Keeping the older dog healthy

[wrknapbt]

I have a 11.5 year old that is still a bit of a clown. Sperm count is still in the 85% mobility rate and he can still clear a 6 foot fence if you dont watch him. I just want tips on keeping him this way as long as possible. I don't feed kibble and he get's some form of work everyday even if it's just me throwing the ball for him. He is one of the few Schutzhund III APBT's and has produced the same so he is very important to me and many others who are involved in the sport .

[Officially Retired]

I have a 11.5 year old that is still a bit of a clown. Sperm count is still in the 85% mobility rate and he can still clear a 6 foot fence if you dont watch him. I just want tips on keeping him this way as long as possible. I don't feed kibble and he get's some form of work everyday even if it's just me throwing the ball for him. He is one of the few Schutzhund III APBT's and has produced the same so he is very important to me and many others who are involved in the sport .

Well, buddy, it doesn't sound like you need any advice at all ... but should be giving it

So tell us what you do for your vibrant, vital male ...

Jack


.

[wrknapbt]

I have a 11.5 year old that is still a bit of a clown. Sperm count is still in the 85% mobility rate and he can still clear a 6 foot fence if you dont watch him. I just want tips on keeping him this way as long as possible. I don't feed kibble and he get's some form of work everyday even if it's just me throwing the ball for him. He is one of the few Schutzhund III APBT's and has produced the same so he is very important to me and many others who are involved in the sport .

Well, buddy, it doesn't sound like you need any advice at all ... but should be giving it

So tell us what you do for your vibrant, vital male ...

Jack
.

I really think most of it is in his DNA to be the way he is. His grandmother lived to be close to 18 and his mother was PTS at 12 due to her getting into a kennel fight and getting the ruff end of the deal. But I've never allowed him to be overweight and during the winter months I bring everyone in at night where they are crated in the dog room. He has been training since he was 5 weeks old when I started teaching the tracking box. I feed a raw diet and during hunting season it get's better with deer and pheasant. Oh and I have a great vet who I worked for part-time when I was in the ARMY and he has always taken care of us and likes my dogs because they are easy to care for. He does not push heavy vac protocols or that science diet crap on people either. He is one of those guys that will tell you to feed a sick dog chicken and rice with added yogurt.

These are from last month in FL at a ADBA show

[AL Clown]

That is a good looking hound sir..you can see the love and care you put into him.

[SGC]

Beautiful dog! He sure does not look 11 ½ years old. He’s in great shape, he’s not even very grey in the muzzle.

Your care is of the best and it shows. Diet is about the most important thing and it does not get any better than feeding a good raw diet.

I have an old bitch about 10 ½ but she has poor genetics and bad structure, which has really caught up with her now that she’s old. She is still good and healthy but has bad arthritis and problems with her legs. She’s fed raw and is not over weight and gets exercise, so she is in pretty good shape but nothing like your boy.

Do you give him anything to supplement? My old bitch gets Glucosamine and MSN, I use the Liquid Health 5000 and that does help her so she can walk better. She also gets salmon oil every day. And she enjoys deer season too!

But congrats on such a fine old bulldog and please share any other tips on keeping an older dog in good health.

[Officially Retired]

He looks fantastic.

I do agree, the dog clearly has good genetics, but I think you're also being humble by not giving yourself due credit by your efforts to maximize his good genetics through impeccable care.

Do you mind telling us exactly what kind of raw diet you're feeding?

Very impressive dog and condition,

Jack


.

[wrknapbt]

He looks fantastic.

I do agree, the dog clearly has good genetics, but I think you're also being humble by not giving yourself due credit by your efforts to maximize his good genetics through impeccable care.

Do you mind telling us exactly what kind of raw diet you're feeding?

Very impressive dog and condition,

Jack


.

I feed your diet now. Before that I was on a food called K9 Kraving. A GSD guy that does Schutzhund runs a packing plant and was making it for his own hounds then he stared selling it. Before that I was doing a chicken based diet with added fats and some veggies mixed with vertex or superfule but I noticed that it would make the dogs run hot faster so I then took out the vertex and went just on raw til I found K9 Kravings and now my wife does all of the meal plans for the mutts because she has it down to a science or bone to muscle meat and how much organ meat they need.

My good vet now has the old dog on adaquan. It's a once a month shot that I give him for his joint health. I did notice a big chance in his abiltiy to jump faster and higher after the 1st shot

Jack I need you to look up the K9 Kravings food and tell me what you think. I know people that need to get away from kibble but feeding raw can be confusing for some and if this is a ok/good food I would like to tell people to use it. But for me it just cost to much. I can feed 5 dogs a raw diet for 2 months for $90. But this food is $57 for a 30 pound case.

[Officially Retired]

I feed your diet now. Before that I was on a food called K9 Kraving. A GSD guy that does Schutzhund runs a packing plant and was making it for his own hounds then he stared selling it. Before that I was doing a chicken based diet with added fats and some veggies mixed with vertex or superfule but I noticed that it would make the dogs run hot faster so I then took out the vertex and went just on raw til I found K9 Kravings and now my wife does all of the meal plans for the mutts because she has it down to a science or bone to muscle meat and how much organ meat they need.
My good vet now has the old dog on adaquan. It's a once a month shot that I give him for his joint health. I did notice a big chance in his abiltiy to jump faster and higher after the 1st shot
Jack I need you to look up the K9 Kravings food and tell me what you think. I know people that need to get away from kibble but feeding raw can be confusing for some and if this is a ok/good food I would like to tell people to use it. But for me it just cost to much. I can feed 5 dogs a raw diet for 2 months for $90. But this food is $57 for a 30 pound case.

Well, glad to hear that you're having so much success with the diet

How would you compare his condition/coat/fat level on my diet compared to the previous diet, or have you noticed any difference?

I concur that it is amazing that people will spend $3.00 - $4.00/lb feeding "high end kibble," when they could spend $0.80 - $1.20/lb feeding a raw diet that is by far better for their dogs.

Jack


.

[SGC]

A raw diet is the best you can do for your hounds... I agree, I cannot see why folks will pay $3 a pound for a fancy kibble when you can feed raw for the same or less. The raw is a huge benefit to the dogs, the kibble is over processed dry pellets.

Here is the link to the K9 Kraving web site -- http://www.k-9kraving.com/

I have not read it all but it looks like a quality food.

There was a Mastiff breeder who was producing another high quality raw food for right about $1.00 a pound, but you had to buy about 1000 pounds at a time. That would be good if you could go in with some other people and had some big freezers. Right now I am saving room in the freezer for deer meat since it is still deer season here.

But it does not hurt to learn about the commercial raw diets available.

[Feelin_Froggy]

I do so love that dog, it was a pleasure being in the ring along side of him. Wrknapbt, your a great dogman, I am glad that we've become such great friends. Keep up the great work, see you in March