[kyle]

Hi all,

So its been a long time since ive been here. My little mini turned 11 in May and Im starting to see his behaviors change.

1. He isnt eating as much as he used to. He has been picky eater, but now he only wants to eat People food, like chicken and some steak if I make it. So its not that hes not eating, he is just not interested much. If I leave his food out, he will pick throughout the day. THoughts?

2. He has become more clingy lately. Every room I am in, ill turn around and there he is looking at me. He has always been somewhat clingy, but now its just seems more then usual.

3. He doesnt like to go for walks like he used to, especially if I take him on hiking trail, which he use to love, he just stops after 3 min and wants to go back to the car. However, he will do the regular walk down the street.

4. the other odd thing I noticed, he loves to lay in his crate (open) . He goes there to chill out with me. But over the last week he has been lying right outside the family room and lying on a towel. Im not sure if the air conditioner is to cold for him or if its something I should be concerned with.

sorry for all the questions, some of it I am assuming he just getting older and I wont force him to do something he doesnt want to do, but some of the stuff, im not sure if its something I should be concerned with and I am just worried over nothing.

Heres my little guy, his name is murphy. He is my everything.

 

[Raindrops]

Your little guy is very cute! You may want to consult a vet about possible orthopedic issues that may be causing discomfort and reducing his mobility. There are some supplements that can improve joint health and reduce inflammation.

 

[Liz]

Hello to you and Murphy! What a loving face he has. I feel your pain. My standard, Mia, is 10 years old, and even though I still think of her as a puppy - bursting with playful energy! - I'm reminded every morning that she's actually an old lady when I give her medication for osteoarthritis.

Two things come to mind when reading your list of changes: (1) like Raindrops said, he might have some joint pain. Mia takes Gabapentin for her osteoarthritis, and Rimadyl is often prescribed for other issues.

(2) He might have a harder time than usual regulating body temperature. It's far too hot outdoors, but sometimes too cold indoors, and I've noticed her curled up extra tight into a ball to keep warm.

One last thought: As he ages, you want to preserve Murphy's mobility by keeping him moving, but pay attention to the signs that he's had enough. For most of Mia's life I've been fortunate enough to take her hiking nearly every day. Over the last year I've had to shorten our routes. We did about 6 miles in December, but 4.5 was pushing her limits in April. I have to consciously pay attention to how she's faring on our hikes to make sure I don't push her too far. That said, our vet reminds me every visit that keeping her active as she ages is the best thing I can do for her. It's a balancing act between keeping her active but not overexerting herself.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

What a cute little poodle. These all do sound like normal senior behaviours, but it's good to do annual checkups at that age, to rule out anything painful, serious, and/or treatable.

With Gracie, pain caused her to be clingy up to a point, but when it got really bad she would "disappear" into her own little world and avoid contact. The biggest culprit for her was dental issues, with spinal issues being a close second.

Letting go of our walking routine was tough, but we eventually adapted. We'd use a wagon to get her to her favourite park and beach spots, so she could enjoy the best bits without over-exerting herself. Senior dogs are usually very happy with a little sniff and wander, and then content to just take in the world while they lounge.

Please give Murphy a snuggle from me. He looks like such a sweet boy.

 

[Rose n Poos]

Oh, Murphy, you are adorable!

I've been pretty lucky with my senior mini's in that serious issues didn't come up for several years past Murphy's age.
We kept them as active as reasonable and when we found out about Rimadyl (and now Gapapentin too) and started giving it per our vet, the comfort it gave them back really helped them stay active longer and just generally more interested.

We also noticed the chilling (the temp regulation thing happens with humans also) so we got little lightweight cotton t-shirts for warmer weather and cotton sweatshirts for cooler weather. That also helped with their overall comfort.

 

[kyle]

Your little guy is very cute! You may want to consult a vet about possible orthopedic issues that may be causing discomfort and reducing his mobility. There are some supplements that can improve joint health and reduce inflammation.

thank you, i will. I was wondering about that. He still jumps off the bed though, so I kept thinking that wasnt it. But who knows. Ill have him checked.

 

[kyle]

Hello to you and Murphy! What a loving face he has. I feel your pain. My standard, Mia, is 10 years old, and even though I still think of her as a puppy - bursting with playful energy! - I'm reminded every morning that she's actually an old lady when I give her medication for osteoarthritis.

Two things come to mind when reading your list of changes: (1) like Raindrops said, he might have some joint pain. Mia takes Gabapentin for her osteoarthritis, and Rimadyl is often prescribed for other issues.

(2) He might have a harder time than usual regulating body temperature. It's far too hot outdoors, but sometimes too cold indoors, and I've noticed her curled up extra tight into a ball to keep warm.

One last thought: As he ages, you want to preserve Murphy's mobility by keeping him moving, but pay attention to the signs that he's had enough. For most of Mia's life I've been fortunate enough to take her hiking nearly every day. Over the last year I've had to shorten our routes. We did about 6 miles in December, but 4.5 was pushing her limits in April. I have to consciously pay attention to how she's faring on our hikes to make sure I don't push her too far. That said, our vet reminds me every visit that keeping her active as she ages is the best thing I can do for her. It's a balancing act between keeping her active but not overexerting herself.

it is a balancing act. I stopped the hikes because i wasnt going to force him, but ive kept the walk down the street to the park. he knows exactly where he is going and knows how long the walk is. I think thats why he is more eager to go. I was wondering about the temp thing for my dog as he got older. It could just be that simple.

 

[kyle]

What a cute little poodle. These all do sound like normal senior behaviours, but it's good to do annual checkups at that age, to rule out anything painful, serious, and/or treatable.

With Gracie, pain caused her to be clingy up to a point, but when it got really bad she would "disappear" into her own little world and avoid contact. The biggest culprit for her was dental issues, with spinal issues being a close second.

Letting go of our walking routine was tough, but we eventually adapted. We'd use a wagon to get her to her favourite park and beach spots, so she could enjoy the best bits without over-exerting herself. Senior dogs are usually very happy with a little sniff and wander, and then content to just take in the world while they lounge.

Please give Murphy a snuggle from me. He looks like such a sweet boy.

He is the best, i love him to death. I was wondering if the clingy stuff is related to covid because ive been home so much and still working from home, so he got used to me always being home. I notice when i leave, he becomes more anxious then ever before. Hes a great little dog.

Dental problems is big problem for Murph also. I take a little responsible for that, as I didnt always keep up with his dental hygiene, i just let the groomer do it when I brought him. Then the vet told me a while ago that at this point it wasnt worth even brushing him everyday... I felt judged...

 

[kyle]

just want to thank everyone for commenting, i knew if I came here Id feel better. Im going to bring him to the vet for a checkup. It cant hurt. I know he hates to go and I hate to put him through it, but at this point, even though I think im being overly cautious, i rather know. Thanks for showing me your poodles, they are all so cute.

Its funny, I never wanted a poodle, only cause I considered them 'sissy' dogs (just being honest) but due to my allergies, I figured a poodle is better then no dog. But I got to tell you, this guy has brought me so much joy, you cant even imagine. Plus, he's the smartest dog I ever had. I swear he is part human. He was able to pick up everything in such a shot amount of time. He is truly amazing and I cant believe how misinformed I was about this breed.

 

[Dianaleez]

Please come back and let us know how things are going for you and Murph.

Joint meds gave our senior dogs added enjoyable years, so I hope that's an option for you. There are electric dog pad beds that are safe for older dogs. You might ask your vet about one.

 

[Raindrops]

Things that I would be giving at that age include Green Lipped Mussel (powdered or whole), Turmeric, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and collagen. These will help with joint health and associated discomfort.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Has your little guy had any teeth extracted? It might be time. Gracie was around 11 when she went in for a single extraction and ended up having approximately a dozen pulled. After that surgery, even in the pain of recovery, it was like she was years younger! I realized she'd been quietly in pain for a very long time.