As with humans, aging is a normal part of a dog's life. Most dogs live up to 12 years, although many live for much longer than that. Its important to understand the different ways in ensure our senior dogs are happy and healthy in their mature years and keep them as comfortable as possible.

Here are some tips:

• You should monitor how much your dog is eating and drinking. A raw dog food diet such as Poppy's Picnic is great as the raw mince is soft for them to chew on. Our MIGHTY MINCE recipe is a complete, enhanced recipe for dogs, super-boosted with oils, seeds and botanicals. These no-bone recipes are safe to cook, giving built-in flexibility. This can be ideal senior dogs or for poorly dogs who temporarily need a cooked diet too. The bone has been replaced with alternative, natural sources of calcium.

• It's important to make sure they have a soft, cosy bed hidden away from the noise so they can go to relax. Some dogs may want to exercise or walk less and need more rest.

• Some dogs will show even more affection than usual and want to spend more time with their dog parents, while others may become more quiet. The latter may be because they're more anxious of deteriorating hearing and sight, and becoming less active. This is normal, however, it's important to check with your vet if you're in doubt with a sudden change in personality as this could mean pain or illness

• Make sure everything your dog has their water bowl, food, toys and bed nearby. If you have younger dogs in the house, make sure your senior dog can get to their dinners without having to compete. They may also may need to go to the toilet more frequently so make sure they have easy access to go outside.

• Although they may be slowing down, senior dogs still need regular exercise and mental stimulation - walking them little and often will help keep their weight down and toys and puzzle feeders can keep them entertained. Wearing a coat when out and about can help keep them warm and dry.

• Gentle grooming can be a great way to spend time with your senior dog, but also gives you the change to check for any aches, lumps or pains. 

• If you have any concerns about your older dog or worried about any underlying health issues that is not just down to old age, make sure to take them for regular health checks at the vets.

You can find out more on how to care for older dogs here.