Activating a senior dog outdoors can be a challenge for many dog ​​owners. We want the best for our dogs, but they might have osteoarthritis, they're a little stiff, or not very motivated to go outside, especially in freezing temperatures, ice, and snowy winterscapes.

The good news is that your dog is definitely motivated to do stuff with you, even if their bodies don't always cooperate. It's all about adjusting the pace, focusing on mental stimulation, triggering the curiosity that all dogs have, both old and young, and taking into account any health challenges your dog may have. The goal is to keep your dog motivated, confident, curious, and physically and mentally active without overexerting them.

Here are some suggestions for everyday adventures you can go on with your four-legged senior friend.

Calm expeditions and sniffaris: Let your dog set the pace and where to go. Long, calm walks where your dog can use their sense of smell are excellent mental training. Use a long leash, at least 3-4 meters, and let your dog sniff everything and stop as often as they want to. Whether the walk is 50 or 500 feet doesn't matter, this is your dog's walk, they decide how it unfolds.

Nosework and searching: Hide treats or toys in the garden, in the grass or on a tree trunk along the road, and let your dog search. This stimulates your dogs brain without requiring much physical effort. Do a teddy bear hunt where you hide a toy or something your dog loves and then he can calmly walk and sniff his way to it. Throw out a handful of treats on a downhill slope in the garden or along the road, your dog will practice “yoga” as they walk on uneven terrain and search for the treats. Sniffing activities work well indoors as well on wet, cold days.

Swimming and wateractivities Swimming can be a great activity for older dogs as it is gentle on the joints (low/no impact), while providing good cardiovascular exercise and keeping the “engine” running. Not all dogs like water, but with gentle introduction with a reward-based dog trainer, most dogs can become comfortable in the wet elements. Put on a life jacket and preferably an inflatable ring around the neck to give the dog better buoyancy and support around the head so they stay above water. A saltwater pool or sea bath is ideal. Wading up to the knees can also be a gentle activity and provide good bilateral movement and train balance and proprioception for dogs of all ages.

Play on treetrunks on hikes (balancing games) If you find a tree trunk from a fallen tree, your dog can walk on it or crawl under it. This improves coordination (proprioception) and strengthens the core muscles.

Social processing - "people watching" Bring a blanket to a park and let your dog observe your surroundings from a distance. This provides environmental training and stimulation for older dogs who may not be able to walk far. If your dog is a little anxious or stressed, make sure to keep a safe distance from what is stressing your dog, so that he doesn't react, but can observe his surroundings calmly and quietly. Do a little treat seach en route, maybe bring a chew bone for your dog to enjoy on your "picnic"? If you live in a place where it rains a lot, you can find cover under some dense trees, bring an umbrella, or bring a small tarp with you and hang it over some trees where you sit. If you have a car, you can sit in the car and watch the world go by with your dog, listening to the calming rain :-)

Short training sessions: Practice simple commands that don't require anything physical from your dog. For example, high five, bark on command, swap an item with another, "drop -it", "pick up" an item from the floor or sofa, teach them to put their nose against your palm or touch something you point at. Observation training like "do as I do" where they have to watch what you do and repeat it is also a lot of fun. Commands like lie down, sit, jump, stand on two legs require physical effort and are NOT optimal for a senior dog with joint problems or other health challenges, so always consider what you are asking for :-)

Boatrides or Kayaking: A Kayak/canoe or boat trip (with a life jacket) is a great way for your dog to experience new things without having to walk themselves. Many dogs like the smell and sound of water, and it relaxes them – The sun reflects off the water surface and can hurt your dog's eyes. You have sunglasses – maybe buy a pair for your dog as well?

Important considerations when going on adventures with your senior dog:
It depends...: Your senior dog has good days and bad days - it kinda depends on the day. Shorter and more frequent walks are often better than one long walk. Pay attention to how your dog is feeling and what they seems motivated to do on any particular day.
Avoid hard surfaces:- Choose soft trails in the woods over asphalt if and when possible.
Put some clothes on: Older dogs are more sensitive to heat and cold. Make sure they don't freeze in the winter or overheat in the summer. Dogs with osteoarthritis often need more clothing in wintertime as their joints get stiff and hurt.
Watch the joints: Unngå hopp inn og ut av høye biler eller bratte trapper. Vurder ramper inne i huset og ute ved bilen, eller en sele hvor du kan hjelpe og løfte hunden din inn i bilen. Legg ned en sti av tepper gjennom hele huset som hunden kan gå på: Glatte gulv er som prikkedøden for hunder med muskel- og leddutfordringer (i alle aldre). Løping og hopping etter frisbee og ball er også harde sammenstøt for leddene- Hundene løper og hopper selvom de har vondt. De klager ikke, er høye på dopamin og adrenalin, men det kan likevel gjøre vondt og vi bør skåne dem for den type høy impakt belastninger, spesielt når de er eldre.

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• Bluesky

Har du en liten hund og sliter med bjeffing, knurring og utagerende atferd som du ikke forstår? Det kan hende hunden din har Small Dog syndrome – her kan du lese hva du kan gjøre med det:

Small Dog Syndrome – Myte eller misforstått atferd?

Begrepet “Small Dog Syndrome” brukes ofte for å beskrive små hunder som viser det mange tolker som “overkompenserende” atferd – bjeffing, ulike typer aggressjonsatferd som knurring, biting, bjeffing, glefsing, utagering eller ressursforsvar. Men hva er det egentlig som skjer?

Hva er egentlig Small Dog Syndrome?

Tradisjonelt har uttrykket blitt brukt for å forklare hvorfor små hunder kan virke mer “aggressive” eller “usikre” enn større hunder. Det antyder at små hunder prøver å kompensere for sin størrelse ved å være mer dominerende eller kontrollerende. Eller at de generisk er mer tilbøyelige til bjeffing, ressursforsvar eller utagerende aggressiv atferd. Dette er en forenklet og misvisende forklaring på hva som skjer.

Moderne forståelse: Atferd er et resultat av gener, miljø og erfaring

I dag vet vi at hundeatferd formes av en kombinasjon av genetikk, læring, miljø og relasjon til menneskene hundene har rundt seg. Små hunder har ofte:

• Mindre kontroll over sine omgivelser: Små hunder ser ofte ikke hva som skjer oppe “i høyden” der vi lever, og føler at de mangler kontroll over omgivelsene sine – det er ubehagelig.
• “Usynlige” og kan bli tråkket på og skade seg: De fleste småhunder har nok opplevd å bli tråkket på, dyttet borti eller bli oversett på en måte som kan gjøre dem mer oppmerksom og årvåkne når de er ute i verden og må passe på hva som skjer.
• Mindre autonomi og selvstendighet: Små hunder blir ofte båret, skjermet eller isolert fra andre hunder og miljøer, noe som kan føre til at de ikke får bygge selvtillit og oppleve autonomi og kontroll over eget liv på samme måte som større hunder
• Ubevisst lavere krav til små hunder: Mange eiere tar ikke affære når små hunder vise usikkehet og ubehag, fordi konsekvensene av atferden ikke oppleves som like truende som hos store hunder. Små hunder kan derfor ha endel tillært atferd som store hunder ikke har uten at eierne hjelper hunden med å håndtere følelser og stressatferd.
• Overbeskyttelse: Når eiere griper inn for raskt eller beskytter hunden fra normale sosiale situasjoner, kan det hindre utvikling av trygghet og mestring.

Er det syndrom – eller stress?

Denne årvåkenhenten og manglende autonomien som små hunder opplever kan fort utvikle seg til stressatferd og gjøre dem mer nervøse og at de føler de må handle proaktivt for å unngå ubehagelig situasjoner som de har lært. Det vi ofte tolker som “Small Dog Syndrome” er i mange tilfeller små hunder som tydelig vise avstandssøkende signaler. Over tid har disse små hundene forsøkt å kommunisere med eierne sine at de har det stressende, ved å snu bort hodet sitt, gjespe, løfte opp en pote, gå i bue, og brukt masse dempende signaler. Men det er ikke blitt lyttet til. Hunden går da over i noe vi kaler “avstandssøkende signaler” som bjeffing, knurring eller glefsing da de føler de må “snakke høyere” for å få oss til å lytte til dem. Det er på samme måte som at endel mennesker begynner å rope hvis ingen lytter til dem når de snakker normalt. En blir litt desperat, og gjør alt for å bli hørt og sett, særlig hvis en befinner seg i knehøyde , eller enda mindre… Det vi mennesker tolker som aggresjon eller dominans er uttrykk for utrygghet og opplevde stressende situasjoner.

Hva kan vi gjøre?

1. Lær å forstå hundens dempende og avstandssøkende signaler – Rolig hund underviser i hundespråk
2. La hunden gå tur i løs, lang line, snuse og oppleve verden i eget tempo
3. Behandle hunden din som om den veier 50 kilo
4. Unngå å overbeskytte – la hunden få utforske og mestre selv.
5. Bruk positiv forsterkning og belønn ønsket atferd.
6. Gi hunden hverdagsvalg så de føler kontroll og selvstendighet
7. Les kroppsspråket og ta det på alvor – små hunder har like komplekst språk som store.

Konklusjon

“Small Dog Syndrome” er et uttrykk som ofte dekker over manglende forståelse for små hunders behov og signaler. Ved å lære å forstå hundespråk, ved å møte dem med samme respekt, verdighet og trygghet som vi gjør med større hunder, kan vi bidra til mer balansert og harmonisk atferd – uansett størrelse.

Ønsker du å vite mer om hundens språk? Kontakt oss for en atferdstime fullpakket av informasjon og forskning om hund og hundens språk og signaler

What is separation anxiety (SA)?

Separation anxiety are behaviors that dogs exhibit when left alone. A more accurate term would be separation-related behaviors, as these behaviors occur exclusively or are intensified in the owner's absence. These behaviors can range from barking, whining, and pacing to destructive behaviors, inappropriate elimination, and even self-harm. Your dog is desperately trying to escape a perceived danger - which is being without you.

How to I know if my dog has separation anxiety?

If your dog exhibits any of these behaviors only or primarily when left alone, it is very likely they are experiencing separation anxiety.

In separation-related issues, determining whether a dog feels fear or anxiety is difficult, as both trigger similar physiological responses. Luckily, the training method remains the same, focusing on increasing the dog's tolerance for being alone.

Is it my fault that my dog has separation anxiety?

It's common for owners to feel guilty about their dog's separation anxiety. It's crucial to understand that the cause is often multifactorial and not owner related. While genetics, early life experiences, and maternal influences play a role, an owner's actions do not directly cause separation anxiety. Instead of blaming yourself, focus on providing support for your dog and Contact us to get help implementing a training plan.

We will never suggest for you and your dog to train above your dog's threshold. Studies and learning theory tells us that it doesn't really work - It can create more fear and more anxiety without having an impact on your short and long term training objectives.

Aversive training methods, such as punishment or shock collars, are strongly discouraged for separation anxiety. These methods inflict fear and pain, potentially worsening the problem by creating negative associations with being alone as well as affecting your dog's memory, motivation and ability to learn new things.

What is desensitization, and how can it help my dog with separation anxiety?

Desensitization is a gradual process of exposing the dog to a low-intensity version of what it is afraid of - being home alone. By systematically and patiently working through a desensitization training plan that we tailor for your dog, you can help your dog build self-confidence and tolerance for being alone at home, while you can go out with a clear conscience knowing that your dog is fine being at home without you.

Dogs are carnivores ( and omnivores) and need a varied diet to support a long and healthy life. Just like us they are curious and enjoy variation and new experiences.
Always monitor your dog when they are eating. NEVER take the food away from your dog when they eat, this may lead to resource guarding. Make sure that the bowls are placed in such a way that the dog is comfortable standing and eating. Vary the height until you find the height that your dogs seems the most comfortable with. Make sure the dog can stand on a non-slip surface while eating.
Make sure your dog isn't hungry when you're doing learning activities with them. Hungry dog = zero concentration and often increased frustration. To feed a dog its meals from a slow feeder or a LickyMat can increase frustration, especially in puppies and adolescent dogs, but also in adult dogs.

How to easily feed raw and fresh food to your dog

• Meat, fish, vegetables are good. Small amounts of eggs and some grains are okay.
• Feed Meat , chicken, turkey, pork (pork needs cooking).
• Game and beef in variation can be cooked and made into minced meat.
• All Innards are good for your dog - and cheaper too!
• Boiled fish of all kinds and boiled veggies
• Vegetables should not make up more than 10% of a meal - you can feed broccoli, spinach, carrot, sweet potatoes,
  seaweed, beans, pumpkin, blueberries - you can blend the vegetables into a pure and add some spices and herbs ( I add a little
  bit of meat fond that I get from cooking out the frying pan with
  water after I cook some meat. Add it to the purèe to make it extra interesting - you can keep a batch of purèe in the fridge for a few days, or even put it in the freezer if you make a bigger batch.
• Cooked eggs a few times a week (in some countries like Norway it can be served raw since there's no Salmonella in the eggs). Egg whites are best digested when they are cooked.
• Feed little or no grains to your dog, just a few crumbles or leftovers from your own food.

Put all the ingredients in your dogs bowl and feed 2-3 times a day as follows:
Puppies: 3 times a day
Adults = 1-2 times a day

How much food does your dog need?

Puppies: up to 10% of their bodyweight a day reduce slowly as
they grow older
Adult dog: ca 1,5 - 2,5 % of their bodyweight a day
Add some nuts and seeds and herbs if you like - be sure to check first - as some nuts are poisonous to dogs!
You can add some spices for flavour - I like to add a little bit of turmeric to the meat and fish when I cook
meat for my dog, it's great for joint health and also helps reduce inflammation (for humans
as well).
The key is variation - add cartilage and bone like chicken feet, duck neck,
ox tail (for bigger dogs), rabbit ears (with fur if you can) - for small dogs, chicken
neck and feet, and rabbit ears, are an appropriate size. For big dogs - make sure you don't have a dog
that gobbles things, or eats inedible objects that can be unsafe. and no antlers! Ever!
How to feed raw bones to a dog:
https://dogsfirst.ie/raw-faq/how-to-feed-a-dog-bones/

So why is your dog pulling on the leash?

There could be a wide range of reasons to why your dog is pulling on the lead.

• Old habit
• Stress, pain, fearaggression, learned behaviour, disease
• A poorly ajusted harness or other equipment - your dog might be trying to get away from the discomfort of the equipment.
• Your dog doesn't like you, or is worried or afraid of you
• predatory behaviour or maybe females in heath nearby?
• Are you using a flexi lead?Your dog might be desensitised to the pulling as there's always tension on the lead.

There's always a reason, dogs just don't do things without a motivation behind it. The problem is - how do we find the reason, and what can we do to solve it?

How do you get your dog to stop pulling?

It may save you time and effort to take your dog to a dog behaviourist - we can assess and observe and help you find the reason as to why your dog is behaving the way they are. If stress and/or pain is the underlying reason, we need to look at our dog's entire life situation, not just the pulling behaviour. There are often issues that needs to be resolved prior to your dog being comfortable enough to really work on the pulling issue. When your dog is stress free, pain free and able to concentrate and learn, you can follow the steps below to practice your loose leash walking with your dog.

Start the training indoors in calm surroundings without much distractions. Train the attention sound that you'll later use outside on the walk. The goal with the attention sounds for the dog to give you their attention, not necessarily by looking (contact training) at you, but being attentive to you and ready to follow you when you turn, or follow other directions. You use operant onditioning to link the behaviour with a reward. the dog has to voluntarily offer you the behaviour of giving attention(ears listening, maybe stopping or pausing, moving in your direction - and then he gets the reward (treat praise etc). When you're nailing it indoors, you can move to a quiet spot outdoors until your dog nails it there as well, and then increase the difficulty by adding more distractions like dogs, people, birds, traffic. Eventually the dog will always be aware of you, and be attentive to your directions to the extent that all you need to do is change directions, and he'll follow. No attention sound, no yanking the lead, no cues needed other than you walking in a different direction. Doesn't that sound like a relaxing and calm walk?

Do you still find it hard to make loose leash walking work?

There are countless reasons for why you don't succeed with loose leash walking with your dog. It's always a good idea to talk to a professional trainer that know how to help you and your dog be successful. We're happy to help.

. Here's a list over a few of the most common mistakes a lot of people do (you're not alone): is being unclear when you train so that your dog does not understand what you want. Not being consistent is another one. Or that you change direction so often that the dog learns that if they just wait a little bit you will come back the other way again - because you only go a few steps the other way. If you train too often or too rarely it can also affect the result, or if you train when the dog is busy with something else or hungry. If your dog has high stress levels or underlying illnesses it can be difficult for you to teach your dog new things.

Walking on a loose leash is NOT the same as heeling!

Loose leash walking is not contact training where your dog needs to look you in the eyes. In the dog world a direct stare is considered to be rude and threathening. It's enough for our dog to either look in your direction, or too show with body language that they are paying attention to you. If you've previously trained your dog to stare at you and heel, untrain it now by not staring back, and look away until your dog gets fed up and does something else. For a dog it's uncomfortable and even painful to tilt his head to constantly look up at you. Just imagine how you feel after talking to someone on a plane, or in a meeting, where the people you talk to are seated next to you. Your neck hurts from tunring to the side. Still, many of us ask this from our dogs on walks. It may lead to other issues in your dog, like muscle tension, skewed weigh carrying, lameness, causing pain and discomfort for your dog - and stacking up Vet bills down the line!

Be Patient.

Sometimes it's one step forward and two steps back. Notice and celebrate your wins:-) Follow the recipe and do it correctly and your dog will be loose leash walking like a dream within a month or even weeks. This is off course, depending on no underlying issues that needs to be addressed first. if you suspect something else is going on

If you suspect something else is going on, please reach out to us, and we'll help you and your dog get moving in the right direction.

Have you ever counted the number of times you ask your dog to sit during a random day? When you get up in the morning and put on the harness to go our for a little stroll? Sit. Before breakfast is served? Sit. Maybe a chewbone before you leave the house? Sit. When you come home from work and she welcomes you in the hallway, tail wagging? Sit. You then put the harness on again to go for a little walk before dinner. Sit. You exit the staircase in the building, open the main entrance door downstairs. Sit. You open the door and go outside together.

During your walk you meet a little Yorkie, a good friend of your dog. The Guardian has a snack in her pocket and asks if she can give your dog a little treat? You say: "Yes, but only if she sits first". The owner asks your dog to Sit. She does, she gets a treat. on the way back home you ask your dog to Sit while you take the mail out of the mail box. You go inside, up the stairs. Sit. Take off the harness and enter tthe livingroom. You then go into the kitchen, she follows you - you tell her to go to her Place, and you start to make dinner. You cook sausages, cut off a small piece, ask her to come over and Sit. She does, and gets the treat. She remains there, staring loningly at the counter, stands up, gets a bit closer. You tell her to Sit again, she gets another piece of sausage. After your dinner you make her dinner. Sit. Stay. Stay. She eats it. After a while you go for your afternoon walk, same procedure, harness, Sit. Sit, open door, staircase, Sit, main door, outside. You walk around the block and you meet an acquaintance. you talk for a while, your dog would rather sniff something in the grass and pulls a little. You ask her to Sit.Wait. You go home, you sit on the couch, she want to join you. She gets a little bored after a while, you play together, you toss her favourite toy, she runs and gets it. Sit. Toss. retrieve. Sit.Toss. Retrieve and repeat. You go for an evening stroll. Harness on.Sit down.Door opens. Sit. Exit door, downstairs, Sit. Open main door, exit. Inside the house again it's time to go to bed. You climb into your bed, she sleeps by your side. "She has become a bit stiff in her body and hindlegs", you notice . "She can't always make the jump up to bed, as she used to", you think to yourself and lift her up to bed.

Dere går inn i stuen, hun følger deg inn på kjøkkenet. Du kommandere henne på plassen sin, og begynner på middagen din . Du lager pølser, skjærer av en liten bit og ber henne om å komme bort til deg. Sitt. Hun får godbiten og blir sittende å se lengselsfullt på pølsene på benken. Hun reiser seg og kommer litt nærmere. Du gir henne en pølsebit til. Sitt. Etter middagen din er ferdig lager du middag til henne. Sitt. Vent. Bli. Hun spiser, og dere gjør dere klare til å gå ut på ettermiddagstur, samme rutine som vanlig. Sele. Sitt. Døren, Sitt, ned trappen, Sitt og ut døren.

Dere går rundt kvartalen og møter en du kjenner, dere snakker litt sammen, hunden din vil helst snuse på noe i veikanten og trekker litt i båndet. Sitt. Vent. Dere går hjem, du setter deg i sofaen, hun vil komme opp til deg. Sitt, Fot og Hopp opp. Utover kvelden kjeder hun seg litt, dere leker sammen, du kaster favorittbamsen og hun henter den til deg. Sitt. Kast. Sitt. Kast. Sitt. Kast. Du gjemmer noen godbiter rundt omkring i stuen. Sitt. Let. Kvelden fortsetter. Sitt. hopp opp. Hopp ned. Sitt. Bli . Tannpuss for dere begge, du vasker potene hennes mens hun sitter på gulvet. Kveldstur – Sitt. Du tar på henne selen, åpner døren til leiligheten. Sitt. Dere går ned trappen, ned til utgangsdøren i blokken. Sitt. Du åpner døren og dere går ut sammen.

Vel inne igjen er det på tide å gå til sengs. Du går opp i sengen din, hun får lov å sove sammen med deg. Du syns hun er blitt veldig stiv i kroppen, hun klarer ikke å hoppe opp i sengen selv lenger. Mindre spenst i bakbena og litt kraftløs, tenker du og løfter henne opp i sengen din.

Think through what you and your dog do during a day. Does your dog really need to sit for a treat, for a sausage, for dinner, for meets outside, for harnesses? Many dogs and some breeds more than others 8like greyhounds and long legged dogs and puppies) are uncomfortable sitting both inside, and outside. in combination with slippery floors, it can be strenuous. Add the strain of excessive ball throwing (for some dogs), frisbee, running, fast pace walking - there are many activities that strains the muscles and joins for a dog.

If your dog wants to sit - then let her. If she'd rather stand or lie down, let her. If she prefers standing when you throw the toys, that's great. Sit is often an unnecessary level of administration and adds to the number of commands your dog gets in a day . It can also reduce the dogs sense of self determination while adding extra tention to your joints and muscle.

So how important is it for you that your dog sits? Maybe it's perfectly fine that she does whatever is the most comfortable for her:-)