Feeding Your Senior Dog

Caring for my ageing dogPart of · Caring for my ageing dog

Feeding Your Senior Dog

Q: Why won't my senior dog eat his kibble any more?

In a senior, a dropping appetite is a signal , not a whim: a painful mouth, a dulled sense of smell and taste, nausea from a kidney problem, or cognitive decline. Warming or rehydrating the food makes it more tempting. If it settles in, talk to your vet, and avoid upping the ante with cheese.

7 min read

As your dog ages, he burns fewer calories, but he still needs good-quality protein to hold on to his muscle. The right senior bowl: slightly fewer calories, digestible protein, always-fresh water, and food that's easy to eat if his mouth is fragile. Any medical diet is set with your vet.

Why his needs change

A dog enters his "senior" years in the last quarter of his life expectancy: early for a large breed (around 6-7 years), later for a small one (around 9-10 years), according to the AAHA. His body changes, and the bowl follows. The trap is believing that "old" rhymes with "less protein": it's the opposite. He moves less, so he needs fewer calories, but because he loses muscle with age, he needs good-quality protein, not a watered-down ration.

Ageing isn't something you treat, but the bowl can be adjusted. Here's what changes, and why each time.

What we ease off

CaloriesHe moves less and his metabolism slows down. On the same ration he puts on weight, and every extra kilo weighs on joints that already ache (Kealy et al. 2002: dogs kept lean lived roughly two years longer).

What we protect, or even boost

Good-quality proteinWith age, a dog loses muscle (sarcopenia). Digestible protein in good amounts protects lean mass: a "senior diet" doesn't mean "less protein", unless there's a specific illness, on your vet's advice.

Easy access to waterThe kidneys age and a senior regulates less well. You never take water away; a dog who starts drinking and urinating markedly more is something to flag to your vet, not to brush off.

Food that's easy to chewPeriodontal disease affects nearly all senior dogs who aren't monitored, and it hurts (WSAVA, Niemiec et al. 2020). A dog in discomfort chews on one side or gulps: rehydrating or warming the food genuinely helps.

These pointers give direction; they don't replace a tailored diet. Kidney, heart, excess weight, diabetes: a therapeutic ration is calculated by the vet, never guessed.

Adapting the bowl, in practice

Simple moves, no prescription needed, that make meals more comfortable.

Split into two or three meals

Smaller portions go down better than one big meal, especially for digestion that's slowing down.

Rehydrate or warm the food

A splash of warm water softens the kibble and wakes up the aromas: invaluable for a dog with a sensitive mouth or a flagging appetite.

Weigh it, then adjust to his outline

A kitchen scale avoids the 20 to 30% error of eyeballing it; the real judge is still his body, not the bag.

Add more water spots

Several stable bowls around the house, a fountain if running water appeals to him, a bottle on walks: a senior should be able to drink without effort.

Raising the bowl can relieve a small or medium dog who struggles to lower his head (neck arthritis). But in a large, deep-chested dog, eating up high has been linked to a higher risk of stomach twisting (Glickman 2000): in that case keep the bowl on the floor and get him to eat more slowly.

When he eats less, or not like before

He gulps or chews on one side

Rehydrate the food to soften it, or offer a more tender texture.
Have his mouth checked: a loose or lost tooth in an old dog is never "just age", it's almost always painful periodontal disease (WSAVA, Niemiec et al. 2020).
Bad breath appearing is often the very first sign.

He's gone off his bowl lately

Warm it or moisten it: this often gets a fussy dog going again.
Don't up the ante with cheese or salmon: you start an arms race, and he'll always hold out for better.
A lasting drop in appetite is a signal, not a whim (dental pain, nausea from a kidney problem, a mass, cognitive decline).

He's losing weight even though he's eating

Unintended weight loss is a medical signal, not a "small appetite".
A senior mainly loses muscle: we want to help him rebuild it, not pile on fat.
See the vet before "stuffing him": piling up the bowl on top of an illness fixes nothing.

Kealy et al. — Effects of caloric restriction on longevity and osteoarthritis (cohort of 48 Labradors, Purina study) (2002)
WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee — Body Condition Score and the dog's nutritional needs
AAHA — Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (2023)
Niemiec et al. — WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines (2020)
Glickman et al. — Risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large dogs (2000)

To go further

guideArthritis and mobility: keeping my dog comfortableWeight bears directly on the joints: a well-fed senior dog moves easier and hurts less.Read the guide guideCognitive decline (senility) in the senior dogThe brain ages too, and certain nutrients can help slow senility, worth watching for at mealtime.Read the guide guideRecognising the signs of ageing in my dogBefore adjusting the bowl, learn to spot the first signs of ageing to time the change right.Read the guide guideVeterinary care for your senior dogRegular vet check-ups track weight and bloodwork, mirroring what you adjust at home.Read the guide guideAdapting daily life for an ageing dogFood is just one piece: discover everything else you can adapt in an ageing dog's daily life.Read the guide guideAssessing your dog's quality of lifeAppetite and body condition are key indicators for judging your senior dog's overall wellbeing.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

Why won't my senior dog eat his kibble any more?

In a senior, a dropping appetite is a signal, not a whim: a painful mouth, a dulled sense of smell and taste, nausea from a kidney problem, or cognitive decline. Warming or rehydrating the food makes it more tempting. If it settles in, talk to your vet, and avoid upping the ante with cheese.

What should you feed an old dog with no teeth?

First, a dog doesn't lose his teeth "because he's old": it's almost always periodontal disease that needs seeing to. In the meantime, rehydrate his kibble into a warm mush, or switch to a complete, balanced wet food, with your vet's agreement. No fatty table scraps.

Which kibble for a senior dog?

No miracle brand: aim for digestible, good-quality protein, calories suited to lower activity, and judge by his body (ribs you can feel, a defined waist). A senior kibble isn't "less protein". For kidney, heart or excess-weight issues, it's the vet who chooses the diet.

At what age is a dog a senior?

It mostly depends on size: large and giant breeds are seniors from 6-7 years, small ones more like 9-10 years (AAHA). In practice, we speak of a senior in the last quarter of estimated life expectancy.

My old dog drinks a lot, is that normal?

Drinking and urinating markedly more should never be brushed off in a senior: it can point to the kidneys, diabetes or Cushing's. Flag it to your vet quickly. And you never take water away to make him urinate less.

Should you give an old dog less protein?

No, not by default. A senior loses muscle, and good-quality protein helps him hold on to it. A restriction (renal, for example) is a targeted veterinary decision, never a reflex of "he's old".

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