Rework the walk, don't cancel it
Three fifteen-minute walks beat one forty-five-minute walk for an arthritic dog. Keep the sniffing — scent work tires an older dog mentally without loading the joints. Flat, even ground matters more than scenery: canal paths, promenades and park loops beat hill trails and shingle beaches.
In Irish winters, cold and damp stiffen older joints fast. Walk in the warmest part of the day, dry the dog properly afterwards, and use a coat for thin-coated breeds.
Signs the walk is now too long
Watch for these on the way home rather than at the start:
- Lagging behind on the return leg when they led on the way out
- Stiffness or a limp appearing the next morning
- Sitting or lying down mid-walk
- Panting out of proportion to the temperature
- Reluctance at the door when the lead comes out
Medication handovers
Most senior dogs are on something — anti-inflammatories, thyroid tablets, heart medication. Write it down rather than saying it at the door. A sitter should get the drug name, dose, time, whether it goes with food, and what to do about a missed dose.
On PawPals, put this in the booking notes so it is on the record for both sides, and keep the vet's number in the same place.
Home comfort
Orthopaedic bedding off the floor and away from draughts, non-slip runners on tiled and laminate floors, raised bowls for dogs with neck or shoulder pain, and night lighting for failing eyesight. Cognitive decline shows up as night pacing and confusion in familiar rooms — worth a vet conversation rather than accepting it as "just old age".
Boarding an older dog
Home boarding suits senior dogs much better than kennels: quieter, warmer, no concrete run, and someone in the house overnight. Look for a sitter who will keep your dog's routine rather than impose theirs, and who is comfortable administering medication.