3 Simple Ways To Protect Your Dog From Dementia

Sally Smith

The hardest thing about loving dogs is that we watch their entire lifetime through, from healthiest youth to the potential ailments of old age. It’s the old age bit, and specifically Canine Cognitive Dysfunction that we will consider here.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction is commonly known as dog dementia. We see it as fading sharpness of the mental state, confusion and often related anxiety. Dementia for people is common in the West but still rare in many places in the World. In the West it is increasingly being termed the third diabetes, because it’s so closely related to lifestyle.

As we are seeing the rise in dementia in people here, we are seeing the same rise in dementia in our beloved dogs. Unsurprisingly we might say, because our lifestyle creates the same lifestyle in our dog companions, and if we eat convenience foods, often so do our dogs. If we binge on Netflix more than we should – so do our dogs.

So how can we keep the brains of our dogs sharp and spare our beloved friends from developing the distressing cognitive dysfunction which is becoming so common?

Dog and human brains are not that different. They both need the same input to thrive, and as we age both dogs and people have specific needs to keep fuelling our brains and live long mentally capable lives. Every single dog’s brain need three things, good nutrition, oxygen and stimulation.

Nutrition and dog food is a complex and lengthy topic; however, the fresher our dog’s food is the better. Kibble and commercial supermarket dog foods will simply not protect a dog from dementia. It’s akin to us eating barely nutritionally adequate biscuits for our entire life and expecting to be at our very best state when we reach 70 years old. Feeding fresh food, fish regularly, home cooked or raw foods, lots of different foods and not giving your dog rubbish filled treats will support their brain providing the best possible nutrition.

Brains also need the benefits of oxygen. Dogs do not benefit from long periods of stillness. If our older dogs are skipping walks because they don’t ask for them or we don’t really need to because they are settled – we could be doing them more harm than good. Getting them running, playing and panting in a way suitable for them will get their blood flowing and oxygen to those precious ageing brain cells.

Joint degeneration will also be slowed with suitable exercise. Something simple like targeting your dog to your hand and moving around quicker than usual for your dog to follow and touch your hand will get their blood flowing. Slow walks are also so much better than no walks because even slow walks get the blood flowing and provide the dog’s brain with external stimulation.

Which leads us nicely to part three of what the brain needs.

Stimulation means that your dog needs to learn new things, right into their senior years. Learning creates the precious neural pathways which keep their brain active. Solving problems such as stacking cups or learning new and simple tasks will provide your dog’s brain with super stimulation and keep it active, avoiding boredom which is a motivation destroyer all on its own. Walks in new places, social meetings and meeting new dogs and people all help a dog to stay happily stimulated. All of these things protect the brain and none of them take too much time or effort on our part.

So that’s what your dog’s brain needs. Your dog might rest a lot more as they get older which is natural. If you create activities, males and life experiences around the brain’s need for nutrition, oxygen and stimulation you are giving your friend the best chance of avoiding canine cognitive dysfunction.

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Get Some Exercise
In 2014, A University of Illinois Study, led by Dr. Chuck Hillman, found that as little as 20 minutes of exercise can lead to better cognition and memory, and higher scores on tests and examinations. This is great news for dog owners and something that you can definitely take advantage of as a daily walker.

Limit Distractions
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Stay Hydrated
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Read Out Loud
In 2015, Professor Victor Boucher of the University of Montreal completed research that suggested you are 50% more likely to remember information that has been read aloud than reading to yourself. You can either find a quiet place to read aloud to yourself or read directly to a friend or family member.

Teach as You Go
A step beyond reading aloud is to describe the lesson to somebody else. Try and make the subject understood and invite questions. If you don’t have the answer to the question, you have a new area of understanding to explore and study which will help to further your knowledge in a given subject.

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External research is a great way to improve your knowledge on any subject. Often, a course subject will be focused on the specific area that is relevant to the type of course. A course that covers the topic of scentwork may describe the scenting ability of a dog in great detail, whereas a course that covers dog training in general may only include a foundation knowledge of the same subject. For this reason, external research can provide an invaluable way of expanding on specific course subjects.

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...During a stressful experience, the canine immune system will begin to shut off nonessential functions in order to maximise the chances of survival. “The body sees no point in digesting food when danger is upon it. Neither does it place emphasis on fighting disease, for it is putting all that effort into fighting the threat on life itself, so the immune system shuts down.”...

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A common mistake made by dog owners is to misinterpret canine communication in a way that suits our own style of communication and body language. “Anthropomorphism, the attribution of Human characteristics to non-human creatures – to phenomena such as weather, and even inanimate objects like rivers and mountains – is an intrinsic part of human nature.”

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The following section includes 3 different answers to the same question. All of these answers are correct, however they will each vary in the level of demonstrated understanding.

Question: Describe how you would apply an emergency improvised muzzle to a dog, for the purpose of performing first aid safely.

i. Create a large loop in a bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it.

This answer describes the correct process of applying an emergency muzzle. The method is correct; however, no consideration has been given to safety. To improve on this, and answer the full question, we can include more detail...

ii. Slowly approach the dog, talking gently. Create a large loop in the gauze bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. At this point, it is best to stand behind the dog. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it, not so tight as to cause pain. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it.

This answer has improved and includes personal safety advice. We now have a correct answer that covers the whole question. To demonstrate our understanding of the subject, we can go one step further and cover the whole subject in greater detail.

iii. Any injured dog, no matter how gentle they are normally, can bite when painful or panicked. Unfortunately, an injured animal is highly likely to bite, even if you are trying to help them. You may also be in a situation where you need to help a strange dog during an emergency. It is a useful and important skill to be able to muzzle a dog in an emergency situation. Some people will carry a muzzle in their car for emergency situations. However, you can also use a shoelace or gauze bandage. Slowly approach the dog side on, talking gently to reassure them. Be mindful of the dog’s body language and communication efforts while he is experiencing pain. Create a large loop in the gauze bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. At this point it is best to stand behind the dog to prevent direct eye contact. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it, not so tight as to cause pain. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it. NEVER apply a muzzle if the dog is struggling to breathe or vomiting.

This final version is an excellent demonstration of the whole subject. We have added information about the subject of emergency muzzles and included advice for keeping the dog free from additional pain or suffering.

You will receive positive, personal feedback from tutors who are always available to answer any questions and guide you through your learning experience. If you ever have any questions about course material or assessments, you can contact us here via email or through the study group.

Students are also encouraged to support each other, through access to a private study group where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Students are also encouraged to support each other, through access to a private study group where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Canine Principles offers both self-paced and time sensitive courses.

Self-paced - All CPD Diploma Courses, CPD Certificate Courses, Workshops, Webinars and Self Study Courses are completely self-paced learning with no deadlines for assessments or completion.

Qualifications - All regulated qualifications inherit a 2 year registration period. The cost of registration is included with initial enrolment. When the 2 year registration period expires, students may re-register for an additional registration fee. Fees vary by course, please contact us for details.

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You will receive positive, personal feedback from Tutors who are always available to answers any questions and guide you through your learning experience. Tutors will respond to assessments within 48 hours (72 hours during weekends)

Students are also encouraged to support each other through built in student community and private Facebook Study Group. where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Thank you!

3 Simple Ways To Protect Your Dog From Dementia

Nutrition and Canine Dementia

Exercising Your Ageing Dog

You Should Teach Your Old Dog New Tricks

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3 Simple Ways To Protect Your Dog From Dementia

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