Is There A Problem?
In the absence of obvious signs of illness or injury, one of the
biggest tools veterinarians have to figure out if there is a problem is
knowing what is normal and what is not normal. There are variances for
age, breed, and sometimes gender, but knowing the normals for behavior
and general health help alert us if there is a potential problem.
Addressing health problems early is better for the pet and usually ends up saving money at the veterinary hospital, too.
Knowing what's normal
Just like for cats, knowing what is "
normal"
depends on the age of your dog. Dogs under a year of age are still
considered to be a puppy and will be active, growing, and eating
throughout that first year.
Puppies go, go, go (maybe even tiring out older canine companions)
and then crash for naptime. This cycle repeats throughout the day.
Depending on each individual dog and their lifestyle (busy household,
other pets, kids), most stay quite active until the "middle-aged" or
early senior years, anywhere from age 8 to 10. Senior status is later
for smaller breeds and earlier - as early as 7 years - for giant breeds.