Half of a Dog's Life is the Senior Phase? A Book to Make the Second Half of Your Dog's Life Happy. "Everything You Want to Know When Your Dog Passes 5 Years Old" Released on Friday, April 24

Shufunotomo Co., Ltd. released a book titled "Everything You Want to Know When Your Dog Passes 5 Years Old" on Friday, April 24, 2026, packed with hints for spending a healthy senior period with your dog.

Half of your dog's life is the "senior phase"! Covering knowledge to stay close to mental and physical changes from age 5 and avoid regrets.

With the development of medical technology extending dog lifespans, it is now said that about half of a dog's life is the "senior phase." According to a survey by the Japan Pet Food Association, the average lifespan of dogs in 2025 is 14.82 years. It varies by size and weight, with 15.28 years for ultra-small dogs, 14.59 years for small dogs, and 13.63 years for medium and large dogs.

"Age 5," which corresponds to the late 30s to early 40s in human terms, is an important turning point when mental and physical changes begin, even if they still look energetic. Under the supervision of dog trainer Yuko Miura, a leading expert in senior dog nursing care, this book is the definitive edition that summarizes knowledge and practical care in one volume to ensure a healthy life for your dog and a reasonable, smiling life for the owner.

Since dog time advances about four times faster than human time, a few days of hesitation by the owner saying "Let's wait and see" can result in months of neglect for the dog. That is why accurate knowledge and prompt responses are required. However, there is no need to be overly pessimistic about aging or restrict them too much just because "they are old."

In this book, we propose care and mental attitudes that can be "continued without strain" so that earnest owners do not lose their peace of mind trying to perform nursing care perfectly.

It completely covers everything from simple exercises that can be added to daily walks, care based on popular Oriental medicine, specific nursing care methods, and even "preparations in case something happens to the owner themselves." So that your dog can go to sleep satisfied, thinking "Today was fun too!" It is a book filled with hints for owners and their dogs to age positively together and make the most of their limited time.

3 Highlights of this book

1. Anti-aging to extend the healthy life expectancy of your dog
As mentioned earlier, the key is not to be overprotective just because of age; enjoying moderate stimulation is the secret to keeping your dog youthful.

The more earnest the owner, the harder they work on care. We tend to try to do everything perfectly, but the important thing is that the owner can also continue happily. If the owner smiles, the dog will also feel happy.
In this book, we mainly summarize the mental attitude that the owner can "continue without strain."

2. Practical nursing care methods that can only be conveyed by a leading expert in senior dog care!
One of the appeals of this book is that it explains specific methods based on the specialized knowledge of Yuko Miura, a specialist in senior dog care, in an easy-to-understand manner.
Above all, it is important for nursing care not to become too much of a physical and mental burden on the owner. Therefore, it widely introduces everything from mental attitudes to make nursing care easier from an early stage, to practical know-how such as standing assistance and rolling over assistance.

3. A book that turns future anxieties into peace of mind, up to "preparations in case of an emergency for the owner themselves"
Another major feature is that it also stays close to the owner's own life plan.
Responding to the earnest anxiety of "What will happen to this child if something happens to me?", there are pages introducing lifelines and preparations in case of an emergency.
Furthermore, it explains how to spend the inevitable final moments warmly. It is a book to make the limited time with your dog "the best" by resolving not only immediate nursing care techniques but also all future anxieties in advance.

4. Easy-to-understand explanations with manga
At the beginning of each chapter, there is a manga featuring Ms. Miura. The content is highly relatable and also provides hints for care.
When hearing about "senior dog care" or "preparing for the senior phase," not a few owners tend to brace themselves or become anxious.
Therefore, in this book, a friendly "manga part" is included at the beginning so that readers can enter smoothly without strain.
It introduces stories that gently stay close to realistic feelings, such as the confusion when noticing small changes in the dog, and "common things" unique to the senior phase.
Even those who are not used to printed words or specialized books can easily empathize, and they can understand the specialized explanations and care methods that follow more as their own personal matters.
It gently pushes the back of owners who are unsure of where to start.

■Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Dog Anti-Aging You Want to Think About While They Are Still Energetic
"Anti-aging you can do from now" to review housing and diet and spend a long, healthy, and fun time.

Chapter 2: When Signs of Aging Appear
Comfortable ideas to stay close to the dog's current feelings while continuing walks and interactions without becoming too defensive.

Chapter 3: When They Reach Late Old Age
Utilizing convenient goods to support what the dog "can do" without straining the owner.