German Shepherd dog

There are sources who proclaim a 5 year old GSD as Senior, dog food companies, for instance, who suggest you start feeding their Senior product at age 5.

IMO, a dog is as old as he acts. I know a 9 year old who still participates in flyball; one of ours was 10 when he competed in his retirement HGH trial and, had it not been for a severe shoulder injury during training, would have been entered the following year. Our 14 year old still chases bunnies but can no longer catch them.

I consider a 10 year old a Senior and I would say that our 13 and 14 year old dogs are very old dogs. Both of them sleep most of the day. Both are slower in their movement due to stiff joints - both are dysplastic to varying degrees. Going up and down the stairs is hard for them as is getting into the car. One of them has adopted that old German Shepherd bark so typical to the breed, that rhythmic ARF-ARF-ARF, talking to themslves, I think. Both are pretty much deaf and now wear pager collars.

While there is a change in their level of exercise their desire for activity hasn't changed. They're both always ready to go, ready to fetch, play tug, swim, get rowdy. We don't throw the sticks and balls and Frisbees as far as we used to, we don't pull as hard on the tugs, and we help them out of the pool.

Old, yes, but not elderly. To me, there is a difference.