Those who love their dog often can’t withstand the aging process as a number of things are happening with their dog in this life stage. For one, they’re starting to develop arthritis and lose bone density. This leaves them with an inability to hop up on the bed like they used to and can make them ache every time they get up. Another issue you may be facing with them is a lessened ability to walk for long periods of time. As they begin to lose bone density, their muscles start to not be what they used to be and walking for long periods of time is just what the younger dogs do.
While all of these problems are typically compounded onto themselves and create a dog that’s sleepy and less mobile, there’s one issue that stirs about fear in the owner more than other issues that can arise. Their dog is rapidly losing weight and they’re unsure of what to do to keep their weight up. The typical response is to start feeding them unhealthy human food that can be expensive and unsafe for them. While feeding them spaghetti is adorable in the movies, it has onion powder in it. This is unhealthy for dogs and can create digestive issues.
The best solution?
Senior dog food for weight gain will help pack on the pounds and get them back to that healthy weight they once were. Taking care of your dog means not pulling the most inexpensive or popular brand off the shelf and hoping it will be fine. Getting the right nutrients into your dog means keeping them satisfied with something that is specifically formulated for them. You wouldn’t buy your puppy senior dog chow. Why are you shoving a weight loss formula down the mouth of a dog that could be tipped over by a finger? Here are some ways to help your senior dog pack on weight in a healthy way.
Try Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food will help your pooch pack on weight without you having to implement human food into their diet. It comes from the same animals we eat, it’s just the older meat that didn’t sell or the inferior cuts of the product that humans are often not keen on eating. Your dog might enjoy canine carry outs. This brand is for smaller dogs and contains less gravy. Of course, any brand that contains gravy is too much for any one dog to resist. Gravy helps the dog salivate and gives them back their instinct to eat meat without concern for their waist line. An excellent brand that’s covered in the stuff is pedigree. They’re known for their ability to produce the stuff that dogs love at a healthy price for the consumer.
Try A Gravy Cover
Dogs want some of what you have on the table. Of course, we’re reserving that food for us and our kids. It’s the family’s food. While dogs are certainly part of the family, they can’t have that beef stew we made for everyone because there’s either only so much or we just don’t want them begging all the time. While older dogs beg for food less than younger dogs, they still have that “give me some” attitude that the younger ones do. We can get our older dog to eat more of their dry food by giving them some of the gravy from the beef stew over their dry food to moisten it and increase its flavor. My dog devours her meal every time I use this tactic.
Avoid Weight Management
When looking for senior dog food for weight gain, you’re going to come across a lot of brands that say weight management for seniors. Some of these brands are okay if they promote weight gain. Sadly, most brands for weight management do not. They promote the reduction of weight. Some senior dogs go the opposite way and actually gain weight during their senior years because they are less keen on chasing that possum across your yard. She’s only protecting her babies and a senior dog understands her right to exist more. Either that or they simply can’t withstand the chase from having arthritis. Petco is more likely than your local supermarket to have brands that help dogs who are too skinny gain weight. Remember, it doesn’t have to specifically be for senior dogs. It has to be for dogs who need help gaining weight.