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Small-breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs
Small-breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs

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Small-breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs

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Unlike larger-breed dogs that are considered mature or senior at age 5, small-breed dogs usually don’t experience age-related changes as early. But by age 7, your small dog is mature or senior, and his nutritional requirements are changing. You can help keep your dog active, happy and healthy with a specially formulated mature diet that delivers highly digestible, enhanced nutrition.

 

The Signs of Aging in Small-breed Dogs

The changes your small dog is going through affect him in many ways. You may notice a dull, dry coat and flaky skin, energy loss or weight gain, more frequent intestinal problems, joint stiffness and a loss of lean muscle mass. It’s true that an aging dog may require fewer calories, but your mature or senior dog still needs high-quality protein and carefully balanced nutrients.

 

What to Look for in Mature or Senior Small-breed Dog Food

What your dog needs is a high-quality, balanced maintenance food formulated for a small dog’s changing metabolism. Look for options with these age-essential nutrients:

  • Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene to help boost the immune system
  • High-quality animal-based protein sources to help maintain muscle mass
  • Special fiber sources such as beet pulp to help maintain intestinal health and support your dog’s ability to absorb age-essential nutrients
  • A special carbohydrate blend of healthy grains for sustained energy

These ingredients are the keys to mature nutrition whether you feed dry or wet dog food or give your dog treats.

Additionally, small dogs have small mouths and small stomachs. A nutrient-dense mature formula with smaller kibble may help make food easier for your dog to chew.

 

Special Needs of Mature or Senior Small-breed Dogs

Older, less-active dogs are prone to weight gain. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight can help minimize the risk of developing diabetes or joint stress. Your dog can benefit from a weight-control diet with these key ingredients:

  • A reduced fat level that still offers essential nutrients for skin and coat health
  • L-carnitine, a key nutrient that helps burn fat during weight loss
  • Special carbohydrate blends that help maintain energy while managing weight

While your mature or senior dog’s nutritional needs may be changing, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have many active, happy years ahead. Make sure your dog can make the most of them by feeding him a proper diet designed for mature small-breed dogs.

Small-breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs
article Small-breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs
  • How to teach your dog to stop barking
    How to teach your dog to stop barking
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    How to Stop a Dog from Barking?

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    Barking is your dog’s way of communicating. We often observe dogs barking at people and things to grab attention. It is a normal dog behaviour that is often a reflex for expressing emotions related to anxiety, aggression, or boredom. Different types of barks emote different moods and feelings of the dog. Dogs also bark to stop others from entering their territory.
     

    Even though dogs bark to communicate their emotions, excessive barking can cause disturbance to pet parents. In such situations, pet caregivers often look for ways to teach barking on command to their fur babies. If you too want to learn how to stop a dog from barking in the right manner, then read the following.
     

    How to teach your dog to stop barking

    Dogs often bark to claim territory, express emotions, and communicate with others. However, sometimes, dogs might not know how to control their barking habits. Teaching your pooch to stop barking unnecessarily makes them calmer by sharpening their natural instincts. While barking is a norm for dogs, barking on command is a skill that you easily teach your fur baby. Follow the below points to learn how to teach your dog to stop barking.

    • Teach commands: With patience, persistence, and practice, you teach your dog to control its barking habits. It is easy to stop your dog from barking with a little effort. Training dogs to follow commands related to barking is beneficial in managing this dog behaviour. You need to start by teaching your furry friend to follow commands by training them regularly. The following are a few things you can try to teach your dog to stop barking on command:
    • Try to calm the dog by using affirmative words. Using calming words and actions can help reduce anxiety and stress in dogs. Once they relax, you can pet them a little to stop them from barking completely.
    • You can also use commands for sitting to relax your fur baby. Most dogs bark when they get territorial or anxious. Using commands for sitting can work as a reassurance that can help them calm down. If the dog is barking out of fright or anxiety, you should try to use words of praise and encourage it to relax.
    • You can also use certain words like ‘stop, ‘relax’ and ‘calm down’ to signal the pooch to stop barking. However, to teach them to do so, you must use the commanding word every time they bark.
    •  Offer treats: Another effective way to teach your dog to stop barking is by offering them their favourite treats. Most dogs have ADHD, which means it is very easy to distract them. If the dog is distressed and won’t stop barking, you should try to calm it down by offering its favourite treat. Simply try to grab their attention by showing them a treat. However, avoid offering the treat directly. Once you have the pooch’s attention, command them to stop barking and treat them only once they listen to you. Follow this method regularly to eventually teach your canine friend to stop barking simply on receiving a treat.
    •  Distract with favourite toys: Dogs can also be distracted by their favourite toys. Simply show the pet its favourite toy the next time they start barking. You can also ask them to fetch a ball or start playing with them to distract them from barking.
    • Console and praise: Sometimes dogs bark to warn or grab your attention towards something that is genuinely bothering them. Hence, it is always better to first try to analyse why the pooch is barking before trying to stop them from barking. Pay attention towards the dog’s body language and mannerisms when it barks. If it is barking towards a direction, you can check in that direction to see if there is something that might be alarming. Paying attention towards your pet’s barks and trying to console it with words of praise will not only calm it but will also subside its anxiety and fright.

    Though these tricks will train your canine companion to control its barking habits, you must know that barking is a reflex instinct for dogs. Hence, it is imperative to stay consistent and regular when training a dog. It often takes time for dogs to learn commands and control their instinct to bark. However, with regular practice and consistent effort, you can eventually stop your dog from barking at will.

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