🐾 When is a dog considered old — and how can you truly support your furry friend through every stage of their life?

There comes a moment when you notice it. Not on a specific day, not through a diagnosis. It just happens. The dog gets up a little slower. Their eyes aren't quite as sharp. The walk that used to seem endless now gets a little shorter.
And you ask yourself: Is this old age already? Or is it normal? And – what can I do now?
I know these questions very well. Bakku, our beloved male dog, passed away at 14 years old. Poor eyesight, poor hearing – but he walked his paths until the very end and protected Grandma until his last breath. And Dixi, our Bernese Mountain Dog, left us far too soon. I'm not writing this to make you sad. I'm writing it because I want you to know: This article comes from real experience.
What I want to convey to you is: Age is not a fate to be endured. It's a phase that can be managed. Managed well. With knowledge, attention – and a little bit of zeolite.

👉 All products we mention in this article can be found here:
DOGKRAFT Zeolite, TIERKRAFT Skin Powder, Wound Ointment, and AM+PLUS Active Microorganisms — directly in our shop.

❓ The most common questions at a glance (FAQ)

When is my dog considered a senior?

This depends heavily on size and breed. Small dogs age slower than large ones. A Chihuahua at 8 years old is still in the prime of life — an Irish Wolfhound at 7 years old is already a true senior. As a rough guide: the larger the dog, the earlier old age begins. You can find the exact table further down in the article.

My dog has difficulty getting up. Is this normal aging or do I need to see a vet?

Both answers can be correct – and they are not mutually exclusive. Stiffness when getting up is one of the most common signs of osteoarthritis (joint wear and tear, where cartilage between the bones breaks down and movement becomes painful) in old age. This is common and treatable. Please see a vet – not because it's dramatic, but because quality of life can be significantly improved with the right support.

Can zeolite prolong the life of my old dog?

I won't promise you that – it wouldn't be honest. What I can tell you is: zeolite can significantly improve the quality of the last few years. Fewer toxins in the body, relieved liver and kidneys, better digestion, less silent inflammation in the body. Together, this means: your dog stays vital longer, enjoys life longer, can truly participate longer. Not a promise of living longer – but living better for as long as he lives. That is actually the more beautiful thing.

What are the most common health problems in old dogs?

Joints and osteoarthritis, kidney and liver problems, declining sight and hearing, dental problems, heart problems, tumor diseases, and cognitive impairments (when the dog behaves as if confused or disoriented – similar to dementia in humans). Not every old dog gets all of these. But knowing what's possible helps you to look closely early on.

What do whiskers have to do with age?

Whiskers — also called vibrissae or tactile hairs — are highly sensitive sensory organs. They help the dog to orient itself, estimate distances, and perceive air currents. In old age, when sight and hearing decline, these tactile hairs become even more important — practically the last reliable antennae. For them to regrow and remain strong, the body needs silicon (a mineral essential for hair, tendons, bones, and connective tissue). Zeolite contains natural silicon and can gently support this. And please — never cut whiskers. In Austria and Germany, it is also legally forbidden.

My dog eats less in old age. What can I do?

This is very common. Several small meals instead of one large one, easily digestible food, warming food slightly to enhance its smell, zeolite gently supports digestion. And if the dog truly stops eating — please see a vet, as pain or an internal illness could be behind it.

How do I explain it to my children when the dog dies?

This is the hardest question in this article. Despite being a psychologist. Or precisely because of it. I allow myself to say: honesty in age-appropriate language is best. Children sense more than we think. They also sense our grief. Telling them that the dog went to sleep without pain and won't come back — that's more loving than hiding it. And being allowed to grieve together is a gift, not a mistake. My niece drew a beautiful picture for Bakku - actually Grandma - with a rainbow bridge.

When is a dog actually old?

This is not as easy to answer as one might think. Because 'old' is not a number — it's a state. Didn't Oprah say: Age is just a number. And this state depends very much on size, breed, diet, and living conditions.
As a rough guide, here's this table:

Breed Size	Senior from approx.
Small breeds (up to 10 kg)	from 10–11 years
Medium breeds (10–25 kg)	from 8–9 years
Large breeds (25–45 kg)	from 7–8 years
Very large breeds (over 45 kg)	from 6–7 years

Ezra, our Labrador Retriever, is 6 years old and currently feeling the full force of spring. He's not a senior yet. But I'm already thinking about how I want to support him in a few years. Because prevention is always better than cure. And if I'm completely honest, I've noticed that he takes a break after 3 throws when playing fetch and lies in the sun. He would never, ever have done that before.
Bakku was 14. A very old age for a medium-sized dog – and he carried it with dignity almost to the end. Poor eyesight, poor hearing, but he knew exactly who was where. And he protected Grandma. Until his last breath.

'Everything just takes longer.' — What really changes in old age

We once went on holiday to South Tyrol to a dog-friendly hotel. Next to us, an old female dog lay on her blanket – she had such a hard time getting up. And her owner said, very simply, very lovingly: She was always with me, everywhere. So she is now too. Everything just takes longer.
That sentence never left me. Because it says everything you need to know about accompanying an old dog. It's not about speed. It's about being there.

What really changes in an older dog's body:

The joints

Arthrosis (joint wear and tear, where the protective cartilage between the bones breaks down) is very common in older dogs. It is recognizable by difficulty getting up, stiffness after lying down, and reluctance to climb stairs. The dog acts as if everything is fine — dogs show pain very little. That's precisely why we need to pay attention.
What helps: A soft bed, gentle regular exercise (short walks, no forcing), silicon for cartilage and connective tissue, zeolite for detoxification which can fuel joint inflammation.

Liver and kidneys

In old age, the liver and kidneys – the two major detoxification organs – work slower. Toxins, metabolic products, and drug residues are no longer broken down as efficiently. Zeolite binds these substances already in the intestine before they burden the liver. This is particularly valuable in old age.
Lilly's owner wrote to us (Lilly is the dog in this cover photo)

"Lilly already finds it harder to get up. Zeolite detoxifies and removes metabolic waste products from the body. Movement then becomes easier. We are already happy about that."
— K.G. — Labrador Retriever Lilly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fur, skin, and whiskers

As we age, the body's silicon reserves decrease — and this becomes noticeable. The coat becomes duller, grows back slower, and the skin becomes less elastic. And the whiskers — the vibrissae (highly sensitive tactile hairs that help the dog orient itself, estimate distances, and perceive even the slightest air currents) — need silicon to remain strong and functional.
This is particularly important because sight and hearing decline with age. The whiskers then become the dog's most important antennae. They are, so to speak, the second eyes — and they must never be cut. In Austria and Germany, this is legally forbidden, and for good reason.
Zeolite contains natural silicon and thus gently supports from within — coat, skin, connective tissue, bones. Not as a quick fix, but as daily support.

Digestion

The intestine becomes sluggish with age. The gut flora changes, nutrient absorption decreases, constipation or soft stools become more common. Zeolite regulates the pH value in the intestine, stabilizes the gut flora, and calms digestion. Sigrid from Munich wrote to us:

"Our older female dog (12) now gets it in her dog food, and after 2 days, I see how her stool stabilizes. I will feed the zeolite every day. It visibly does her good. The fact that it's completely natural is super good."
— Sigrid from Munich ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sight and hearing

Bakku had poor eyesight and hearing at the end of his life. And yet he knew exactly who was there, who was coming, who needed protection. Towards the end, he even barked at us. When he perceived us. Dogs compensate for declining senses astonishingly well — through smell, through their whiskers, through the deep familiarity with their humans. What helps: maintaining routines. The old dog needs predictability more than ever before. Always the same voice, always the same place, always the same food.

Cognition — when the dog seems confused

Some older dogs develop cognitive dysfunction (a type of dementia in dogs – the dog appears confused, disoriented, sleeps a lot during the day and is restless at night, sometimes doesn't recognize familiar people). This is not common, but it does occur. If you notice this – please see a vet, there are ways to help.

Why zeolite is so valuable for old dogs
I said earlier: Zeolite does not prolong life. What it does — and this is no less significant — is to relieve the body. And a relieved body stays vital longer. Specifically, for old dogs, this means:

• Liver and kidneys have fewer toxins to break down — because zeolite already binds and excretes them in the gut
• Ammonia (a metabolic waste product that is poorly broken down in old age and can strain the brain) is bound
• Silent chronic inflammations in the body are reduced — less inflammation means less joint pain
• Silicon in zeolite supports fur, whiskers, bones, and connective tissue
• Digestion becomes calmer and more stable

Maria and Helmut wrote to us about their old Entlebucher Mountain Dog — and their report deeply touched me:

"Our old male dog was sluggish, listless, just not himself anymore. We thought it was just old age. Since we started giving him zeolite, he's much livelier and seems generally more relieved. I wish we had tried it sooner."
— Maria and Helmut S. — Entlebucher Mountain Dog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I wish we had tried it sooner.' I hear that often. And that's why I'm writing this article. So you know sooner. Especially because it's so easy and simple to incorporate into a daily routine.

From Sammy, Bella, Bakku — and the grandpa who brought home a female dog after two weeks anyway

Tina wrote to us about Sammy — her 15-year-old Galgo from Spain, rescued from a life that wasn't pretty, and then lived so long and well. In the middle, by the way, is Rommi - she was Ezra's first girlfriend and taught him to run. Learning to zig-zag from a female Galgo teacher is simply perfect. There's little better.

"On the left, you see Sammy. He's already 15. I support him with zeolite for detoxification, and his gut is also well-regulated by it. Rommi and Filou also get it in their food. For doggy tummy well-being."
— Tina — Galgos Sammy, Rommi, and Filou ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

And Claudia wrote to us about Bella, her 13-year-old Cocker Spaniel:

"Bella has grown old, and every change of food was a risk. When she started leaving her food, I was desperate. Zeolite was my last attempt — gentle, natural, without side effects. She eats again, has a shiny coat, and looks at me with those alert eyes. I know I did the right thing."
— Claudia — Cocker Spaniel Bella, 13 years old ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bakku, Entlebucher Mountain Dog with food optimized with zeolite, very irregularly, whenever we happened to remember. And in old age, we noticed a difference when he got zeolite. He was much livelier then.

And then there was Bakku. Our Bakku. 14 years old, poor eyesight, poor hearing — but he left when he was ready, in his own way, with dignity. At some point, he didn't want to get up anymore. After that, Grandma absolutely didn't want another dog. Too much pain. Too much farewell.

Grandpa had a different opinion. After two weeks, he showed up with a female dog from the divorce orphanage — already 8 years old, a bit grey around the muzzle and with difficulties shedding, with a story. And Grandma's heart, which had actually closed — it was open again after a very short time. Because that's what dogs do.
This is not a zeolite issue. This is a life issue. But I'm telling it because it shows: The heart recovers. Again and again. And the next dog deserves the same care, the same attention, the same knowledge. And please, no comparisons. Everyone is unique with their individual peculiarities and also their ability to commit.

Which STEINKRAFT products for which challenges in old age?

Not every product suits every situation. Here's an overview:

DOGKRAFT Zeolite — the daily basis
Daily in food, from the first signs of age, preferably even before. Detoxifies, stabilizes gut and digestion, relieves liver and kidneys, provides silicon for coat and connective tissue. This is the core of daily support.

DOGKRAFT Dosage for Seniors:

• Daily: 0.5% of food amount — mix well with food
• Under stress (after medication, illness): up to 1% of food amount
• Always offer fresh water — especially important in old age
• Examples:
  Dog 10 kg, eats 350 g daily → 1.75 g DOGKRAFT daily
  Dog 25 kg, eats 650 g daily → 3.25 g DOGKRAFT daily
  Dog 35 kg, eats 800 g daily → 4 g DOGKRAFT daily

TIERKRAFT Zeolite Skin Powder — for skin and wounds

Old dogs often mean: thinner skin, slower wound healing, irritated spots. TIERKRAFT skin powder with organic lavender oil can be sprinkled directly on irritated or sore areas — soothing, anti-inflammatory, drying for weeping areas. Our customer wrote to us:

“Our dog was bitten 5 times by another dog. We gently applied the ointment everywhere and put TIERKRAFT skin powder on the deep bite wounds."
— Customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

STEINKRAFT Wound Ointment — for wounds that want to heal

If the skin is already drier, spots are healing, scars are forming — the wound ointment with 5 µm fine zeolite clinoptilolite supports regeneration and keeps the skin supple. Especially for older dogs who recover more slowly than before. And whose wound healing is simply slower.

AM+PLUS Active Microorganisms — for gut and coat

Apply freshly mixed (small amount of AM+PLUS with water, use immediately — microorganisms lose their strength if exposed to air for too long) to coat and skin. Strengthens the skin microbiome (the natural balance of beneficial bacteria on the skin), reduces odor, cares for irritated fur. Internally as daily support for intestinal flora — especially valuable after medication or illness.

 

A brief digression: The whiskers — why they are worth gold in old age

I want to explain this in a bit more detail, because hardly anyone knows — and because I find it so fascinating.

Your dog's whiskers — also called vibrissae or tactile hairs — are not normal hairs. They are highly sensitive sensory organs. Each individual whisker sits in a special hair follicle (hair root) surrounded by a network of nerve endings. The slightest touch, air currents, changes in the environment — the dog perceives all of this through its whiskers.
They are located above the eyes, on the muzzle, on the chin — wherever the dog gets close to things it cannot see directly. They are virtually a second pair of eyes for close range.

In old age, when sight and hearing diminish, these tactile hairs become even more important. They are often the last reliable sensory organ that helps the old dog orient itself. Bakku saw little and heard little in the end — but he knew exactly who was there. I believe his whiskers helped with that. For whiskers to grow back well and retain their function, the body needs silicon. This mineral is the building material for hair, tendons, bones, and connective tissue — and it decreases with age. Zeolite contains natural silicon and can gently support this daily.

Important: Never cut whiskers! Cutting vibrissae is legally prohibited in Austria (§7 Animal Welfare Act) and Germany (§6 Animal Welfare Act). It is the temporary amputation of a sensory organ. Especially in old dogs with declining sight and hearing, the absence of whiskers can lead to serious disorientation. Please explicitly point this out to the dog groomer.

 

Nutrition in Old Age: What the Old Dog Really Needs

An old dog's stomach is more sensitive, kidneys tolerate less protein, and the liver needs relief. What this means in practice:

• High-quality, easily digestible protein — lean meat, steamed fish, no cheap fillers
• Low fat — relieves liver and pancreas
• Many small meals instead of one large one — the old digestive tract will thank you
• Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon oil, hemp oil) — anti-inflammatory, good for joints and coat
• Fresh water at all times — kidneys need fluid especially in old age
• DOGKRAFT Zeolite daily — detoxifies, stabilizes, supports from within

One more practical tip: slightly warm food for old dogs. The smell becomes stronger, the dog eats better. Sounds trivial. But it works.

When to definitely see a vet?

I always say this, because it's important: Zeolite and natural support are complementary — not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis. In old age, this is even more true.

🐾 Have these signs checked promptly: Severe stiffness or pain when getting up and moving  Sudden weight loss without reason  Severely increased or decreased thirst Confusion, disorientation, wandering at night Cough, shortness of breath or unusual fatigue  Lumps or hardened areas under the skin  Sudden loss of appetite for more than 2 days

 

And please: Annual blood tests from senior age onwards. Liver, kidneys, thyroid — many things can be treated well if found early. This is not a luxury. This is care.

The little things you notice: lumps, smell, and Minni who doesn't want to walk far anymore

Bakku had small lumps under his skin in old age — we lovingly called them "Dippel". When you scratch them, you suddenly find them, get a little scared, and wonder what they are. In most cases, these are lipomas (benign fatty tumors — soft, movable, painless, a purely age-related phenomenon that is very common in older dogs, especially in Labrador Retrievers, by the way — Ezra, I'm looking at you). They usually don't require treatment, but should be checked by a vet and regularly monitored — so you know what's changing and what's staying the same.

And then there's the smell. Older dogs sometimes smell more intensely like a dog. This sounds trivial, but it's quite normal — the skin produces more sebum (the natural skin fat), the gut flora changes, metabolic products are no longer excreted as efficiently. Zeolite binds exactly these odor-forming substances already in the intestine — it's no coincidence that "the smell has improved" is one of the most common phrases in our customer reviews.

Winnie/Minni doesn't want to walk a meter - but she loves playing fetch. You can't imagine how much. And she's fully competitive and performance-oriented, she wants to be the faster one to snatch the ball. Because she does nothing during the week and catches up on everything on the weekend when the Viennese are there, she has endless sore muscles.

Oh yes — and then there's Minni. Her real name is Winnie, Grandma and Grandpa's new dog. But Grandma and Grandpa couldn't make anything of the name (they don't know Winnie the Pooh) and now call her Minni. She doesn't mind at all. The main thing is to have a mommy and daddy again. She's 8 years old, comes from the divorce orphanage — that's what we call homes for dogs that have been given up because their humans separated — and she doesn't like to go for long walks anymore. Neither do Grandma and Grandpa. Perfect match. The fact that she sometimes eats things not meant for her — yesterday, for example, half the cake Grandma baked for the pastor — that's another story. If you couldn't always be sure in early life whether the next meal would come, you grab it when you get the chance. You can't blame her. 🐾

Old Age Quirks — or: why the old dog suddenly has very specific ideas

Old dogs develop quirks. This is not imagination or a training problem — it's old age. And somehow also character.
Bakku, for example, at the end had very clear ideas about which way was the right one. Not the fastest. Not the shortest. His way. And if you tried to redirect him — well. He ignored it.

Typical old age quirks that many dog owners know:

Routine is sacred. Always the same walking route. Always the same time. Always the same sleeping spot. Woe betide if Grandma rearranges the furniture. This isn't stubbornness, by the way — it's security. An old dog who sees and hears poorly relies on what he knows. Changes confuse him. So please: leave the furniture as it is.

Sniffing now takes longer. Three minutes at a blade of grass. Five minutes at a lamppost. The old dog is reading the newspaper — he just takes a little longer. Let him. It's his walk, not yours.

Clinginess. Some old dogs suddenly become more clingy than before. They want to know where their human is. Always. That sounds exhausting — but it's actually the biggest compliment a dog can give.

No longer interested in other dogs. The old dog has fulfilled his social obligations. He no longer needs to play with everyone. He can be selective. We are allowed to be selective in old age too.

And then there's Minni. She doesn't want to go for long walks anymore. Neither do Grandma and Grandpa. If it fits, it fits. 🐾
And another quirk you should know — because it can sometimes be startling: the old dog who suddenly growls. Bakku sometimes growled in old age when children handled him too roughly. That wasn't aggression. That was communication. An old dog who is in pain, who hears and sees less well, who is startled when someone suddenly pulls him — he eventually says: Please don't. And growling is his "please don't".

Important: Never punish growling. A dog who is not allowed to growl will eventually bite without warning. Growling is a gift — it's the last friendly warning. Accept it. And explain it to the children too. An old dog deserves respect. 🐾

References

As always: This article is not a substitute for veterinary advice. It is intended to inform and accompany — not replace.

No.	Author/Year	Topic	Source
1	Hostettler et al. (2018)	Age-related changes in the canine body — overview	Veterinary Journal
2	Lamprecht et al. (2015)	Zeolite reduces intestinal oxidative stress and gut permeability	Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
3	Bauer et al. (2021)	Clinoptilolite to support hepatic detoxification – animal model	Veterinary Quarterly
4	Nielsen (2014)	Silicon — nutritional importance for bones and connective tissue	Journal of Trace Elements
5	AGES Austria	Approval of clinoptilolite as a technological additive in animal feed	ages.at

 

P.S. I took a closer look at the story of the Rainbow Bridge—and discovered something that really touched me. It doesn't actually say "he crossed the Rainbow Bridge." Because in the original poem—written in 1959 by a 19-year-old Scottish woman named Edna Clyne-Rekhy, after her Labrador Major died—the animal waits before the bridge. In a sunny meadow, without pain, without illness. And it only crosses over when its human comes. Together.

'He waits at the Rainbow Bridge' would therefore be the correct expression. And somehow also the more beautiful one. He is not gone. He is waiting.

You can find the full original poem at rainbowsbridge.com 🌈🧡

So, Ezra has nudged me three times now to play ball. He wants to go out again. His master is away in Tyrol, Marika already walked him at lunchtime (a long walk) and now it's my turn.

🧡 Over 5,000 times purchased, by dog owners from Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
Recommended by veterinarians and alternative practitioners.
All dog products in the shop