shih tzu slowing down;

Question
hi , have a eight year old female she has been slowing down alot lately .i have noticed when we go for walks she needs alot of rest on the way.she is eating ok, pooing and weeing ok.she seems to want to sleep alot,but other than that ,seems fine is this the age they usually start to slow down and do you think i should cut her walks in half.hope you can help many thanks.

Answer
Hi Sharon,  Yes, I would cut some of her walk time.  I am sure she can still exercise on a regular basis.  Cut the walk down to 1/2 the distance and see how she does with less distance.
You may want to have your Vet do some blood work.  ( Check her thyroid levels...)
Older dogs tend to have thyroid issues.

Have fun Walking and loving on your Shih Tzu!

Marie Peppers LPN MA