Feeding a retired agility Vizsla at 8

Retiring from agility is a big shift — your Vizsla has probably been burning serious calories for years, and dialling that back without adjusting food is one of the fastest routes to weight gain and joint strain in an otherwise healthy dog. Senior dogs generally do better with lower calorie density, easier-to-digest protein, and added joint support like glucosamine — but the right timing and formula really depends on the individual dog. What's your Vizsla's current weight, and what are they eating right now? Any joint issues already showing up, or are they moving well?

That's exactly the right instinct. Vizslas are lean and athletic but they do carry a genetic predisposition to hip and elbow issues, so getting ahead of it at 8 — before any symptoms — is genuinely smart. The Sport formula she's on is high in protein and calories for working dogs, which made total sense before. But now that she's retired, that calorie load without the output is a real concern, even if her weight looks fine today. What does her day look like now activity-wise — is she still getting good walks, or has that dropped off too?

Good — two solid walks a day means she still needs quality nutrition, just recalibrated. You're not looking for a low-calorie diet, you're looking for a moderate-energy senior formula with strong joint support built in. My recommendation is Forthglade Complete Meal Senior with Turkey, Brown Rice & Vegetables. It's a wet food, which gives you better digestibility and natural hydration — both good for ageing dogs — and it's formulated with glucosamine and chondroitin to support joints proactively. The protein level is solid for keeping her lean muscle, but the calorie density is lower than a performance kibble, which suits her new routine well. You can use it as a complete diet or mix it with a small amount of her current kibble during the transition. It's available in multipack trays on Amazon UK, which makes it easy to manage week to week.

Gradual is always safer, even with a dog who has a robust stomach. Go about 25% new food, 75% old for the first few days, then 50/50, then 75/25 over roughly ten to fourteen days. Vizslas can be a bit sensitive — not as dramatic as some breeds, but worth not rushing. Watch her stools during the switch; loose but not watery is normal initially. If she's doing well at each stage, you can move through the transition at the faster end. One more thing worth mentioning: it's a good time for a vet weigh-in every couple of months for the first year of retirement, just to catch any creeping weight gain before it becomes a joint burden.

Perfect plan. She sounds like she's in great shape, and catching this transition early gives her the best chance of staying that way well into her senior years. Vizslas can be incredibly active into their early teens with the right support — good nutrition now is a big part of that.