Senior Dog Exercise: How to Help When Your Dog Is Struggling to Walk

All dogs age differently, with smaller dogs generally ageing more slowly than bigger or giant dogs. More frequent contact with your vet in the senior years will make sure you can tailor the care for your senior dog to their individual problems and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.

Although long treks may be becoming difficult, there are still ways to keep your older dog moving, happy and healthy.

1. Gentle, frequent walks. As mentioned, shorter, more frequent walks are much better for older dogs than occasional long ones. Walking 15-20 minutes 3-4 times a day is generally a good amount for a senior pet, but your veterinarian can provide guidance on what is best for your dog.
2. Allow sniff time! Sniffing is really important for mental wellbeing in dogs. By making sure you allow plenty of sniff time, the walk will, by default, be gentle, natural exercise at your dog’s own pace.
3. Avoid fetching or repetitive, intense exercise. The stop-start and sudden turns during fetching can have quite an impact on joints and should be avoided for most senior dogs.
4. Swimming and hydrotherapy. Non weight-bearing exercises can be really beneficial to keep muscles strong and provide movement to stiff older dogs. Be careful to avoid panicking your dog if they are not used to this, and follow veterinary advice.
5. Indoor activities for mental and physical stimulation. Gently getting your dog to move around the house with you can help if you can’t get out much. You can do things like lay scent trails, hide treats and toys to find and use puzzle feeders at meal times to help stimulate your dog.
6. Physiotherapy. Speak to your vet about stretching, massage and other manipulations you might be able to do at home to keep your senior dog as strong and mobile as possible. Again, make sure this is tailored to your dog’s needs and capabilities.
7. Don’t overdo it. You may be raring to get all these things underway, but remember that breaks and rest are also important. You don’t want this to become a negative experience for your dog.

Talk to your veterinarian! Chronic pain has a huge impact on lots of animals’ lives, so please do stay in regular contact with your vet. This way you can make sure that at each stage, you are doing all you can to make life for your golden oldie as comfortable as possible. As well as doing the exercises outlined above, there are other things you can change and adapt to help your older dog.

• Choose where you walk carefully. If you can find flat walks without steps or steep inclines, your dog will find it easier.

• Walk during cooler times of the day.

• Use supportive harnesses so that you can gently help your dog if you come across a slight obstacle.

• Adapt your house.

  • put down non-slip floor coverings or rugs

  • use ramps to help with getting onto furniture or into the car

  • have several thick, warm, comfortable beds, so your dog is never far from somewhere cosy to rest

  • raise food and water bowls to ease stiff necks

• Keep your dog slim.

• Nutrition. Dietetic food is one of the mainstays of modern veterinary medicine. There are many foods available now for senior dogs with mobility issues. These have

  • added antioxidants to combat the ageing process

  • high omega-3 fatty acids, known to help reduce inflammation or break the cycle of inflammation 

  • high-quality, highly digestible protein to help maintain muscle mass

Ageing may be a fact of life that comes to us all, but just because your senior dog is slowing down, it doesn’t mean that they can’t enjoy their golden years. By making some simple changes at home and to your daily habits and by seeing your vet regularly, you can ensure your golden years together stay golden.

Do senior dogs need exercise?

Yes. Exercise is vital for mental and physical wellbeing. You may need to adapt the way your dog exercises and tailor it to your individual dog’s capabilities.

What’s the best way to exercise a senior dog? 

1. Short, more frequent walks.
2. Lots of sniffing time to provide mental stimulation and keep exercise gentle.
3. Avoid fetching and repetitive exercise.
4. Choose flat walks with as few steps and inclines as possible.

How much exercise should a senior dog get?

This really depends on your individual dog. As a general rule, 15-20 minutes 3-4 times a day is good. Speak to your vet about your specific dog, to be sure.

Should you walk a 14-year-old dog?

You should try to keep all senior dogs moving to some degree. If your dog doesn’t want to go for walks anymore, don’t force it. Look at ways you can keep them moving at home. You may be able to do physiotherapy for them, play games to help with some movement and mental stimulation, and so on.

How much exercise is too much for a senior dog?

This will vary depending on your dog’s overall health and stage of ageing. Avoid excessively long walks and watch for signs that you’ve overdone it. If your dog is much stiffer after resting, then it’s too much. Be observant, follow vet advice and be adaptable to suit your dog’s needs.

Reviewed by Becky Mullis, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition), and Dr Emma Milne BVSc DipECAWBM(Hon) FRCVS.