Booker, our “special” Boston Terrier, seems to be aging all of a sudden. We took a good look at him and realized he’s in the senior category now. And he’s showing it. We have two graying dogs starting to feel their age, and it’s an adjustment.
The other day Fran, after having some trouble waking Booker up, said “I don’t think I’m ready for two old dogs.”
But we agreed that it’s better than the alternative. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Reasons dogs go gray
In all honesty, Booker’s “specialness” is probably one of the reasons he could be considered a prematurely graying dog. Just like people, age is a factor. Dogs, like people, produce less pigment as they age. That’s why Tango, at 12 (almost 13), is showing some gray, but not as substantially as you’d expect.
Other reasons for graying dogs include stress and anxiety.. People often joke that stress is making their hair turn white, but it’s been proven to be true in dogs. And Booker’s personality is pretty much always anxious. Routine helps a lot, but his temperament doesn’t really allow him to relax and just “chill.” Boston Terriers are known for their exuberance, but Booker goes beyond. We worry that this boy is burning the candle at both ends.
Genetics is another reason dogs can gray, either in time or prematurely. If you had the opportunity to see your dog’s parents, they may have shown similar tendencies.
Illness can also cause dogs’ fur to change color. Apparently kidney disease is particularly prone to cause graying, so if the other factors don’t figure in, it may be time to see the vet.
Cherish the oldies
Most of the time we don’t really notice how age is creeping up on our dogs. It’s the occasional incidences where they’re sleeping really soundly, or seem a bit creaky when they get moving. Over the winter, Tango seemed to have trouble with his regular exercise routine, so we made some changes. It’s important with older dogs to pay attention. We think he may have slipped on the ice and had some soft tissue damage. Just like us, it took our old dog quite a while to recover. But he’s back to his normal routine now.
We also pay particular attention to their teeth and breath. Part of it is monitoring if they’re eating comfortably. If your graying dog is suddenly off his food, it’s time to check their teeth. One of the reasons we advocate using a cloth or gauze to brush our dog’s teeth is to physically check them. So far, Booker’s still sporting a full set of pearly whites. Tango, not so much. But he only had about a dozen to start with.
Graying dogs aren’t done
Both of our senior dogs are still expected to play their daily training games, abide by the rules of the house, and participate in all their normal activities. Everything may take a little longer, but that’s okay. Just like people, keeping active and engaged keeps us younger, longer. Even if we’re all going gray.
