Oldies But Goldies

Having a Purpose as a Senior Dog

Dogs have superpowered noses – they’ve got up to 300 million scent receptors, while we humans only have about six million! Plus, the part of their brain that processes smells is 40 times bigger than ours, meaning they can pick up and analyze scents in a way we can’t even imagine.

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell—so strong, in fact, that while we might notice a teaspoon of sugar in our coffee, a dog could pick out that same amount in two Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to dog-cognition researcher Alexandra Horowitz in her book Inside of a Dog. Imagine catching a whiff of one rotten apple among two million barrels—that’s the super-sensing power of a dog’s nose!

But as dogs (and us humans) get older, their senses naturally start to slow down. That said, there’s no reason to stop trailing with your senior dog! Keeping them active can actually help them stay healthier and live longer. We've had dogs as old as 15 years old still happily trailing with us, and they’re loving every minute! Just because they’re older doesn’t mean they don’t want to stay engaged and have fun.

With senior dogs, the trails might be shorter, and they might not find the target as quickly, but having a purpose—something that taps into their natural sniffing skills—keeps them feeling good. Mantrailing is easy on aging joints, like those with arthritis, because it doesn’t require them to jump or climb. They just get to follow their noses, doing what they’re naturally built to do.

Mantrailing is a great way to keep your dog’s mind and body active, which makes for a happier, more fulfilled senior pup!

Contact your local Mantrailing Global Instructor to get your golden oldie off the couch and out trailing!