This is a specific conversation about Senior dog care — what changes and what helps — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
A Dogue de Bordeaux at 8 is firmly in senior territory for the breed — they carry an enormous amount of weight on a frame that was never designed for long-term ease, and joint strain at this age is genuinely common, not a sign you've done anything wrong. Senior dogs in general need adjustments in nutrition, joint support, dental care, and sometimes sleep — but how much and when depends a lot on the individual dog. To help you properly: is your boy or girl showing specific signs like stiffness after rest, reluctance to go up stairs, or changes in gait? And what's prompted the search right now — is this a recent change, or something that's been building?
It's a boy, Marcel. He's been slower getting up in the mornings for a few months now. He'll still go for a walk but he limps a bit on his front left after. The vet said his joints look worn for his age but nothing surgical yet. He's about 62kg.
inparticular.ai
62kg with front limb involvement after exercise — that's a very typical pattern for the breed, and the vet's framing of 'worn but not surgical' is actually useful because it means there's real room to slow progression and improve his comfort without waiting for things to get worse. The morning stiffness and post-walk limp together suggest he needs consistent joint support rather than just occasional relief. What are you currently giving him, if anything — any supplements, joint chews, or has it been nothing yet?
Nothing yet. I gave him some cod liver oil for a while but stopped. That's it.
inparticular.ai
Cod liver oil has some omega-3 value but it doesn't touch the cartilage support side of things, which is what Marcel actually needs. For a dog his size and age with confirmed joint wear, I'd go straight to YuMOVE Joint Care PLUS for Large Dogs. It's a step up from the standard YuMOVE formula — higher concentrations of glucosamine, chondroitin, and green-lipped mussel, which is genuinely well-evidenced for joint inflammation and cartilage maintenance. It's designed for dogs with existing joint issues rather than just prevention, which fits Marcel exactly. The tablets are large but most big dogs take them fine crushed into food. At his weight you'd use the large dog dosing, and most owners see a noticeable difference in morning stiffness within four to six weeks. It's available on Amazon UK and straightforward to set up on subscribe-and-save since this is a long-term commitment rather than a short course.
Does it matter that he's a wrinkly breed — like do his skin folds cause any separate problems I should be thinking about?
inparticular.ai
Yes, it's worth keeping in mind alongside the joints. The facial folds on a Dogue can trap moisture and cause low-grade skin infections, which are uncomfortable and can become a real issue if ignored — especially as older dogs sometimes become less tolerant of being handled around their face. That's a separate thing from the joint support, but since you're already thinking holistically about Marcel's health, a gentle fold-cleaning routine with something like Vetericyn or simple dog-safe wipes a few times a week is a sensible addition. For right now though, the joints are the priority — get him on the YuMOVE PLUS and give it six weeks. That morning stiffness is the thing most likely to affect his quality of life day to day.
That's really helpful. Should I tell the vet I'm starting it?
inparticular.ai
Always worth mentioning, yes — not because there's any concern with YuMOVE PLUS itself, it's very well tolerated, but because your vet will want to know what Marcel is on when they're monitoring him. It also gives you a baseline conversation: if you go back in three months and he's moving noticeably better, that's useful clinical information. If there's no improvement, it may push the vet toward imaging or a different approach. Either way you're moving forward rather than waiting.
