lessons from wise old Burt 🎉

Good morning, [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE] -

Today is Burt’s 14th birthday 🎉

Fourteen!!! I honestly cannot believe how lucky I am to have this dog reach such a ripe old age. It feels like a celebration and a responsibility all at once.

Last week, Burt and I moved to a new apartment about 4 hours from Pittsburgh for a new opportunity (still top secret for now 👀). That means new place, new routine, new environment.

Of course, my first instinct was to go looking for dog-friendly trails. That’s always my move in a new place.

But between the freezing temps, deep snow with an icy crust on top, and very aggressive road salt, it quickly became clear that this was not the right kind of enrichment for Burt right now.

Even bundled up in his wool sweater and coat, with paw balm on his tootsie toes, his body told me something was off. His hindquarters were bothering him. He was crouching his hips, knuckling one back paw, and struggling to jump on the bed.

After everything Lucy and I went through last year, my brain immediately went to worst-case scenarios.

So I slowed down and put on my detective hat.

Here’s what I reminded myself:

• Burt is 14 years old (birthday boy!)
• His vision and hearing aren’t what they used to be
• He’s lost muscle in his hindquarters, which is normal with aging
• We moved away from an environment he’s known for seven years
• The surfaces and salt here are much harsher than what he’s used to

That was my cue to pivot!

And here's our game plan now:

• No more trail scouting.
• Back to familiar, indoor enrichment games.
• Short, predictable walks around the apartment complex while he figured out where the heck we even moved to 🤪

And I’m happy to report that after just three days of taking it easy, Burt is doing SO much better. He's standing tall again. No signs of discomfort. And jumping up on the bed like a champ!

Here’s the big takeaway I want to share with you:

Even if something worked beautifully for your dog before, you may need to adapt it as they get older.

That doesn’t mean stopping enrichment. It just means getting more thoughtful about how you do it.

I wrote a blog post about how I adapted one of our favorite indoor enrichment activities for Lucy when her mobility was very limited. If you need inspiration, that post is linked here.​

And don’t forget about passive enrichment, too. Things like music can still keep your dog’s brain engaged without putting stress on their body. I talk more about that in this podcast episode.​

The worst thing we can do is assume aging dogs should just slow down and become couch potatoes. 🥔 With a little creativity, you can help your dog stay mentally engaged, confident, and comfortable as they age.

If you’re trying to adapt an activity for your dog right now, hit reply and tell me about it. I’m always happy to brainstorm ideas with you!

And if you’re dealing with freezing temps this weekend too, Burt and I will be inside this weekend, sticking to the apartment complex and lots of cozy indoor games.

Thanks for being here and reading my emails. It really means a lot to me. 💗💗💗

xo
Tori

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