The dog food (and safe human food) you provide for your pup matters. While we might be tempted to fudge our senior dog’s diet, maintaining balanced nutrition with high-quality ingredients is one of the best ways to love them.

Dogs can experience weight gain just like humans, and obesity shortens a dog’s lifespan and increases their risks of developing diseases. Feeding the appropriate amount of dog food and refraining from offering too many treats or table scraps can prevent unnecessary weight gain.

Fat cells actually produce hormones that lead to increased inflammation in the body, leading to more pain, Dr. Morgan explains. “More pain means more lethargy, which means more obesity. It's a vicious cycle.”

You should continue your pet’s healthy kibble or wet food diet—or consider switching to a senior dog food with your vet’s input—but Dr. Morgan says that whole foods are extremely beneficial to your senior dog’s health. She offers these whole food tips:

• Foods with omega-3s, such as fish, fish oil, and egg yolks, are very healthy.
• Homemade bone broth for dogs is great for bone and joint support.
• Digestive enzymes and probiotics can aid in digestion and nutrient absorption.
• Pumpkin increases fiber and can help with occasional bowel issues, including constipation and diarrhea.
• Steamed or gently cooked dark greens—such as kale, broccoli, or spinach—or dried dandelion root can be used as food toppers. They offer extra nutrition for senior dogs who are prone to anemia. Plus, these foods are a good natural source of vitamins.

You can also consider supplements. For senior dogs, Dr. Morgan suggests giving them a boost with joint dog supplements, like glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids, for brain, skin, and joint health. However, your vet can recommend the best supplement for your dog.

A common issue for older dogs is arthritis. Aside from dog supplements and medications, there are other things you can do to help relieve joint pain. Consider these suggestions, per Dr. Morgan:

• Keep dogs warm. Placing warm towels from the dryer over sore joints can be very soothing.
• Massage them. Beyond feeling great, massages for dogs help keep muscles soft and supple. Plus, they help increase blood flow to muscles and joints.
• Try acupuncture. Acupuncture, a staple of traditional Chinese medicine, can provide pain relief for dogs.
• Consider chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic adjustments can help counteract the stress arthritis can put on the spine.
• Ask your vet about cold lasers. Cold lasers increase circulation and provide pain relief.
• Replace their bed. Comfy beds help make for happy senior dogs. If your dog seems cold—perhaps they’re often burying themself under blankets or sleeping by the heat vents—a warming bed, like K&H Pet Products® Self-Warming Two Tone Lounge Sleeper Bolster Bed, is a great option. For notably larger dogs who need joint support, such as Great Danes, try an orthopedic bed, like FurHaven™ Ultra Plush Luxe Lounger Orthopedic Bed.

Slowing down is a natural process with age. You’ll see your dog’s energy level decrease, and as a result, you might need to coax your four-legged friend to exercise.

“Muscles support joints,” Dr. Morgan says. And without good muscle tone, mobility decreases drastically. “This is why pet physical therapy has become so commonly used. Joints in motion stay limber; joints not in motion get stiff.”

Make adjustments to your long-standing exercise routine:

• If you and your pet used to go for runs, a leisurely stroll may be more their speed now.
• Mix it up to keep things mentally interesting as well. Try a new toy, alternate between swimming and the dog park, or change up the route around the neighborhood.

Regular grooming is important as dogs age because they can develop more matting with less activity. Plus, senior dogs can start to struggle to reach all areas on their body, therefore not grooming themselves as much.

Here are some grooming tips for senior dogs:

• Clip the hair in their potty area short and check the area daily to ensure the area is clean, dry, and not irritated. This is especially important for incontinent senior dogs.
• Brush daily to keep the coat oils spread throughout the coat.

Check for new lumps, bumps, cuts, scrapes, or irritation.

Dogs’ teeth become more sensitive and prone to infection as they age, and infected teeth can increase the risks of heart disease and kidney disease, according to Dr. Morgan. So, it’s important to pay special attention to their teeth.

If pet parents have not taken good care of doggy dental health before now, their dogs often suffer with loose, infected teeth in their senior years.

“Periodontal disease is very common,” Dr. Morgan says, “just as we see in aging people.”

Here are some tips for caring for your senior dog’s teeth:

• Brush your dog’s teeth with a dog toothpaste.
• Bacteria can hide in plaque and tartar. Look for dental products that carry the VOHC Accepted seal to help reduce plaque and tartar.
• Professional dental cleaning is imperative if there are any loose or infected teeth, “These teeth are very painful, even though lots of dogs don't let on that they are suffering,” Dr. Morgan says.

Dogs love to be with their humans, and many enjoy other pooch playmates, so if your dog has always loved company, consider putting play dates on your calendar. Just remember to pay attention to your senior dog’s level of tolerance for younger, more energetic dogs that may be encroaching on their personal space.

Don’t automatically rule out a more energetic younger pal, however, as some older dogs can become more active when around a spryer pup. But do honor your dog’s social habits and get to know what your canine companion does and does not enjoy in this new season of life.

To keep your older dog’s mind sharp, you can play dog-friendly brain games with them. For example, you can hide treats around the house and instruct your dog to sniff them out.

These types of games offer great mental stimulation. Some senior dogs suffer from cognitive dysfunction and may need vitamin or nutritional support.

Puzzle toys and mats are excellent options to challenge their minds. Despite their advancing age, you can encourage your dog to work, just within their new limitations.

“Enrichment sessions—sniff around the property or at appropriate dig spots or a sand box—are great to help tire them out, give them a nice outlet, and benefit them,” says Francine Coughlin, CPDT-KA, IAABC, owner of Bark n’ Roll in North Reading, Massachusetts. “Whatever lets them be dogs—foraging, hunting, tearing apart something fun—still are great activities for senior dogs. It keeps their doggy instincts sharp.”