can still make sure they have a happy and fulfilling life. The biggest challenge for most senior dogs is going to come in the form of arthritis and joint pain. We’ve seen a ton of older pups see great results from our CBD oils combined with exercise and diet. If that’s something you might want to learn more about you can just click here.
The biggest thing you can do for your dog is to notice those small changes in their behavior, that way you can address issues right away and make sure your dog has a long and happy life.
How CBD Is Helping Other Dogs: Survey Results
We recently did a survey with 1000+ Dog Owners who are currently using Cannanine CBD with their pups. This chart below shows a breakdown of the top 5 reasons they’re giving it to their dogs.
While CBD can help dogs with many different issues, the number one ailment that dog owners are using it for is joint pain/chronic joint issues. If you’d be interested in trying it with your pup – make sure you go with a trusted brand like Cannanine. We just won the Best Dog CBD of 2022 award, and every single batch is 3rd party tested so you know it’s safe and effective.
We also include a 100% guarantee so if you’re not happy with the results, you get a full refund no questions asked. Try it here – Cannanine CBD For Dogs.
