Editor’s Note: Sadly, we said goodbye to our Chloé three months after this post. She lived a long and very happy life passing at 16 years and 3 months of age. Read our letter of Goodbye to Chloé here: RIP Chloé 5/19/07-8/14/23

This May we’re celebrating the 16th birthday of our Labrador Retriever, Chloé, who was diagnosed with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction just over a year ago, and since we know we are not alone in living with this disease, we thought we’d use this occasion to share with you what life has been like living with a senior dog who has a cognitive impairment.

The Story of Chloé

It feels like yesterday we brought our Chloé home to our college apartment, even though we weren’t supposed to have pets. Not long after, we began reading Marley & Me. At first, the book was heartwarming & hysterical filled with seemingly never-ending laughs that gave us a peek inside what was ahead for us both as new owners of our first Labrador Retriever. However, as we read on, that all changed & we can remember crying about losing our Chloé someday in the future when here she was only a few months old. We told ourselves then that we had many more long years together with Chloé before we’d even have to think about any of that, but we never dreamed it would be 16+ years! Celebrate Chloé’s sweet sixteen with a look back at her first years through the gallery below:

Fun facts about our Chloé-dog:

• In her first year, we moved 3 times, had our own suite at Bark in the Park during a MLB game, helped Governor Ed Rendell sign a law to ban puppy mills, began donating blood to University of Pennsylvania Animal Hospital, went to the beach, ran her first of many 5k’s fundraising for our local shelter, began competing in dock diving & went on our first ever camping trip… in a tent… outdoors… in the rain. not ideal!
• Some of her nicknames are “Yellow Dog”, “Chloé-dog”, “Bunny” (she hops like a bunny when she runs) & “Chew-bee” because prior to losing her hearing she would often express herself vocally like Chewbacca from Star Wars
• Chloé was a working dog for many years while she went to work with Janine. Everytime Janine stepped away from her desk, Chloé climbed up into her chair which gave everyone a good laugh!
• When it comes to food, Chloé hates pickles. Jared & Chloé once entered an eating contest for dogs & almost won, until we got to the last round where she had to eat a pickle. She refused & we lost!

Chloé was so full of life until January of 2022 when she was diagnosed with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (“CCD”), a degenerative brain condition, aka doggy dementia. This progressive disease affects their social behaviors, sleep behaviors, and toileting behaviors creating confusion. Confusion creates anxiety, and as the cycle loops, your senior pup becomes overstimulated and exhausted. At first you may only notice a few strange things here and there, but as the disease progresses further along, the symptoms become more prominent and a part of your daily life.

The reality of the situation is that this diagnosis came as no surprise to us. With the average lifespan of a dog being around 13 years and Chloé at almost 15 years old, we knew any dog over a certain age would surely have some form of forgetfulness or disorientation. As we and our pets age, our brains change. In people and dogs with dementia, this change, however, is significant.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

A few months after her diagnosis at 15 years 10 months old, we began to notice changes in her sleep patterns, some pacing & she began to withdrawal from social situations. Right from the start & just like her dad Finley, Chloé was a people person. For 14+ years, she loved any & all attention she could get, so when we started noticing her choose to withdrawal rather than play with her furry friends, we knew something wasn’t right. Overtime, Chloé became more hyperactive in the evening hours (similar to “sundowning”).

After a lot research, we chose not to go the traditional route in treating this disease (pharmaceuticals). We have always been about quality of life & these drugs remove that with sedation. We are so thankful for this online community where we connected with others (a very big thanks to @rainbows_and_skyla on Instagram who inspired us to make the very best of our remaining time with Chloé thanks to her “Sasha’s Bucket List.” If you haven’t already, you should give them a follow.) & provided feedback from their experiences, which helped tremendously.

During the summer of 2022, Chloé began to lose her voice. For 14+ years, Chloé was the smartest dog we’ve ever known, & she always knew what we were going to say or do before us. You could tell when she was looking at you, that she knew what you were thinking. like her dad, she was also very vocal – letting us know whether she liked or didn’t like something, so when she stopped vocalizing & barking altogether, we knew the disease had progressed further taking her desire to be vocal away almost completely. We have security cameras throughout our property, & we just can’t bring ourselves to delete our last recording of Chloé barking at an Amazon delivery van. From what we’ve heard from others dealing with CCD, this is rare because most dogs with CCD (we’ve been told) bark more because they’re anxious. Although this is not the case with our sweet girl, we have been told this happens more often and it’s important to do everything you can to decrease anxiety in your pet.

Somewhere in the fall of 2022, Chloé began to forget how to get back in our house from our fenced in yard. We have one door for our girls to enter and exit the yard from, but Chloé began standing on our patio staring at the exterior walls of our home. When called, she would not answer. We began having to go outside each time and walk her back inside the house. We now never leave her alone, even in our enclosed yard. When she’s ready to come inside, she comes to us and follows us inside.

In the winter months of 2022 and 2023, Chloé forgot how to perform life sustaining tasks like eating, swallowing & she lost a significant amount of weight. Chloe went from 68 to 56 pounds fast. This was a challenge because for a time, one of us had to sit with her for every meal, spoon feeding her & coaching her. Any distraction in the surrounding area where she eats was a reason to stop eating. If we were cooking in the kitchen next to her bowl, she would rather see what we were doing than eat. We then switched out her standard dog food (Chloé has been eating Merrick Grain-Free Real Salmon + Sweet Potato dry dog food for the entirety of her adult canine life) for boiled beef/chicken, rice & veggies. Although some may say it’s a lot of work, this worked & Chloé began eating again which was a massive victory.

Most recently, her decline has been more severe & Chloé has entered the final stage of CCD according to most as she is wandering aimlessly for hours on end & having significant issues with toileting (not incontinence). We have to make every effort to slow her down, force her to rest/relax/snuggle on the couch until she falls deep asleep and her body catches up with her mind. After we wake each morning and spend some outside time trying to remember how to do our business, we come inside to eat breakfast and then try to get Chloé to take a morning nap before we head to work. We do this because Chloé will pace for the entire time we are gone, walking and wandering all day long.

Living with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction is not easy, but since we have had experience caring for family members who have suffered from both dementia and Alzheimer’s, we have some background tools that have been very helpful. It is important to remember that once diagnosed with CCD, your dog’s actions are no longer intentional. If they wake up at 2:00 a.m. because they don’t understand it’s bedtime or no longer come to you when you call their name, it’s not their fault – and it’s not your fault either.

Living with CCD

A typical day caring for a dog with dementia looks different for everyone. For us, most of our days are about taking things slow since Chloé doesn’t get around as good as she used to. We also have to be more aware of not only our surroundings but also hers. It’s basically like having a puppy again in the sense that things that may seem obvious to us like objects in her path, stairs, etc. are no longer so obvious to her – they can in fact become a danger. We have fenced off most areas in our house that could be dangerous with baby gates – for example, our basement stairs have always been open-access but now they are closed off after Chloé took a pretty confused tumble down them. Also, with her pacing, Chloé likes to go in and out of our walk-in showers when the doors are open. These areas, as well as the bathroom floors, can be slippery so we’ve blocked her access from that.

In addition, we also have to make sure that we don’t make any sudden movements around our sweet girl that might scare her. Like shaking out a large trash bag to open it up, slamming doors, rasing your voice, etc. These loud sounds and fast movements can really send our Chloé into a state of confusion.

The harsh reality is that the majority of our days are spent preparing fresh nutritious foods for Chloé and cleaning up after she has accidents in the house. Her toileting issues are not intentional, but she no longer has the cognitive ability to remember that toileting is done outside, not inside. Yelling at your dementia dog for toileting in the house will not help the situation, in fact – rasing your voice will further confuse them and possibly send them into a downward spiral. The very first time Chloé did this, we didn’t realize it was dementia so we did raise our voice at her. She looked at us very confused and went into a full neurological episode. We took her to the vet immedietly and that’s when further testing and evaluations revalead CCD. From that point on, we haven’t raised our voice again with Chloé.

At first it was just a few accidental bowel movements in the house here and there, then it became weekly, now it is daily and she is also urinating in the house. There are good days (we call those gold star days), and then there are bad days and really bad days. If you have wooden or laminate flooring, this is an easy sanitize and cleanup. If you have carpet, it’s not so easy and you will want to invest in a good steam cleaner & some drop cloths that can be easily thrown in the washer. Really, this has been the hardest thing for us because after a long day at work – hours of steam cleaning and sanitizing is not what you want to be doing before you make dinner and sit down for the night. This is how we have chosen to manage the situation. It’s up to you how much of this you can take, and only you will know. There is nothing wrong with you for chosing to manage the situation differently. Believe us when we say, there is no judgement here – only love for no one understands caring for a dog with a cognitive imparment until they’ve done it! For us, it is challenging but since there is two us and we can tackle it together, it’s not ideal, but it is managable. As we right this post, today and yesterday have been gold star days.

Some things that have changed in Chloé’s life since her diagnosis:

• Chloé can no longer take long car rides. This one breaks our hearts because Chloé has always been a water dog and she loved the beach more than anything in this whole world, until her diagnosis. On our last trip together to the beach (Outer Banks, North Carolina) in 2022, Chloé did not appear to remember how much she loved the beach. She was there physically, and when we tossed her fish she would dive in to grab it, but as far as general splashing in the water and jumping over the waves like she used to, those days are gone. As her nutrition hasn’t been the best with her forgetting to eat from time to time (and we can’t force her to eat, just coach her to try and remember) she doesn’t have the stamina to swim like she used to in those giant ocean waves against the current or make the long walk out to the beach from our house. The other reason Chloé doesn’t do long car rides anymore is because after a few hours in one small space, and eventhough we’re in the car with her the entire ride, Chloé becomes very anxious, so we don’t like to put her through that.
• Chloé used to walk miles a day. This all ended when she began struggling to eat. Although she does eat more now than she did when she first forgot how to eat, she still isn’t as intrested in food as she once was. If you know anything about labrador retrievers, I’m sure you find that odd considering how food motivated labs famously are, and you’ll understand how difficult that is to deal with.
• Chloé always came everywhere with us. She and her sister Coco Chanel traveled everywhere we went including to work. Since new situations and changes create confusion, we stopped taking Chloé places to reduce anxiety. Yes going to work and home are the same places, but there are different scenarios and people that arise throughout the day at work, and this all creates confusion which creates anxiety. For those reasons, Chloé now spends most of her time at home with her sister.
• Chloé swam for hours a day outside in our inground pool up until recently. Now, we never leave her unattended around our pool because she could easily tumble in as her balance is pretty poor, she always has a life jacket (this is the most durable life jacket we’ve found: https://rstyle.me/+IogFvyimEWqkIf4LCGg3nQ) on when she’s in our backyard and the pool is open, and we always are in the pool with her because she no longer remembers how to find the exit or how to get out of the pool. Without our help, Chloé will swim aimlessly almost as if she is pacing in the pool, until we grab her life vest and guide her out. Of course, then she wants right back in to catch her fish again, but it’s important to give her breaks to catch her breath, drink some water, and rest her heartrate.
• Chloé also can’t tolerate the heat or cold like she used to. Already a very small lab at 68 pounds, she’s always been very fit because she was such an active dog, her body can’t tolerate the cold winter months here in the northeast, so we purchased a doggy down-filled jacket that she must wear anytime she goes outside in the winter months, and we limit her time outdoors during periods of high temperatures or high humidity.
• Suppliments have been helpful, like these tasty heart shaped treats that offer cognitive brain support: https://rstyle.me/+JcBdqFtkd9amTTl5q-NaeQ

There is no cure for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, but there are things you can do as dog’s best friend to slow the progression of the disease.

Some things we found helpful in dealing with CCD on a daily basis:

• Be patient – when your dog’s behavior suddenly changes and they no longer respond to your commands, their name, forget that toileting is done outside or how to eat, it can be frustrating. We completely understand where you’re coming from, but please remember that your four-legged friend has loved you unconditionally for many years, so a little patience is the least you can give them.
• Hand signals help – your dog may no longer respond to commands or their name as those familiar sounds and commands are now confusing to them. However, Janine is proficient in sign language and always enforced that into her training with Chloé when she was a pup, so she uses those same hand signals when she commands Chloé to do something still and we receive a much better response rate than without. With your dog, you don’t have to know sign language or anything like that, but it may be helpful to gesutre “come” as well as say “come” to them now that they’re more confused. Similar to the skills used when training a new pup, whatever gesture you make with the command, make sure it is the same each and every time. You also may have to repeate it over and over again. Make sure to praise them when they do finally respond.
• Keep a routine – change creates confusion. this includes always keeping food, water & toileting in the same locations as well as when to wake up and when to go to sleep. Try to avoid adding new things to their environment, especially anything near where they sleep, where they eat and where they toilet.
• Maintain a healthy & stimulating environment – as long as they’re physically able, continue allowing your pet to do all the things they love. Daily exercise and mental stimulation is key. & new smells are a way to stimulate the brain. At times, they may no longer naturally head into the yard and grab their favorite toy for fetch but if you pick up the toy and throw it, sometimes it triggers a reminder in their head, “oh yeah, I hate that thing! I have to catch it and destroy it!!!”
• Fish are food – fish oil is super beneficial for cognitive function. whenever we eat fresh organic wild-caught salmon, cod & haddock (no oils, seasonings or marinades), we feed the skin to Chloé & within 12 hours we notice a huge boost in her mental state.
• Let sleeping dogs lie – since most dogs with CCD pace for hours on end, it is important to let them rest when they do finally relax. Unlike a mentally healthy dog, a dog with dementia doesn’t understand when it’s time to rest. Too much stimulation causes exhaustion, and their mind just doesn’t know when to quit creating a vicious cycle, especially during the final phases of CCD.
• Dogs with CCD easily become confused & disoriented – Never leave a dog with CCD unattended off-leash or unattended in a yard without a fence, in a new place or on walks. Pets with CCD do not have the capacity to respond when called, so it’s very dangerous to let a dog with CCD loose outdoors and un-leashed. Always keep your pets close, but especially dogs with CCD. Also, make sure your contact information is easily readable and up to date on all of their collars/tags.
• Do not cage a dog with CCD – for many people, the answer to CCD (especially to the issue of pacing for hours on end) is to cage or crate your senior dog. This is something we wholeheartidly ask you not to do. Confining a confused animal to a very small space will only increase their anxiety. As a result, they will continue to pace in their own manner inside that small space, most often they spin themselves in circles repeatidly for hours and hours and hours on end. This is very harmful to their mental state. However, there is nothing wrong with confining your dog to certain areas of the house while you are away. When we head to work in the mornings, our girls have free roam of our kitchen (where their food and water are) and our living room (where their day beds are). Chloé still manages to pace throughout these areas all day long while we’re away, but it’s a large enough area that her anxiety is managable.
• Safety in numbers – Chloé has been fortunate to have her sister Coco Chanel with her throughout her diagnosis. Coco is 14 years old, and has been with Chloé since 2009. They are not just sisters, but best friends. Although Chloé no longer looks at Coco the same way she used to (sometimes Chloé sniffs Coco as if to say, who are you again?) it is helpful having a dog who still functions cognitively to show Chloé the ropes. If Coco goes outside, Chloé follows. If Coco goes inside, Chloé follows. If Coco eats dinner, Chloé will too. However, you may think that since the end is near for your senior CCD dog, that you should bring home a new member to ease the grieving process – and we’ve always been told this in the past BUT we would not advise bringing a new dog into a home with a dog that has CCD. The situation is very different for dogs with CCD than it is with standard senior dogs who are aging. First, if the new dog is a puppy, it will require a lot of training which will take up a lot of your time and efforts. The behaviors of the new dog will influence your CCD dog, and they may become more confused by not only a new member coming into the pack but also by the puppy’s bad behaviors like toileting in the house, etc. You may think bringing an adult dog into the situation would be better. However, we’d have to disagree as this qualifies as change and thus creates confusion. The more you can keep things the same, the better off your CCD dog’s overall health and mental well-being will be.

The average lifespan of a dog with CCD is 1.5 years, so we know the end is near & when Chloé is ready – she’ll tell us. The good news is that Chloé is not in any pain & has a perfect health record other than CCD. For 16+ years old, we’ll take that as a win! She may not be as full of life as she was 16 yrs ago, but there are moments of gold where our Yellow Dog really shines & we can see that she’s still in there, like when she’s swimming her heart out in any body of water she can find 🙂

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The reality of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction is that this disease affects every pet differently, so what you are experiencing may be completely different from what we experience, but we hope you will find our post helpful and always remember to give kindness, patience and love.

As for our life with Chloé, it’s been 16 years of moments, memories & monumental events & Chloé has been there for all of ours. This month, we’re celebrating our Yellow Dog’s sweet 16 with all of her favorite things, like riding in the car, eating ice cream, playing ball, & going for a swim so Happy Birthday Chloé! Your love is & always will be unmatched, unconditional & never wavering. We’re so grateful every day for the 16 years of happiness you’ve brought to our lives & we can only hope that your life has been filled with the same love & joy that you bring to ours because there truly isn’t enough ice cream in the world to show how much you are loved!

Editor’s Note: Sadly, we said goodbye to our Chloé three months after this post. She lived a long and very happy life passing at 16 years and 3 months of age. Read our letter of Goodbye to Chloé here: RIP Chloé 5/19/07-8/14/23