I am a huge fan of memory foam dog beds to help senior dogs suffering from joint related conditions such as arthritis. I have used them with my own dogs and they really do work. When we had the regular fluffy dog beds you could see the aches and pains whenever my older dogs would get up from a nap, but that all changed when I switched to an orthopedic dog  bed. Since my early experiences I have been on the hunt for a higher quality bed that provided even more support and gave older dogs an even greater amount of comfort.

If your family is like mine then Christmas is a time where the dogs make out way better than the humans Our Christmas tree is usually filled with more gifts for our family dogs than for any of the two-legged members and I couldn’t be happier.

I am often asked for suggestions on the perfect gift to get an older dog so I thought I would write a post that summarized my top 5 picks for Christmas gifts this year.

1) If your dog is like mine then food is the number one favourite gift. For senior dogs I have started to give Greenies for seniors. For those of you not familiar with Greenies, they are treats that also act as a dental aid and breath freshener. The type especially made for senior dogs have the added bonus of ingredients that help promote healthy  joints, bones, skin, and coat health. They are also rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Dogs seem to love these and they are just soft enough that even our older dogs can enjoy this healthy treat. All of my dogs are getting some of these in their stockings.

2) Another great gift for an older dog, especially one that struggles with mobility, is a dog stroller. I know there is likely snow outside but winter is not forever and before you know it the roads will be clear and your dog will be ready to feel the wind beneath their wings. Or you could plow through the snow with our very own product, the Dogger dog stroller. It has 12 inch air-filled tires that have proven to do quite well on snow covered roads and sidewalks.                                                                       

3) If your dog is suffering from arthritis then they may appreciate the therapeutic help that an orthopedic dog bed can bring. I recommend going with a bed that is made of memory foam because this helps to evenly distribute their weight and reduce the pressure on sore joints. I tested these against a regular fluffy bed and the difference was significant. Mackenzie, my 14 3/4 years old pug used to get up limping and at times would even fall over and now that he only uses orthopedic beds, he gets up without any difficulty. I was so happy with the results that I filled my house with these beds.

4) Outside of the product world another terrific gift to give your senior dog is a canine massage. There is a growing number of professional dog massage therapists popping up to address the growing demand for this alternative treatment. If you have ever had a massage yourself you should understand just how great it can feel, not to mention the therapeutic benefits for your dog.

5) My fifth pick for the top Christmas gift for your older dog borders on controversial, but I am becoming a believer. Stem cell therapy is a fast growing treatment that is showing some tremendous results in the treatment of dog arthritis. I am confident that before too long this form of treatment will become much more mainstream as the number of vets that are offering this type of treatment continues to escalate. Keep in mind that this is an expensive treatment, but from what I have seen so far in terms of results, it seems to be worth it.

This of course is not an extensive list, but hopefully I have given you a few things to consider this Christmas for your older dog.

What are you giving your senior dog this year? Please feel free to share you Christmas gift ideas.

We did this video as a follow up to our original video product review to discuss the results of our two week long test. This orthopedic dog bed is veterinarian recommended for relief from arthritis and hip displasia, two common conditions faced by older dogs.

We put this dog bed through this test to determine if we would be able to see any improvement in Mackenzie’s overall condition when he wakes from naps. Mackenzie, my 13 year old pug, is challenged by arthritis, which is most apparent when he wakes from extended sleep in his bed.

Find out how this dog bed performed during this testing period and whether or not there was any improvement in Mackenzie’s post-nap condition.