I can’t deny it; my dog is well into her golden years and approaching the end of her time with me. I try not to feel too sad about it, but rather focus on all the good times we’ve had together (and still have). There are, however, some definite negatives to the physical side of getting older, such as stiff, arthritic joints making such simple things as climbing stairs or standing up difficult and sometimes downright impossible. I’ve watched my dog’s downward spiral in this regard. As mentioned in my previous blog, Kaya, in her struggle to stand up, will often have a bowel movement from the effort in lifting herself up. Or, other times she just can’t hold it which results in "accidents" in the house. With the washing machine running overtime keeping her bedding clean, plus the health risks associated with having an incontinent dog in the household it sometimes seems like all my spare time is taken up making sure my dog is clean and comfortable; however, I’ve come up with some solutions that have saved me much time, helped with hygiene and may provide some help for others in a similar situation. Diapers.

Yes, Kaya now wears diapers. At first I felt it was humiliating and undignified for my dog to be wearing diapers, but the amount of work they’ve saved me has changed my mind on that account. There’s still some clean-up involved, but most of the time I’m able to take the diaper off Kaya before she stands up, thereby keeping most of the mess off of her thereby simply requiring a quick clean-up  of her rear end with dog-wipes. I really like the wet-wipes made by Canus Nature’s Dog Products (the makers of Goat’s Milk products for humans).  Other times she’ll require a more thorough cleaning outside in the back yard. I’ve got my system down pat. I take her outside (she’s pretty good at standing still while I wash her). I fill a bucket with warm water, pour some over her back end and then I shampoo her derriere. If you’re dealing with a lot of s**t like I’ve been lately, you’ll appreciate the uplifting fragrance of Pet Head’s deodorizing shampoo. The first shampoo gets rid of most of the soil and odor while the second shampoo makes her squeaky clean and sweet smelling. After a towel-dry, she’s ready for her morning walk. When we’re back inside again, the diaper goes back on.

If you’re wondering where you can pick up dog diapers you can get them at pretty much any pet store. Max n Co makes a good dog diaper in various sizes to fit most dogs. Since Kaya’s tail is just a small stumpy one, she can actually fit into a child’s diaper (she weighs about 65 pounds so wears a Huggies Size 5).

Here’s a picture of my Kaya girl sporting her Huggies diapers…