Running Like a 10 Year Old

People are always amazed when I tell them how old Reilly is - " He's almost 10"  "TEN REALLY??" They always reply in shocked tones, despite the fact that he's now getting a lot of visible gray in his muzzle.  He looks GOOD for his age.  He's lithe and happy and I think the quirky ear helps.

I am always shocked when people with older dogs ( double digits) act like it's a death sentence.  " Oh my dog is 10- she's so old, she can barely walk" - Why is that?  My dog at 10 is running 3 day agility trials and loving every minute of it.  Even if he wasn't doing agility,  he is unstoppable at home - jumping over bushes in a single bound, running laps around our property, catching frisbees, and tormenting me and my husband when he can't go outside and play because it's too dark and/or wet.

Why should age be a factor in how our dogs act or feel?  Sure he might have some arthritis, but there are ways to combat that.  There are simple, inexpensive medicines that can help our dogs feel comfortable.  There are some more expensive ways to help with things like that, but they aren't always an option for everyone.  They best and least expensive thing you can do for your aging dog is excercise and GOOD nutrition.  Double digits should not be a death sentence.