What to Expect When Your Dog Turns 5

It is recommended that dogs get spayed or neutered at an early age. For various reasons, this may not always be pawssible. Perhaps you opted to breed your furry friend. Or maybe they had a health issue that prevented them from getting the procedure. Whatever the case may be, if your pooch hasn’t been spayed or neutered by age five, it’s time to seriously consider this option. First of all, both spaying and neutering are beneficial to your pup’s health as they help prevent cancer and other infections. Plus, if you have a female pup, you won’t have deal with her going into heat. Another benefit is that hormone levels decrease, improving the behavior of males. If anything, spaying and neutering prevents the overpopulation of dogs and keeps strays off the streets. It’s totally worth it, so make an appointment and let your pooch experience the cone of shame. It’s a canine rite of passage!

Get into the habit of checking your pooch for lumps and bumps. Next time you are cuddling with your pooch, run your hands across their body to see if they have any extra growths. You can also do this during a grooming session. Even though your five year old pup is still in the prime of their life, they may develop cysts, fatty tumors, warts, or malignant tumors. And, if they have been outside exploring, a tick may have burrowed into their skin. If you find a lump, make an appointment with your vet so they can check it out. Keep your eye out for other health problems that middle aged dogs experience. If your pal is constantly shaking their head or scratching their ears, they pawbably have an ear infection. If they start having accidents in the house, get them checked for a urinary tract infection.

At five years old, your pup is an expert at commands like ‘sit’ and ‘stay.’ But they are pawbably getting a little bored with the same repertoire of tricks. This is a great age to teach your pooch some new tricks. If you have a talkative dog, train them to ‘speak’ only when asked. Playful pups are perfectly suited for ‘spin,’ ‘roll over,’ and ‘play dead.’ And who can resist your pup when they ‘shake’ or ‘wave?’