Dog advice

[Rine]

My dog is about 11 years old and he's a German Shep/something mix. He's been an inside dog now for about five years despite his size. He's generally a good dog, but I think old age is getting to him. This is my first dog and I've owned him since he was about 6 months old. So, I'm looking for old dog advice.

He liked to chew things when he was a pup but I trained him out of that. Ten long years have passed and he hasn't chewed up anything. One week ago, he chewed up my headphones. I thought this was just a random thing and didn't do much. Yesterday...yesterday he somehow got my glasses off of my bedstand and CHEWED them. My glasses that I need to function in life. I was so ticked off at him, but thankful that the glass of the lenses didn't break and hurt him. Thank god I still have my old pair of glasses that are missing one arm but are still wearable if I don't move my head too much. (also the prescription for those glasses is about five years old, ergh.) Today he chewed up one of my shoes.

Why is he doing this? I give him plenty of attention and walk him three times a week. I know he gets enough food and he has water and I put him out when he needs to be put out. I've upped the attention/play time.

Also, I think he's going blind because his eyes have a strange milky look to them. He moves slower these days and groans a lot.

So. Any advice about these problems and general old doggie advice would be greatly appreciated.

[DarthRetard]

for energy, give him a little vitamin b-12. that'll get him going and it's all healthy and natural.

[Seshat]

Take him to a vet, he's probably got mouth, tooth or gum trouble. Chewing is easing an ache or a pain in his mouth.

Any major change in behaviour is probably a sign of something changing in his body. Mostly, he'll slow down and be more of a lazy boy as he ages. But keep an eye out for changes in his toilet habits - they'll probably also mean it's vet time, if only to screen for potentially serious conditions.

You should talk to the vet about his changing needs as he ages, while you're in there getting his mouth looked at.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Does his dental health look at all questionable to you (i.e., bloody gums, REALLY bad breath beyond what's normal for dogs, etc.)? If so, get him to a vet - sometimes animals will resort to chewing behaviors for health reasons.

If not, I'm afraid I wouldn't know what else could be causing it. :( Good luck.

[Chanlin]

Animals can go senile as well and fall back on old habbits.

I will echo the sentiment that it is more than likely dental. Both of my old dogs did this and in both cases they were having tooth/mouth issues.

My good friends older dog just practically unlearned every learned behavior for no apparent reason other than he was getting old and senile.

Either way I would say the vet visit is good advice.

[Diablo]

If he is having problems getting around, sore joints popping when he takes stairs, there are fantastic pills (I'm afraid I forget what they are called) that worked wonders for my Border Collie (she went on to live a couple extra years comfortably). I remember they had a very distinct alfalfa smell to them. She literally went from barely able to move, to getting around like a new pup. Ask your vet and he/she will know exactly what I'm talking about as they are common treatment for joint pain. A few times I thought about trying them myself after a long day of work... The cloudy eyes are a normal symptom of old age although they can also be a sign of cataracs. Also, dogs, like humans can display signs of dementia with old age which could explain the sudden restart of old bad habits. Any change in habits, such as wetting in doors or sudden behavior changes should be investigated. Working breeds, like your German Shepard and my Border Collie, tend to age pretty rapidly. I suggest you just get a check up for your dog. If your anything like me, you find any excuse not to spend money on your health but the minute your pet is sick, it's a four alarm emergency...

[DarthRetard]

Diablo, I believe you may be talking about Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements. Those are great to take for joint pain and cartilage rebuilding. They actually have those and multivitamin supplements at GNCs and im sure other pet stores.

[Pedersen]

Diablo, were those pills glucosamine pills by any chance?

[myswtghst]

I'd generally agree with a lot of what was said here, especially dental concerns. It's similar to teething behavior in young'uns, in that it seems to soothe the pain. Heck, I even chewed on toothbrushes when I had my braces tightened.

In the meantime, make sure you try to put things he might go after or that you can't live without where he can't reach them, and maybe get him a bone or some kind of toy specifically for him to chew on - praise him when he chews that, so he knows that this one particular item is good for him to chew, whereas others are not.

Good luck!

[Diablo]

To be honest, I can't recall; my border collie died about four years ago. I just remembered the strong smell and how it worked wonders. Funny pet story...Know those invisible fence systems? My dog Sam would "herd" cars so we got one to stop her from getting hurt. Basically it buzzes a warning if she was too close and shock her if she was over the line. And the batteries would last about 4 months...assuming your dog isn't smart enough to figure it out. Never fail, you walk outside and hear a buzzing noise. Sam would simply be sitting in the front yard, just within the buzzing zone, waiting for the second that buzzing stopped. I don't know how but the dog figured out that by sitting were it buzzed, it would eventually kill the battery. It wasn't that she liked the sound, because as soon as it stopped working, she darted across the line like a bat out of hell (I saw it in person twice) and we finally had to admit that fencing in a couple of acres was cheaper than buying specialty batteries every two weeks. I swear, that dog could balance a checkbook if she could get around holding a pen. She was smarter than my current roommate (and had better grooming habits). Man, pets are the best...

[Seshat]

Your vet will be able to help you teach your darling that these things are for her to chew, and those things aren't. You can also clean her teeth yourself - either with a toothbrush or just with your finger and doggie toothpaste. (My dog LOVES doggie toothpaste.)

If you end up getting a Kong, there are Kong recipes online - stuffing a Kong and giving it to her can keep her occupied for hours.

[Boozy]

Why is he doing this? I give him plenty of attention and walk him three times a week.

He needs to get out far more often than 3 times a week. Dogs will go stir crazy. Its not natural for them to be inside all day, even if they don't appear to mind. It will manifest itself in odd behaviour.

Because he's an old dog, a short walk every day is fine. If you would normally take him out three times a week for half an hour, try taking him out once a day for 15 minutes.

He doesn't remember that long jaunt the two of you went on a few days ago. He only knows that he's feeling edgy and anxious today.

Edited to add: Even if you have a large backyard, its just not the same mentally for a dog as a walk. Just as you don't consider hanging around in your yard to be "going out", neither does your dog. Its just an extension of his kennel to him.

[iradney]

I walk the muttock for an hour a day. It's fun for him AND me, coz I'm plugged into my music, and good for letting the mind unwind. And of course, he pees the neighbourhood flat.

If it's a case of itchy gums, and not really tooth rot or anything problematic, you can also try giving him something soft and cold to chew on. I would use old dishclothes, tie them in knots, soak them in water, freeze and give them to the Hopper to chew on when he was teething.

[Rine]

Thank you all for the good advice. I will bring this up with my vet the next time I see them, hopefully later in the week. He actually goes to the vet often because he has severe allergies to fleas/grass and what not.

I know I should probably walk him more and in the past, it used to be nearly everyday. But honestly (and this is going to sound awful) I don't have as much time to do it these days, between working two jobs and going to school full time. :o

I went out this morning and bought him a new chew toy and when I came home to find him chewing on a screwdriver, I replaced it with the toy. He seems happy right now.

Thanks everyone!

[Saydrah]

As a large, elderly dog, he is more than likely experiencing both dental pain and a regression to puppylike behavior due to aging. Many dogs seem to turn back into puppies in some ways when they get old- it is a form of dementia. The best thing you can do for him is to take care of the dental issues and to make his old age comfortable- if he's acting like a puppy, go back to what worked as a puppy. As much exercise as he can physically handle, lots of appealing chew toys, always fill a Kong with frozen broth or peanut butter or somesuch when you have to leave him home alone.

You might ask your vet about a daily natural supplement for pain relief- there are many out there that are safe and, while they don't control pain as well as the pharmaceuticals, they can help to alleviate the discomfort that comes with aging. Chewing is sometimes a sign of general stress or pain, not just dental pain- dogs can, in a way, self-hypnotize by chewing, and distract themselves from other stressors. That's why destructive chewing often comes with separation anxiety- it helps alleviate boredom, stress, and pain.