Senior Dog Food

The main adjustment is calorie density. Older dogs are typically less active than they were, so a senior recipe usually carries fewer calories per bowl to help avoid weight creeping on, alongside a protein level pitched to support muscle without overloading a slower system.

Many senior recipes also add glucosamine and chondroitin, or fish oils, aimed at joint comfort rather than treating an existing problem. James Wellbeloved's senior ranges and Burns Adult/Senior Original are both built this way, as complete foods rather than supplements.

Dry senior food keeps well and is easy to portion, which suits dogs on a steady routine. Wet food, such as James Wellbeloved's Senior Wet range, is softer and often more appealing to a dog whose appetite has dropped off or whose teeth are less comfortable with hard kibble.

Mixing a little wet through a dry meal is a common way to make an otherwise dry diet more appealing without changing the whole feeding routine, and it is worth trying before assuming a dog has gone off food altogether.

There is no fixed age that suits every dog. A large or giant breed is often considered senior from around six, while a small breed may not need the switch until nine or ten, because bigger dogs age faster in practical terms.

Signs worth watching for are slower recovery after walks, a change in weight either way, or new stiffness getting up. Any of those is a reasonable prompt to look at a senior diet alongside a chat with your vet, rather than switching purely on age.

Change the diet gradually over a week or so, mixing increasing amounts of the new food into the old, rather than swapping overnight. Older dogs can be more sensitive to abrupt changes than a younger dog would be.

Watch stools and appetite through the switch. A settled dog eating well on the new food after a week or two has usually made the change successfully; ongoing loose stools are worth mentioning to your vet.