What to Feed Your Senior Dog

In this article:

This article was originally published November 2020, and has been updated.

What is the healthiest food for a senior dog? There’s no single answer, because every dog is different and ages differently. Their dietary needs will vary based on breed, health conditions, activity levels, and more.

“This variability means dietary needs often change across the senior life stage,” said Monica Tarantino, DVM, co-founder and CEO of the Senior Dog Veterinary Society. 

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, the right knowledge and expert guidance can help you give your best friend the nutrition they need to live their best life through their golden years. Here’s what you should keep in mind.

When is my dog considered a senior?

Despite the folk wisdom that a dog’s age in “dog years” is simply their chronological age multiplied by seven, determining when a dog becomes a senior is more complex.

“There isn’t a single universal age when dogs become seniors,” said Dr. Tarantino.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association’s guidelines on life stages, the “senior” stage of life is from maturity to life expectancy (approximately the last 25% of expected lifespan). So if your dog’s breed is predicted to live to 12 to 14 years old, they’re a senior at about age 9 to 10 1/2.

No matter how old your dog is, remain vigilant for changes in their behavior or appearance. “We should never catch ourselves saying, ‘They’re just getting old’ because they are slowing down, or their coat has become less shiny, or they’ve gained weight,” said Susan G. Wynn, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, one of the on-staff, board-certified veterinary nutritionists at The Farmer’s Dog. “These are all signs of disease—usually treatable disease—and many can be managed with diet changes.”

How do dogs’ dietary needs change as they age?

Age itself is not a reason to change a senior dog’s diet, but sometimes an aging dog will change in a way that means they should eat something different. “Diet changes should be based on need and risk for that dog, not age alone,” Dr. Tarantino said.

These changes may result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. For example, a dog living with health effects from a polluted environment, extreme exercise, and an ultraprocessed diet may require an antioxidant rich diet, while a dog suffering from allergies and arthritis may need more omega-3 fatty acids to quell inflammation.

What to feed your senior dog

Senior dogs should eat food that’s 100% complete and balanced for adult dogs. While there are foods marketed as “senior” formulas, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the organization that sets nutritional standards for pet food, has no official nutrient profile for senior dogs.

Fresh, whole food provides particular benefits that are especially relevant to seniors—it’s soft and easy to eat, and it contains more moisture than dried, heavily-processed pellets. This helps keep your dog’s body hydrated, aiding digestion and elimination. Fresh food from The Farmer’s Dog has also been clinically shown to support healthier aging in senior dogs.

Managing your dog’s weight is vital—research has shown that dogs at a healthy weight can live 2.5 years longer than those who are overweight. And pre-portioned plans like those offered by The Farmer’s Dog are tailored to your dog’s individual calorie needs, eliminating guesswork and helping to keep your dog in healthy body condition. 

Some senior dogs may require different amounts of protein, fat, and vitamins depending on their unique needs. If you have questions about your dog’s particular health conditions, talk to your vet.

Do senior dogs need “senior diets?”

While dogs’ dietary needs may change with age, don’t rush to get them on a catchall “senior diet.” As noted above, AAFCO has no official nutrient profile for senior dogs. So a food formulated for adults or suitable for all stages of life, as is the case for multiple recipes from The Farmer’s Dog, can be a great choice for a senior dog.

Monitor your dog’s health, appetite, and energy in close consultation with your veterinarian, and proactively make nutritional choices based on their needs as they change.

While there’s officially no such thing as a senior diet, senior dogs can still benefit from specific diets tailored to their health needs. These needs often stem from health issues that arise as a consequence of aging.

Which foods support healthy aging?

In terms of general health, a fresh diet supports healthy aging because it has lower levels of harmful compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are associated with aging and chronic disease.

In 2025, researchers at Cornell University, with The Farmer’s Dog, published a first-of-its-kind, peer-reviewed study examining how different canine diets affect metabolic health.

Metabolism, which is the suite of chemical reactions that cells perform to produce energy, changes with age. Diet affects metabolism through the compounds it provides a cell to convert into energy. So these researchers tested different diets in two groups of senior dogs to see how their metabolism changed. In the study, 22 healthy Alaskan sled dogs over age 12 were fed a specific dry-food diet for four months and then divided into two groups. One group continued eating kibble for the next 12 months, while the other group transitioned to fresh, minimally processed, human-grade food.

Blood samples from the dogs fed fresh food showed a rapid, sustained metabolic shift, improving after only a month—and these shifts were sustained through the rest of the year. Specifically, they had lower levels of AGEs, higher levels of antioxidant and protective metabolites, and lower levels of a biomarker for fatty acid synthesis, which indicated a more efficient metabolic profile compared to the kibble-fed group.

A brown dog with a grey muzzle stands against a blue sky.

How can health issues impact senior dogs’ nutritional needs?

Certain senior-specific health issues may impact your dietary choices for them: 

Muscle loss (sarcopenia) and atrophy

Between increased muscle breakdown and reduced physical activity, loss of strength and muscle mass is common in senior dogs.

Because of this, many senior dogs may benefit from higher protein intake. The high-quality protein sources used in The Farmer’s Dog recipes can help senior dogs maintain lean muscle mass. 

Impaired immune function

According to Dr. Wynn, the geriatric immune system is less able to respond to infections or vaccination. This can make senior dogs more susceptible to illness. 

On the other hand, other parts of seniors’ immune systems may become overactive, which can result in increased inflammation. Indeed, chronic inflammation related to aging is known as inflammaging. The vegetables in food from The Farmer’s Dog provide dogs with an array of key vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants that help promote a healthy immune system.

Changes in digestion

Gastrointestinal motility, or the way the digestive tract moves food along, “tends to slow with age,” Dr. Tarantino said.

Senior dogs may start showing signs of a sensitive stomach—and may experience constipation or, on the other end of the spectrum, loose stools. Some diets are higher in fiber to address these issues. However, many of these diets include a higher proportion of processed carbs.

This means it’s especially important to feed your senior dog a highly digestible food that provides nutrients their body can readily absorb. Studies have shown that fresh, gently cooked food has higher nutrient digestibility than extruded food (aka kibble), which means it’s easier for your dog’s body to actually use the nutrients in the food. 

Weight loss or weight gain

As with senior humans, it’s common for senior dogs to gain weight due to a reduced metabolic rate and less physical activity. 

But some older dogs may also be prone to losing weight. Some dogs become more frail due to sarcopenia. The high-quality protein sources used in The Farmer’s Dog recipes help maintain lean muscle mass as dogs age.

If you have a senior dog who is maintaining body mass and is still relatively active, they likely don’t need fewer calories. But if their body mass and activity level drop, you may need to reduce their portions. Work with your vet to assess your dog’s weight and body condition (you can find a guide to assessing body condition here), as well as their muscle condition score to judge muscle loss. If your dog is on a fresh food plan, it’s easy to increase or decrease daily calories based on how they’re changing over time. 

Loss of appetite 

Some dogs lose their zest for eating as they age. This can be caused by an underlying medical condition, mouth pain, a loss of smell and taste, or a number of other factors. If you’ve noticed a decrease in your dog’s appetite, be sure to flag it with your veterinarian to rule out any bigger problems. 

The Farmer’s Dog is clinically shown to be highly palatable—meaning that dogs love to eat it—and can be a good choice for dogs who seem like picky eaters.

A brown dog with a grey face stands on a bed of fallen autumn leaves.
Loss of mobility

About 20% of adult dogs and 80% of dogs over age 8 will show signs of arthritis in one or more joints. 

Dogs usually suffer from secondary arthritis, meaning that it results from  an abnormality of the joint or another issue associated with it. It’s a condition that typically starts to develop when dogs are younger—but the signs show up more dramatically when they are older.

Overweight dogs have a much greater chance of developing joint disorders. Multiple studies have shown the link between being overweight and the increased risk and severity of arthritis. And dogs don’t have to be visibly round to be overweight—studies have shown that even a 6% reduction in weight can reduce signs of arthritis. 

Putting your dog on a personalized plan like the ones offered by The Farmer’s Dog takes the guesswork out of portioning and makes it easy to keep them in a healthy body condition. Our customer care team will work with you to make sure they get the right amount of food as their calorie needs change.

Kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic renal failure, involves a reduction in kidney function over time, diminishing the body’s ability to eliminate waste and toxins. Though it can occur in pets at any time, the most common risk factor for canine kidney disease is age. 

Dogs with kidney disease require a special diet. “The right diet actually slows the progress of the disease,” Dr. Wynn said. 

If your dog has kidney disease, talk to your veterinarian about what food is right for them. 

Changes in cognition

Changes in dogs’ brain function may show up as memory loss, decreased ability to learn, disorientation, and/or a shift in demeanor. 

Providing plenty of physical and mental stimulation and socialization is vital throughout a dog’s life. A high-quality diet with antioxidants and healthy fats to support brain function is also important. 

You can set your adult dog up for success before they reach their senior years by keeping them at a lean, healthy weight, and providing appropriate exercise and mental stimulation. As your dog ages, plan regular check-ups with your vet that include senior-specific tests like urinalysis to keep tabs on kidney and liver health. And, throughout their life, feed them real, complete and balanced food.

The post What to Feed Your Senior Dog appeared first on The Farmer’s Dog - Digest.


Comments

Post a Comment