Senior dogs have a way of making us slow down.

They may not move quite as quickly as they used to. Their routines can change. They might sleep more, play differently, or develop little quirks that weren’t there a few years ago. And sometimes, it can be hard to know what’s simply a normal part of getting older — and what might be a sign that something else is going on.

In Part One of our conversation about senior dogs, we’re taking a closer look at what actually happens as dogs age.

We’ll talk about when a dog is considered a senior, how aging can look different depending on the individual dog, and some of the physical, behavioral, and cognitive changes we may notice as our dogs move into their later years.

Most importantly, we’ll talk about why “they’re just getting old” isn’t always the best explanation.

Aging is a  ...