{"id":9069,"date":"2011-11-03T07:28:01","date_gmt":"2011-11-03T11:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.albany.com\/dog-talk\/2011\/11\/q-my-14-year-old-lab-seems-confused-is-he-ok.html"},"modified":"2018-06-28T09:20:33","modified_gmt":"2018-06-28T13:20:33","slug":"q-my-14-year-old-lab-seems-confused-is-he-ok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.albany.com\/dog-talk\/2011\/11\/q-my-14-year-old-lab-seems-confused-is-he-ok\/","title":{"rendered":"Q: My 14 Year Old Lab Seems Confused. Is He OK?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><b>A<\/b>: As dogs age, they may act differently. Sometimes they will walk into rooms and just stand there. They may “forget” to go outside to do their business. They may wake up barking during the night for no apparent reason.First, have your <b>veterinarian <\/b>examine your dog to rule out the possibility of a health problem. Ask your vet about what to expect with your aging dog. Your vet may have suggestions for ways to help your dog feel more relaxed and comfortable.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here are some ideas to help you understand and manage the changing needs of your senior dog:<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Hearing loss<\/b> is pretty common in older dogs. By using sight and smell rather than speech, you can continue to <b>communicate <\/b>with your dog. Introduce hand signals for simple commands. Flicking a lamp or a flashlight on and off can also get his attention, as will a stomp on the floor that will send a vibration his way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>As dogs age, <b>sight-related issues<\/b> can occur, such as cataracts. Dogs actually adjust quickly to diminished sight provided they remain in familiar surrounds. <b>Don’t rearrange furniture <\/b>– your dog needs these landmarks to navigate around your house.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Although most older dogs sleep longer and more deeply, some dogs may <b>startle <\/b>more easily. To awaken your elderly dog, stroke his shoulder gently or put your hand near his nose so that your scent will wake him up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Older dogs may have trouble standing up, especially in the mornings when<b> joints are stiff<\/b>. Give him some extra time to work this out. Don’t fuss over him.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>All dogs, especially older ones, thrive on <b>routine<\/b>. Keep to his regular schedule of meals, naptime, walks, and visitors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Senior dogs may be<b> more sensitive to heat or cold<\/b>. Use thick, soft bedding in his crate or wherever he normally sleeps to keep him comfortable.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Some dogs seem to get crankier as they age. If your dog prefers <b>peace and quiet,<\/b> he’ll do best in a room with a closed door when you anticipate workmen or holiday guests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Work with your dog on <b>basic obedience <\/b>a few times a<br \/>\nweek to help keep him in shape both physically and mentally. Short walks and outings will keep him active and alert.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>During this phase of your dog’s life, continue to care for him with all the love, affection, and understanding that he gives to you every day.<\/b><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> A: As dogs age, they may act differently. Sometimes they will walk into rooms and just stand there. They may “forget” to go outside to do their business. They may wake up barking during the night for no apparent…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>Q: My 14 Year Old Lab Seems Confused. 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