The only concern among seniors and geriatric shepherds (those aged eight years and older for seniors, and ten years and older for geriatrics) used to be obesity. Often, a “senior” food was actually a weight-control food. Certainly obesity can become a problem, particularly with the shepherd that is far less mobile than she has been in years past.

The more significant problem, however, tends to be as a shepherd ages, her ability to taste and digest her food thoroughly and to metabolize or extract all the necessary nutrients from her food decreases. Consequently, senior foods today are formulated to be highly palatable, very digestible, and packed with nutrients so that a senior dog doesn't have to eat more food to metabolize enough nutrients.