In this week's issue, here's what we are sniffing out

• The signs of aging your dog can't tell you about - and the three numbers from a new report by Maven Pet

• Why "he's just getting old" is the sentence that hides the most

• What you can monitor at home to help

Learning to listen

If you've loved an old dog, if you’ve read my past newsletters, you already know our senior dogs don't complain the way we'd expect them to. They don't limp until pain is really bad. They don’t say no to walks, or meals. They adjust quietly, gradually, until one morning we finally do notice something is different, but can't quite say when it started.

This month a veterinarian who studies health data from thousands of dogs monitored at home via Maven Pet put words to something many of us have experienced: the hardest part of caring for an aging dog isn't what we can see. It's everything he isn't showing. By the time a senior dog looks like he's struggling, he's often been quietly compensating for weeks. And when we see the changes, we sometimes still don’t know what to tell the vet, because it’s just a gut feeling we have.

Her team compared a full year of data from senior dogs against younger ones, and three numbers popped out. Water drinking time nearly doubled by the senior years. Daily active time dropped by more than a third. And resting breathing crept up almost 13% - all of that even in dogs with no diagnosed illness at all. These weren't sick dogs. They were just old dogs, changing at a level under the surface that was difficult to perceive.

Every one of those signals is something you can monitor at home, without a single test. Some of these I’ve taught you before, and a few are new:

Four things that genuinely help:

1. Watch him sleep. Once a week, just watch him rest for a few minutes. You'll learn his normal - and the night he can't get comfortable, or gets up again and again, will stand out.

2. Count his sleeping breaths. A relaxed, sleeping dog usually takes fewer than 30 breaths a minute. Learn his number now, while he's well, so a change actually tells you something later. Remember, each breath is one full rise AND fall of the chest.

3. Notice the drinking. A senior dog who suddenly drinks more isn't just thirsty - more water can be one of the earliest indicators of kidney, thyroid, or other changes. It's worth a vet conversation even when nothing else seems wrong.

4. Watch the recovery, not just the walk. If your dog starts needing recovery time after walks, shorten them. If you think he’s in pain, if he refuses walks, or he needs a longer recovery period after them, see the vet. The goal is to manage pain and just as importantly, keep him moving! Movement helps work stiffness out of joints, maintain muscle strength, and stimulate the brain.

And please - don't let "he's just getting old" be the end of the sentence. It's the phrase that hides the most. Getting old isn't a diagnosis. It's a reason to look closer, not to stop looking.

A word for groomers

We see these dogs on a schedule, which means we catch the changes in flip-book form - a little different every six or eight weeks, in a way the people who live with them can't always see. Owners are balancing busy lives with the increasing demands of old-dog care. It’s a lot. Take a moment to ask them these questions: Is he sleeping well? Having bad nights? Any changes in his breathing or water drinking? Is he still interested in walks and recovering well from them? All of this is information that can help you manage his grooms more safely and comfortably. And if the owner doesn’t have answers for you, chances are good they will pay attention to those things after you’ve asked the questions. Knowledge is power.

🐶 Sniffing Out Senior Dog News 📰

🎙️ I joined poodle expert Karin on the Poodle People podcast to talk senior dog care through a groomer's lens - spotting pain and behavior changes, adapting technique for aging skin and joints, and why groomers are often the first to catch a health issue. Give it a listen: Caring for Senior Dogs: Grooming Tips and Insights from Angela Dinsmoor

🐾 Catch this Pet CHEK segment on senior dog Buddy - plus a timely warning on summer BBQ dangers that are sending pets to emergency vets. Worth a watch before your next cookout: Pet CHEK: Senior Dog Buddy and Summer BBQ Dangers

🍦 A sweet one for the newsletter: this 12-year-old dog's love of vanilla ice cream is credited with saving his life. ABC News' Danny New has the story: Senior dog goes out of his way for ice cream

Senior Dog Meme of the Week

About the Author

Angela Dinsmoor is the Founder of Grey Whiskers and a passionate advocate for senior dogs and the people who love them. With years of hands-on grooming experience and a deep commitment to compassionate, age-appropriate care, Angela created Grey Whiskers to raise the standard for senior dog grooming through education, certification, and community. Her mission is simple: help senior dogs live more comfortably. To join the free Grey Whiskers Community for professionals and owners, click here.