Foster Care for Outdoor Senior Dogs: Nutrition, Healthcare, and Best Practices

Fostering senior dogs who have spent their entire lives outdoors leads to unique challenges and rewards. These dogs often come from backgrounds where they have not received proper nutrition and healthcare. Transitioning them to indoor living requires patience, understanding, and a commitment to provide them with the care they deserve. In this article, we will explore the importance of proper nutrition and healthcare for senior dogs in these circumstances and discuss best practices for fostering them.

Nutritional Needs

Nutrition plays a crucial role in the overall health and well-being of all senior dogs, especially those who have lived outdoors all their life. Many of these dogs may have been scavenging for food or subsisting on inadequate diets and scraps. As a result, they may suffer from malnutrition or nutrient deficiencies, leading to various health issues such as weakened immune systems, poor coat condition, and joint problems.

It's essential to provide senior foster dogs with high-quality, balanced nutrition. Some dog foods that are noted to be formulated for seniors, may contain lower calories to accommodate their lower activity levels and higher levels of essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals, which may help the foster dog. Consider consulting with a veterinarian to determine the best diet plan for a foster dog based on age, size, and health status.

Diet Transition

Transitioning a senior dog to a new diet should be done gradually, when possible, to prevent digestive upset. A fostered senior dog will often come with no food to transition from. If lucky, they may have enough to have their prior diet, start by mixing small amounts of the new food with their current food, and gradually increase the proportion of the new food over several days. Monitor their appetite, stools, and overall well-being during this transition period and adjust as needed.

Senior dogs may sometimes have dental issues or difficulty chewing dry kibble. A few options to overcome this are to add warm water to the dry kibble or to opt for softer or wet food options that are easier for them to consume. Additionally, always providing access to fresh water is essential for hydration, especially for older dogs who may be more prone to dehydration.

Healthcare Considerations

Senior dogs require regular veterinary care to monitor their health and address any age-related issues that may arise. Often, foster dogs received from hunters and other outdoor homes have yet to be neutered or spayed. Scheduling a comprehensive veterinary examination and the neuter/spay as soon as feasible is important for the dog's health and potty training in a home environment. This examination also allows the veterinarian to assess their overall health, identify underlying conditions, and establish a preventive healthcare plan.

During the veterinary visit, discuss the foster dog's medical history, or lack thereof, including any vaccinations, parasite prevention, and previous health concerns. The veterinarian may recommend additional screenings or diagnostic tests to evaluate their organ function, dental health, and mobility. They can advise on specific healthcare interventions or treatments tailored to the foster dog's needs.

Why Foster Senior Dogs with Outdoor Backgrounds

• Rescue and Rehabilitation: Senior dogs with outdoor backgrounds often come from challenging situations such as neglect, abandonment, or living as strays. Fostering provides them with a safe environment to heal physically and emotionally while they transition into indoor life.
• Quality of Life Improvement: Many senior dogs have spent their entire lives outdoors, missing out on the comforts of a warm bed, regular meals, and companionship. Fostering allows them to experience love, comfort, and the joys of being part of a family.
• Old Dogs Matter Too: Older dogs are often, unfairly, viewed as less adaptable or trainable. Fostering allows these dogs to show their true personalities, proving that age is just a number and that they can thrive in the right environment with proper care and patience.
• Socialization: Dogs who have lived primarily outdoors may lack socialization skills with humans and other animals. Fostering provides them opportunities to learn and build trust, helping them become more well-adjusted and confident pets.
• Saving Lives: Opening s home to a senior dog with an outdoor background, can save a life. These dogs are often at higher risk of euthanasia in shelters due to overcrowding or because they are deemed less adoptable.

Best Practices for Fostering

• Patience: Understand that transitioning from an outdoor to an indoor environment can be overwhelming for senior dogs. Be patient and allow them time to adjust at their own pace. Taking it slow and starting this transition in a small area of the home, where they can feel safe, before allowing complete free roam, which can be overwhelming to them. Remember, they have lived a secluded life.
• Create a Safe Space: Provide a comfortable and secure area within the home where the dog can retreat when feeling anxious or overwhelmed. This could be a quiet corner, behind a chair or couch, a playpen, or even a crate they feel comfortable in. A soft, supportive bed can help alleviate pressure on their joints and muscles.
• Establish Routine: Senior dogs thrive on routine. Stick to a consistent schedule for feeding, walks, and potty breaks to help them feel more secure and confident in their new environment. Ideally, they should be allowed to go outside to potty every few hours. While they are learning, it can be helpful to have them in doggy diapers to prevent accidents.
• Positive Reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement techniques such as treats, praise, and gentle encouragement to reinforce good behavior and build trust.
• Slow Introduction to New Things: Introduce new experiences gradually and in a controlled manner. This could include meeting new people, seeing a TV for the first time, encountering other pets, or exploring the rest of the home.
• Mental Stimulation: Keep the dog's mind engaged with interactive toys, puzzle feeders, and short training sessions to prevent boredom and promote mental well-being. Remember that many of these dogs do not know what toys are and could be scared, especially if they make a noise.
• Emotional Support: Offer plenty of love, affection, and reassurance to help the dog feel secure and loved. Building a strong bond with a foster dog is the key to a successful placement.

Fostering senior dogs who have lived outdoors their entire lives requires compassion, patience, and a commitment to providing them with the care and attention they deserve. Proper nutrition and healthcare are essential to ensuring their well-being as they transition to indoor living. By providing them with high-quality food, regular veterinary care, and a safe, comfortable environment, can help a senior dogs thrive in their golden years and enjoy a happy, healthy life.

Additional Resources

The Senior Dogs Project- Why Foster.

Best Friends- Save Them All- Dog Foster Care Manual 

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About the Author

Lee Ann Hagerty is Director of Customer Enrichment and Consumer Insights on the BSM Product Innovation team with 29+ years in the pet food industry, working for Iams/Eukanuba, Procter & Gamble, and Mars Pet Care. She brings a unique combination of project management skills with consumer insights, product design, animal nutrition, and sensory science which drives an in-depth understanding of the pet and consumer. Lee Ann has a passion for helping dogs. Over the last year and a half, she has fostered over 22 dogs. Many of them were senior dogs who had lived their entire lives outside as hunting dogs. She has been a foster pet parent for many years, and it brings her great joy to see these pets find fur-ever homes where they live with families indoors with love and care.