Tinker, the Grumpy Collie, is now 11.5yo. She is noticably starting to stiffen up in the hips and I think is succumbing to the aches and pains of old age. One of our christmas visitors has her aged spaniel on a well advertised dry food for "senior" dogs and thinks that it has made a great difference to his mobility and general joie de vivre.

As Stinky needs more food soon, I am starting to swither about whether I ought to try her on a dry food for older dogs. Does anyone have any experience of using them and do you think they work? If so, which brand should I try?

I have been using senior dog foods for my two dogs for about a year now and have tried various different brands. The one I have finally settled on is called Top NUmber Light which is for both overweight and older less active ones and it is very reasonably priced. The dogs look well on it but as it is made by a local supplier to me if you are not in my part of the world you wont be able to get it. I have also used Wafcol veteran which I was very impressed with until the prices kept going up every 5 minutes, one that I tried but didnt like was Supadog Senior, very greasy texture, if I was not having to watch the pennies I would definitely go for Wafcol.
As for helping with stiffness I dont really think that any will do much good there as they are more designed to give the digestive system of an older dog an easier time.

Let me know what you decide on as I am still always lokking to try different foods designed for the oldies.
P.S Wafcols nutritionalist was most helpful when I explained what I needed so it might be worth ringing them.

Lisa

I have decided on James Wellbeloved Turkey and Rice Kibble for Senior Dogs. Am off to the pet shop this afternoon to collect it. I'll let you know how she gets on with it. Liked the look of Wafcol, but our only near stockist is a well dodgy shop that also sells single cigarettes and drugs to local kids, so I wouldn't go there out of principle.

9th and Stinky

I have had my two old girls (14 and 11yrs) on James Wellbeloved Senior for six months now and they are both thriving on it ! The eldest one Mars still goes out on regular walks and trots along quite happily keeping up with the rest of them !. I supplement their food with Cod liver oil just to give them a bit of a boost. It helps as well to keep the weight off them.

I use cod liver and evening primrose oils. The EPO helps with the coat and helps to stave off that "old collie" dull look.

The JW food doesn't half pong though!

Have to agree with you there on the smell of James Wellbeloved, but my older girl LOVES it. She would rather eat cake, but JW is her next favourite food - she literally drools whilst waiting for the water to soak in.
We have been using it for two months now and have really and truly noticed a change in her coat for one thing. She is a GSD / Lab cross and her coat was quite coarse, but now it is soft and glossy. We can but trust that her insides are as good as her outsides!

Good luck with your new food & dull coat.

Keep Smiling, Jabba

Hi all in addition to your food a good tip to help the mobility of your dogs is Glucosamine sulphate tablets. You give one a day.
Our oldie Weimaraners have been on it for a couple of years now after one was suffering from the pains of old age and many an early frosty morning shoot. She was a monthly visitor to the vet for an injection to help her mobility however since being on these she has not been back and is just as mobile and agile as before and can keep up with the youngsters (Can't keep her out of the sea!)
As these are a natural product I felt it a better alternative than drugs and they are available at most health food shops. We have shopped around and now get them mail order from one of the sunday supplement magazines for around £10 for a years supply.
It's worth a try as it has worked for a lot of dogs (and people) that I know

I'd been umming and arrring over whether I should give this to my dog you've made my mind up now I'm gonna go get some!

Tinker is enjoying the JW food and wolfing it down like a good border collie. Only trouble is it's giving her terrible wind (the poos are nice and firm). My gran used to have a staffie that could clear a room in around 30 seconds and Tinker is rapidly gaining the same expertise. Will it clear up or will she be called Stinky for life?