New year, same pets… except they’re officially a year older than they were at the start of 2025.
That doesn’t mean your dog is suddenly “a senior,” or your cat is about to start requesting a heated blanket and a chauffeur. But it does mean their joints have had another full year of stairs, jumping, hard stops on walks, couch launches, and whatever sport your pet invented in your living room at 9:47 p.m.
Joint support is one of those topics most pet parents only think about after they notice stiffness. The truth is: joint supplements can be helpful before obvious signs show up, especially for pets with higher risk factors, very active lifestyles, or body structures that put more strain on joints over time.
Joint Structure in Dogs and Cats
Joints aren’t just “bones meeting bones.” They’re a whole system that relies on:
- Cartilage to cushion impact
- Joint fluid to keep movement smooth
- Connective tissues (tendons and ligaments) for stability
- Muscle to support alignment and absorb force
Over time, everyday movement adds up. Some pets rack up miles like it’s nothing. Others start feeling the wear sooner, especially when genetics, size, activity level, or past injuries are part of the picture.
Early Signs of Joint Issues in Dogs and Cats
Early joint changes can be sneaky. They don’t always show up as limping. Sometimes they present as subtle shifts that are easy to miss.
Keep an eye out for:
- Taking longer to stand up after resting
- Hesitating before stairs, the car, or furniture
- Shorter play sessions (or needing more recovery afterward)
- Stiffness for the first few minutes after sleep
- Choosing slower routes, fewer stairs, or more naps
- In cats: less grooming (especially back/hips) or choosing lower perches
If this list sounds familiar, don’t wait for it to get worse.
Age and Risk Factors for Starting Joint Supplements
By the time you notice mobility changes, your pet has often been adjusting for a while. If your goal is to keep your pet mobile for longer, it helps to start joint support before those changes become obvious.
Most pet parents should start considering joint supplements at around 1-2 years old for dogs (once they’re done growing) and around 5–7 years for cats (mid-life). If your pet falls into a higher-risk group, that timeline often moves up.
That typically includes pets who are:
- large or giant breeds
- very active (daily fetch, agility, hiking, working dogs)
- recovering from a past injury
- slower to “warm up” after rest
- carrying extra weight (alongside a weight plan)
If your pet checks one of those boxes, you wouldn’t be dramatic for jumping into joint supplements early, you’re being proactive about the outcome you actually want: staying mobile for longer.
High-Risk Dog Breeds for Joint Problems
Some dogs benefit from joint support earlier because their genetics and structure can put more stress on joints over time.
Large and giant breed joint risk
For bigger dogs, the math is simple: more body mass means higher joint loading. That can increase stress on hips and elbows over time, especially in dogs with fast growth, athletic lifestyles, or family lines known for hip or elbow issues.
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Rottweiler
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Great Dane
- Mastiffs
- Saint Bernard
- Newfoundland
Active and working breed joint strain
The risk here is mileage and intensity. Repeated sprinting, sharp turns, hard stops, jumping, and high-drive play can increase wear on joints and supporting tissues simply because the demand is constant.
- Border Collie
- Australian Shepherd
- Belgian Malinois
- Sporting dogs that live for fetch, agility, hiking, dock diving, or farm life
These dogs often don’t act uncomfortable until they really have to. They’ll happily push through because the ball is life.
Small breed kneecap and mobility tendencies
Joint support is not only a big-dog conversation. Many small breeds are more prone to kneecap tracking issues (patellar luxation), which can look like a quick one- or two-step hop on a back leg before going back to business as usual.
- Chihuahua
- Pomeranian
- Yorkshire terrier
- Maltese
- Toy poodle
- Shih tzu
How to Choose a Joint Supplement for Your Pet
A good joint supplement isn’t just about what’s trendy. It’s about matching the formula to your pet’s goal, lifestyle, and what you can actually give consistently.
Step 1: Decide what you’re trying to support
Most pet parents fall into one of these buckets:
- Everyday joint maintenance (the long-game routine): for pets who are young-to-middle-aged, active, or simply “built for wear and tear.”
- Comfort and flexibility support: for pets who seem a little stiffer, slower to warm up, or who feel “tight” after normal activity.
- Extra support for aging joints: for seniors, high-mileage pets, or pets with more obvious day-to-day changes.
Step 2: Know what type of ingredients you’re shopping for
Different products target different parts of the joint “system,” so it helps to recognize the lanes:
- Structural support ingredients often used for cartilage and connective tissue support: glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, hyaluronic acid, collagen, eggshell membrane.
- Botanicals for comfort and mobility often used to support a healthy inflammatory response and flexibility: turmeric, boswellia, devil’s claw, nettle (and other herbal blends).
- Fatty acids for joint and whole-body support: especially omega-3s (commonly used for joints, skin, and overall wellness).
You don’t need every ingredient under the sun in one bottle. You want a formula that fits your pet’s needs, and that you can use consistently.
Step 3: Choose the format works best for you
Pet supplements come in a bunch of liquid and solid formats, such as:
- Liquids mixed into food
- Tinctures
- Oils
- Powders
- Toppers
- Soft chews
Liquids have some distinct advantages over solid options:
- Already dissolved which makes digestion simpler
- Easier to mix into your pet’s food
- Absorbs quickly
- More flexible dosing than something like pre-dosed chews
Every method has its pros and cons, and every fur baby is a little bit different, so if something just isn’t working despite some trial and error and giving it your best shot, try something different!
Our recommendations
For pets where the goal is steady, long-term joint maintenance (big dogs, high-mileage dogs, active cats, or anyone you want staying smooth and confident in their movement), our go-to is Dr. Maggie Joint Formula, a liquid glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM joint supplement for dogs and cats. It’s built around glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and vitamin C to support cartilage and connective tissue function as part of a daily routine.
For pets where the goal is more about comfort and flexibility in everyday movement (slower warm-ups, post-play stiffness, “they’re fine once they get going”), we love Arrowleaf Pet Joint Care, a natural herbal joint tincture with turmeric and boswellia for dogs and cats. It absorbs quickly and is a great daily add-on for pets who feel stiff after activity, with botanicals selected to support comfortable, flexible mobility.
Both are strong options. The best fit depends on what you’re noticing right now and what style of support your pet does best with.
What to Expect After Starting a Joint Supplement
Joint support is not a one-and-done situation, it’s more about building a routine. The goal is to support your pet’s comfort and mobility over time, not to wait for a bad day to happen and panic-purchase anything that might help.
A simple way to track whether it’s helping is to watch the day-to-day stuff:
- easier warm-ups after rest (less stiffness when getting up)
- more confidence with stairs, jumping, or getting into the car
- longer play sessions without needing as much recovery time afterward
- more even movement throughout the day (fewer “stiff at first, fine later” moments)
Final Thoughts
Joint supplements are one of those things you rarely regret starting early. The goal isn’t to turn your pet into a superhero. It’s to keep the everyday stuff feeling easy: the stairs, the couch hops, the post-walk zoomies, and the “let’s go again” look they give you five minutes after they just went.
And that’s the real reason early support matters. It’s not just about reacting once stiffness shows up. It’s about keeping joints healthier for longer, so your pet feels better day to day, rather than playing catch-up after symptoms start.
If you’ve got an active pet, a larger breed, a cat who’s quietly doing less than they used to, or a dog who needs a minute to get going, that’s your sign. Build the routine now, and future-you will be glad you did.