Yes, definitely. Without a doubt, a dog becoming less active is a critical sign that something's not right. You do need to get them to your veterinarian as soon as possible. The possibilities could be pain, becoming anemic, and heart problems. There are so many possibilities why a dog becomes less active, so bring them in.

I recommend that senior dogs avoid jumping and twisting behaviors like playing ball, which can be rough when you think about how the dog runs and then slams on the brakes and turns and twists. I'm not a fan of frisbee throwing for any dog age, as well as running alongside a bicycle. I think there are very few dogs that can do that safely without getting overheated or injuring themselves. It's not a good exercise method. I do think there are a few dogs that do that really well, but it's very rare. Again, for senior dogs, regular and moderate exercise is the best.

Senior dogs just want to be with us. If a dog is used to getting a daily walk, and he's at the age of 15, 16, or 17, he still wants to go out, sniff around, and feel like a dog. So making sure that he has those things to stimulate his brain and give him a high quality of life is really important.

It's so important. I tell my clients it is the most important thing you can do for them to have the longest life possible. You have total control over keeping them thin and giving them moderate daily exercise. A healthy diet is essential too. Those are three of the most important things. I highly recommend daily exercise for your senior pet, but it has to be regular and moderate.

Every dog is different, but I will tell you, I have dogs that are as old as 14, and my own personal dog was a standard poodle that lived to be 15 and a half, and he had a daily walk. Of course, he ran four miles a day with me when he was younger, but dogs that are kept thin and healthy and have a daily or every other day exercise routine can exercise well into their senior years. What we do not want to do with a senior dog is have the kid come home from college, and you have a 12-year-old lab, and he takes them out for a run. That is going to be terrible for this dog. We see it all the time, and it's well-meaning, but this dog's joints will wind up severely inflamed the next day. I have seen dogs die from heat exhaustion because someone came home and said, "I'm going to take the dog for a run." This dog does not have the fitness to do that. With an older dog, we need to be gradual or regular and moderate regarding fitness. That's what I tell my clients. They need a regular moderate exercise routine. If you're going to be gone for two weeks and the dog's not getting the exercise, when you come back, slowly build back up to where you were before.

You want to see someone that isn't yanking a dog around, being aggressive with them. If they're punishing the dog a lot, that's not where I would want my dogs to go. You want to put them in a loving environment. How would you pick a school for your child? You don't want the teachers to be mean to your child for no reason. There are rules that they have to follow, but you want your dog to be in a safe environment to learn.