I love all dogs, but old dogs have a special place. Doesn’t everybody’s heart melt when they see a mugshot of a greying, grizzly old pooch? After all, if we’re lucky, all of our dogs will be senior dogs one day. In the photo, you can see my girl Maisie has the grey muzzle now of an 8-year-old dog, but her energy and heart are as young as springtime.

Your dog’s physical needs will change when they technically are considered a senior, which is when they turn 7.There are symptoms to look out for and ways to manage their older dog needs, thereby improving the quality of their lives as well as extending the time they have left with you.

I hope to encourage people to consider adopting a senior dog – they have so much love and gratitude to give in their golden years.

I also want to salute and cheer-lead for the amazing Senior Dog Heroes and Heroines who have created Senior Dog rescues and sanctuaries around the country. Follow them on social media, support them with donations, see what resident dogs need a home, and volunteer if you live nearby.