Every guide and printable, in one place
Practical guides and free printables for people caring for an older dog. Nothing here diagnoses anything. It is organisation, so that when you do speak to your vet you can answer their questions with a date rather than a guess.
Best Pill Organizers for Dogs on Multiple Medications (By Situation)
Which pill organizer fits a senior dog on one pill, three pills, a sitter weekend or a boarding stay, plus splitters, pill pockets and syringes. Affiliate links.
Ramps for Elderly Dogs or Pet Stairs? How to Choose and Measure
Ramp or pet stairs for your older dog? How to choose, and how to measure the couch, bed and car so you buy the right size once.
Boarding vs Pet Sitter for a Senior Dog: How to Choose (and What to Send)
In-home sitter, kennel or family: which one an older dog on medication copes with best, the questions to ask each, what to send along, and why a one night trial run is worth it.
Dog Medication Schedule Template (With a Filled In Example)
A simple eight line schedule block per medication, a filled in example, and how it feeds the free printable weekly chart and monthly log.
Dog Sitter Checklist for Older Dogs: The Nine Things Owners Forget to Mention
What to tell a pet sitter about a senior dog, ordered by what gets left out most: what normal looks like, mobility, overnight trips, medication tricks, who to call, and the two emergency lists.
Dog Symptom Tracker Printable: Two Weeks on One Page (Free)
A free two week symptom tracker for senior dogs: fifteen things to watch, one mark a day, so you can answer “when did that start?” with a date.
Dog Weight and Resting Breathing Rate Log (Free Printable)
How to weigh your senior dog and count resting breathing rate at home, and a free one page log to record both, with a change column and notes.
Free Dog Emergency Contact Sheet (Printable, With Treatment Authorisation)
A free two page printable: vet, 24 hour clinic, backup contact, microchip, insurance and poison control on one sheet, plus a treatment authorisation and the questions an emergency clinic will ask.
Free Dog Medication Chart Printable (Weekly Chart and Monthly Log)
A free printable dog medication chart: a weekly AM and PM checkbox grid for up to seven medications, plus a monthly log for one daily medication. Built for senior dogs and shared caregiving.
How Old Is a 12 Year Old Dog in Human Years? The Real Numbers
Break down the myth‑busting science behind dog age conversion and what it means for care, activity, and health expectations.
How to Give a Pill to a Dog That Spits It Out (Step by Step)
The decoy treat sequence, pill pockets, asking for a different form of the medication, and the kind direct method, plus the three things that actually cause missed doses in senior dogs.
How to Keep Track of Dog Medications When Two People Share the Care
A six step system for households where more than one person gives a senior dog its medication: one chart per dog, tick at the moment, write down how you give it, one refill owner, a missed dose rule, and a sitter version.
Missed a Dose of Your Dog’s Medication? What to Write Down and Who to Call
A short, calm guide for the moment you realise a dose was missed: do not double up, write down three things, call with the bottle in your hand, and fix the cause.
Planning Ahead for a Senior Dog: A Quiet Checklist for the Decisions That Are Easier to Make Early
The conversation to have with the vet while things are stable, a simple quality of life check, and the practical decisions (where, who, aftercare, a backup person) that are far easier to write down on an ordinary day.
Questions to Ask the Vet at a Senior Dog Checkup (and What to Write Down)
The questions worth asking at a senior wellness visit, grouped by topic, what to bring so the answers are useful, and what to write down before you leave the building.
How Often Should a Senior Dog Go to the Vet? A Simple Checkup Plan
What the AVMA, AKC and AAHA say about checkup frequency for older dogs, when the twice a year schedule starts by size, and the questions to ask when you book.
Normal Aging or Worth Mentioning? Changes in Older Dogs to Write Down for Your Vet
The changes veterinary groups ask owners to watch for, how to write a change down so it helps your vet, and what to ask at the next visit.
Your Dog Just Became a Senior: A First Month Organization Checklist
What AAHA, AVMA and AKC mean by a senior dog, and four small weekly tasks to get vet visits, a change log, medications and handoffs organized.
How Old Is a 10 Year Old Dog in Human Years? What the Numbers Mean for Care
The AVMA rule of thumb and the UC San Diego formula side by side, why size changes the answer, and how to organize care at this age.
Senior Dog Boarding Checklist: What to Pack, Write Down and Ask
Boarding an older dog: the three questions to ask two weeks before, what to write down that the kennel form misses, what to pack, the handover, and what to check at pickup.
Senior Dog Care Checklist: Daily, Weekly and Monthly (Free Printable)
A one page senior dog care checklist split into daily, weekly, monthly and twice a year items, with a short call the vet list. Free printable PDF.
Senior Dog Daily Routine: A Simple Schedule for Busy Owners
A morning, midday, evening and bedtime routine for an older dog, with the two minutes of checking that catch problems early. Pairs with the free printable care checklist.
Senior Dog Essentials: 10 Things That Actually Help an Older Dog at Home
A short, problem-first list for older dogs: non slip runners, a low entry bed, ramps, a support harness, raised bowls, a pill organizer, waterproof pads, a night light, a scale and a binder. No supplements.
Senior Dog Pet Sitter Instructions Template (Free Printable)
A free two page pet sitter instructions template built for older dogs: medications, routine, mobility notes, what normal looks like, and when to call.
Senior Dog Restless at Night: What to Write Down and What to Change at Home
A week of notes for the vet, then the household checklist: a later last trip out, water by the bed, a night light, a gate at the stairs, a fixed bed, a calmer evening, a shaped day and steady medication times.
Senior Dog Vet Visit Checklist and Prep Sheet (Free Printable)
A one page vet visit prep sheet for senior dogs: what to bring, what changed since last time, five questions to ask, and the plan you agreed on. Free printable PDF.
Traveling With a Senior Dog: The Checklist (Before, Packing, On the Road)
A road trip checklist for older dogs: the vet call and paperwork the week before, what to pack for medications, comfort and clean up, how to run the drive, and what to set up on arrival.
What Goes in a Senior Dog Care Binder (All 13 Pages, Explained)
Page by page: the profile, weekly medication chart, monthly log, care checklist, symptom tracker, weight and breathing log, vet prep sheet, sitter instructions, emergency cards and change log, and how they work together.
When Is a Dog a Senior? Age by Size, Human Years, and What Changes
Senior age ranges by size, the rough human years shortcut, and the five practical things that change once a dog crosses the line, with the free tools to start with.