Life With Old Dogs Podcast

If you are a dog parent, you want to make sure that your furry friend is healthy and happy. One way to achieve this is by feeding your dog real food alongside their kibble. Trust me; I get it. Sometimes it's hard to cook a decent meal for ourselves, let alone our dog, but cooking for your dog is not as hard as it seems. In fact, it can be a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your p...

As a dog owner, you want the best for your furry friend. One of the most important aspects of their health is their diet, and deciphering dog food labels can be difficult. However, knowing what to look for on a label can help you spot the good from the bad. Firstly, pay attention to the ingredients list. The first few ingredients should be high-quality protein sources such as chicken or beef. Avoi...

When it comes to choosing the right food for your dog, there are many different variations available on the market today.  Kibble, canned foods, freeze-dried, dehydrated, commercial brand raw/raw, and home-cooked diets all come with their own set of pros and cons.  For example, kibble is the most popular form of dog food and often the most affordable. The pros of kibble include convenience, ease o...

As dogs age, their nutritional needs change. Just like humans, older dogs require a balanced diet that supports their aging bodies. Proper nutrition can help older dogs maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as arthritis and diabetes, improve digestion and cognitive function, and even increase energy levels. And while commercial dog food can be a convenient option, and...

Losing a pet can be one of the most difficult experiences a person can go through. The grief associated with pet loss can take many forms, from sadness to guilt and even anger. While the grieving process is never easy, understanding the stages of pet loss grief can be an important first step in navigating these emotions and beginning to heal. By being aware of the common stages of pet loss grief,...

Saying goodbye to your beloved fur friend is one of the most difficult tasks a dog owner has to face. Euthanasia is an emotional and heartbreaking process, but it can also be a peaceful and dignified way to honor your dog's life. Understanding what to expect during euthanasia can help make this transition easier for both you and your fur friend. This podcast will provide an overview of the pr...

Bidding farewell to an aging dog we cherish is always a challenging task, and determining when it's time to make that heart-wrenching decision can be quite daunting. As a dog's health deteriorates, pet owners must discern whether it's the right moment to assist their furry companion in crossing the rainbow bridge, but this judgment is not always straightforward. In the accompanying...

The number one question I get asked is, "How do you know when it's time to say goodbye to my fur friend?" That can be a slippery question because sometimes it is not that cut and dry. If you find yourself in a situation where your older dog has cancer and death is imminent, then it's time to say goodbye. But what about when your older fur friend is fading away? How do we know w...

In this final episode of season 5, I answer 10 questions asked by you fine folks. And they were some good questions! Thanks so much for participating. Hopefully, I was able to answer all the questions to your satisfaction. :) I'm also leaving some information here for other blog posts and podcasts where we covered (in-depth) some of the answers to questions asked. 1) https://www.wpsgss.org/po...

Food is the building block of our bodies, and it's no different for your older German Shepherd.  And we will eventually get sick if we pack our bodies with heavily processed, sugar-laden, carby junk.  And it's the same for our dogs. Kibble is like cereal, and we don't eat at every meal thinking we will be healthy as a result, so why do we think that our older German Shepherd is gonn...

Just because your German Shepherd is older doesn't necessarily mean he wants to lay around all day, letting life pass him by. And you shouldn't want that for him either because it's not healthy. Our older German Shepherds get bored doing the same thing day after day, week after week. And like us, they look forward to a little diversity in their day that provides them with mental sti...

Just because our German Shepherds are older doesn't mean they don't benefit from being clean and groomed. Like us, they want to be clean. They feel better when they are clean. And when they feel better, we feel better. Regular grooming is also beneficial because it's a great time to really go over your older German Shepherd to check for any new lumps and bumps or scabs that won&apos...

This week we had special guest Colleen Mimnaugh from KM Fitness & Nutrition on to talk with us about being as healthy as possible, especially while caring for our senior German Shepherds. Colleen has a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and a Master's Degree in Community Nutrition. She is also a certified National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer (NASM-CPT). Coll...

Being the best you can be in terms of physical health  Should be a priority no matter what, but it's especially important if you're caring for an older German Shepherd. It's no secret that German Shepherds are large dogs. And it's also no secret that as they age, many succumb to mobility issues, whether it be Degenerative Myelopathy, hip dysplasia, or arthritis. When our older...

In this Podcast, we cover how your diet affects your overall mental and physical health and the impact your dietary choices have not only on yourself but your ability to care for your older German Shepherd. No judgment, folks. I'm not about shaming anyone. I'm just stating what I have seen in my own personal life and how when I  don't eat well, my overall health and wellness plunge....

In this episode of the #lifewitholddogs podcast, we take a look at the importance of keeping a positive mental well-being while caring for our older German Shepherds. As our German Shepherds age, they may require more hands-on care due to disease, illness, or mobility issues.  All of which will require more of your time and energy. When we reach the stage of hospice care, caregiving can consume mo...

Welcome back to the #lifewitholddogs podcast. With season 5, we have a big change, and that is that we will also be videoing the podcast for you to view on YouTube. You can watch it here >> https://youtu.be/68-hMvNqQEs If you like our YouTube videos, please be sure to like and share. Remember, sharing is caring :) Audio will still be on all major Podcast platforms, Facebook and Instagram, as...

Hey there, folks. This is the last episode of season 4, Degenerative Myelopathy. This season we spoke to the fine folks of Shade out DM and shined a spotlight on their mission to bring awareness to Degenerative Myelopathy and the need for further research, so that we have a better understanding of the disease, what we can do to help our fur friends should they be diagnosed with the disease, and ho...

This week we chat with Molly Cooke of Bubba's Buddies. Molly and her husband saw a need to raise awareness and find a cure for Degenerative Myelopathy when their dog, Bubba was diagnosed with DM and Bubba's Buddies was born. Bubba's Bubbies, a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization partners with NC Veterinary Hospital, MU College of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, and Ohio State Univ...

This week our guest is Mark C. Robinson of Walkin' Pets by Handicapped Pets. Mark founded Walkin' Pets 2001 in memory of Mercedes, a slightly epileptic Keeshond who was put to sleep before her time because Mark didn’t know any better, and had no way to find out more. There mission: " We believe that pets are family and that elderly, disabled, and handicapped pets deserve to live a h...

This week I had the pleasure of talking with Marc Halprin  of Dr. HempDog CBD Oil, a top notch company whose mission is to provide our fur friends with  the very best CBD products grown from the finest plants with organic practices and  superior extraction methods.   Marc tells us all about his  wonderful dog Coool and how he struggled with mobility issues until he was given CBD products, which he...

This week we had the pleasure of talking with Tauni Beckmann of Shade Out DM, an organization whose mission is to raise awareness about Degenerative Myelopathy while also offering a support group on Facebook to any canine parents that are having to take the DM journey with their fur friend. Tauni tells us all about her sweet Corgi, KC, who had DM, and how her and her team now raise awareness and f...

This season (season 4) we are taking a deep dive into Degenerative Myelopathy which  is a common, merciless neurological disorder in senior German Shepherds that surfaces anywhere between 7 and 14 years of age and is seen more in males than females. It is a slow, progressive spinal cord disorder similar to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in humans, which starts with a loss of balance and coord...

If your senior German Shepherd has been feeling a little off lately, it's possible that he or she may be suffering from hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a condition that causes the thyroid gland to underproduce thyroid hormone, which then causes the metabolism to slow. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can result in weight gain, lethargy, and a host of other health problems.  In this #LifeWi...

Perianal fistula, also known as anal furunculosis , is a serious medical condition that causes chronic inflammation and ulcerative, tunnel-like lesions of the perianal tissues surrounding a dog's anus. It starts as tiny holes in the dog's skin in the anus area and then evolves into deep tunnel-like lesions until the anus is consumed entirely. Perianal fistula is relatively common among s...