Paco Turns 20! Lessons from New York’s Oldest Dog
October 12, 2009
The incredible Manhattan dachshund named Paco just turned 20 years old (that’s 140 human years!) on September 5 of this year. Such a fantastic feat begs the question, “What’s Paco’s secret?” What can you do for your dog to lengthen their longevity? How can you work toward changing the headline, “Paco turns 20,” to have your dog’s name in it instead?
Let’s look at some of Paco’s habits and some other advice for dog owners who want to keep their best friend around as long as possible.
Paco’s Path to Old Age
This success story is due to Paco having an incredible owner who is in touch with her dog and gives him the best care possible. Her name is Bernadine, and she not only gets the best advice from her vet on how to care for Paco, who happens to suffer from orthopedic issues, but she also keeps him exercising on a regular basis as well as feeding him nothing but organic poultry, fish, and fruit. Paco gets acupuncture treatment, physical therapy and Eastern therapy.
Paco is said to have a “strong will to live,” which is due to a life where he is not bored but living to the fullest and where he has a very strong relationship with his owner. It is this kind of loving and committed treatment that enables Paco to turn 20.
Secret to Longevity
The most important ingredients to ensure a long lifespan for your dog is diet and fitness. These are the keys to longevity for just about any living creature. Your dog’s diet should consist of healthy, fresh food. According to many, that dog food found in stores might as well be called “Dog Fast Food,” because it is just as healthy as one of us humans eating at McDonald’s every day.
Your dog needs fresh, organic foods, absolutely no table scraps, and maybe even some Omega 3 added in. Also, one or two daily treats are enough. More than that is just excessive and unhealthy.
Fitness Leads to Overall Well-Being
Your dog’s fitness health is crucial to not only their physical needs but also provides for their social and mental needs as well. Your dog can suffer from stress, caused by loneliness, boredom, uncomfortable environments (like extreme temperatures or too-confining spaces or too much irritating noise), obesity, and abuse.
Preventing that stress is critical, but when your dog gets stressed, just like us humans, the best medicine is exercise. In fact, many physical dog conditions can be simply solved by just having a regular exercise and fitness program for your dog. Social activities with friends and family are also important, as is changing up the routine from time to time.
Care for Your Dog How You Would for a Child
Okay, enough out of you guys out there who like to pretend your dog needs tough love–we all know your babying them behind closed doors. One of the reasons we love our dogs so much is because they never really grow up. And just like a child, your dog needs to be cared for.
First off, they need regular check-ups at the vet. They need the right vaccines and the right treatment for any conditions they have. At the same time, too much medication can actually be harmful. Develop a good advisory relationship with your dog’s vet.
Chemicals that are dangerous for children are harmful to dogs as well. Keep their environment free from these toxins to prevent potential cancer. Wash your dog’s feet after outings each day: both carpet and grass can contain harmful chemicals. Keep them well-groomed and treated for fleas and any skin-conditions. Also, keep their food and water bowl clean as well as their toys, which you should check for any small parts on which they could choke.
The Bottom Line
Our dogs are so precious to us. They are part of our family, our lives, and our hearts. Taking care of them to the best of our ability should be at the top of our priority list. That is why advice on our dogs’ longevity is so important. A healthy diet and a fulfilling life of regular exercise and social interaction will result in many years of happiness for you and your pet.
Paco turns 20, but your dog has just as much potential if you care for him like Bernadine did. It’s worth it!
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