Senior dog mobility checklist

The seven-day mobility check

Use the same short route and routine when possible. Note what happens before, during, and after activity rather than scoring only distance.

• Rising: pushes up smoothly, rocks forward, needs several attempts, or needs help
• Walking: normal stride, shortened steps, toe dragging, crossing feet, limping, or drifting
• Turning: pivots comfortably, takes many small steps, loses balance, or avoids one direction
• Stairs and curbs: confident, hesitant, bunny-hopping, pulling with the front legs, or refusing
• Traction: stable on rugs but slipping on smooth floors
• Settling: circles repeatedly, drops down, changes position often, or avoids a usual bed
• Recovery: normal after activity, unusually stiff later, or slower the next morning

Also track what movement means to your dog

Mobility is not only biomechanics. Note whether your dog still approaches the leash, investigates smells, greets family, chooses favorite rooms, and participates in routines. Loss of interest may reflect pain, fatigue, illness, sensory change, or cognition—not simply age.

Make home easier today

• Add non-slip runners along the routes used most often.
• Use a stable ramp or block stairs if they are unsafe.
• Provide supportive bedding with an easy entry height.
• Keep food, water, and bathroom access on a reachable level.
• Ask before using braces, lifting harnesses, toe grips, or a new exercise program.

When to call sooner

Seek prompt veterinary advice for sudden inability to stand, collapse, severe pain, dragging limbs, loss of bladder or bowel control, major trauma, or rapidly worsening weakness. Do not give a human pain reliever unless a veterinarian specifically directs it.