# question on age



## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I've been looking at the rescues around here and have noticed a, to me, strange thing. It seems that as soon as a dog reaches 6 or 7, they are labeled as a senior. This got me to go and look at the senior foods and they start at 7 too. Which has me wondering why. Personally, I wouldn't call a dog a seniot until it's at least 10 (maybe 9, if they're a big dog). To me, 7 is barely "middle age". Most of my dogs haven't even started to slow down by 7 (yes, I've owned several big dogs). Do others find it strange that a 7 yr old dog is labeled as being a senior?


----------



## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

Depends on the breed, IMO. A giant or large breed doesn't tend to live as long as most small to medium breeds (Ex: Great Danes, Boxers). Of course, there are exceptions. i have a rescued boxer who's at least 8, and he's definitely middle age or beyond, since boxers only tend to live 10-12 years, given excellent care. I would be very surprised if my boxer lives past 10, since he had a rough past for his first 8 years. I also have a rescued 9 year old toy poodle, who should live to be around 15 or so - big difference!


----------



## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

I think it depends on the breed too. We adopted a 7 or 8 yr old foxhound years back; she was considered a senior. One of my shelties was almost 10 when he died and I didnt consider him a senior. My cirrent peeb, Boone is 9. I guess he's a senior but he doesn't look like it. BTW, I don't *do* senior foods.


----------



## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I know that big dogs are supposed to live shorter lives, but 7 seems awfully young to be considered seniors to me. Maybe I've been lucky but most of my big dogs have lived to be at least 14. 
I haven't ever fed senior foods which is why I had to go check the bags. I don't see much use for most "speciality" brands of dog foods.


----------



## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

My toy poodle had some crystals in his last urine sample at the vet, so I put him on Wellness Small Breed Senior, b/c I wanted to lower the phosphorous/calcium/sodium levels. This was the only way to do it in a kibble w/out going to a veterinary rx diet, which I definitely DON'T want to do. This Wellness formula at least has some meat in it - lol! Fortunately, my vet didn't push a vet diet at this point, thank goodness.


----------



## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I understand using a specific food for health "issues" but for an "average" dog, not so much. Just like I don't see how high protein foods can be "good" as a main diet, seeing as some of those foods have more protein to them than fresh meat.


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 14, 2013)

Good question! I volunteer with a Lab rescue and the rescue lists the dogs as seniors once they are 8 or older. For Labs, that seems like a pretty fair label to me. I have a 9-year-old Lab mix and he is very much a senior in my opinion. I guess it just depends on the breed. My friend's great dane was very old as a 7 year old. My dog seemed very middle aged when he was 7. My parents' springer spaniel still seems like a young dog at age 9! Just depends on the dog I guess!


----------



## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I guess it does depend on the dog. It's just mind boggling to me to label a dog as a senior at such a young age. But, my SO, reminded me about the time we took our old golden to a pet fair and how astonished the golden retriever rescue was of how mobile he was at his age (16). He also reminded me about how we were told that most of the retrievers were "handicapped" by 12. But still 7 is at most, imo, middle age. I haven't own any of the giant breeds, although I would love an Irish Wolfhound or Great Dane, but all of my dogs (so far) haven't "slowed down" until they were in their teens.


----------

