A new survey shows that a majority of senior dog owners are not aware that their dogs have reached senior status.

Most dog owners are unaware that at age seven their dog is considered a senior. That fact tends to creep up on dog owners, but it is important information to know. As dogs age, their needs change, which makes it a good time to consider a diet that helps keep dogs active and energized in their senior years.

The 2019 Senior Dog Owner Survey by Purina ONE surveyed more than 1,000 senior dog owners in the United States and revealed new details about how people are caring for their dogs as they get older.

Among the key findings:

83 percent of senior dog owners do not know when a dog is considered a senior;
Only 17 percent of those surveyed correctly identified seven as the age a dog becomes a senior with the largest group (31 percent) thinking that age 10 is when a dog is considered a senior;
32 percent of those surveyed wished their senior dog had more energy, but among this group, only 53 percent researched ways to enhance their older dog's energy;
93 percent know their senior dog needs regular activity, but only 77 percent agree their senior dog exercises regularly; and
A majority (58 percent) of senior dog owners were not sure if their veterinarian recommended a senior specific dog food.

"Like many other dog owners, I was surprised to learn my dog, Wacha, is now considered a senior dog at the age of seven," said Andy Cohen, spokesperson for Purina ONE. "So we're making the 7-Year Switch to Purina ONE Smartblend Vibrant Maturity to keep Wacha sharp and keep his energy levels up for many more years to come."

The survey also found that aging is one of the biggest concerns among senior dog owners (58 percent).

"Dogs' nutritional needs start to change when they reach age seven," said Noa Hefer, Brand Manager for Purina ONE "That's why Purina ONE Smartblend Vibrant Maturity is formulated with enhanced botanical oils to help promote mental sharpness, and high-quality carbohydrate sources like oat meal and whole grain wheat for healthy energy in senior dogs. You may even see an increase in average activity level over 20 percent when you feed it to your older dog."

See the difference that the 7-Year Switch to Purina ONE Smartblend Vibrant Maturity can make for your senior dog. Go to http://www.PurinaONE.com/Senior to take the 28-Day Challenge. For every new registration between June 1 and October 31, Purina ONE will donate $1 to the Petfinder Foundation, up to $28,000 to help senior dogs.