I was up late working with the TV on in the background one night when I saw the ad for a dog treadmill. The lady on the television had three differently sized dogs huffing it on this miniature treadmill. They were roped in and I felt like the whole scene just looked so ridiculous. Who needs a dog treadmill? I wasn’t really paying attention to the TV show anyway, so I let it stay on while I worked on my computer.

After about 15 minutes, I was getting distracted with work. My dog was at the doggy bed at my feet, sleeping soundly. I didn’t want to wake him up by going into the kitchen for a glass of water, so I just sat in my chair and did some chair stretching. My attention wandered back to the TV show.

The lady on the show was now talking about the benefits of the doggy treadmill. She said that it is important for pet owners to walk their dogs for am minimum of 30 minutes each day in order for the dogs to be healthy. I was lucky if I got ten minutes in with my dog to the end of the street and back before work.

Because I work for such a large part of the day and take care of my family with the other part, certain responsibilities inevitably slip. I am embarrassed to say that the responsibility to my dog was the first thing to go. I let him run around in the back yard all day, but do not properly exercise him the way that I should.

After spending a few more moments pining over the doggy treadmill, and feeling a bit of guilt for the sleeping friend at my feet, I picked up my cell phone and ordered a medium sized treadmill. Several weeks later, it arrived nearly fully assembled. I set it up in our living room and began to go over the training manual.

Within hours, I had our dog strapped into the treadmill the same way the TV personalities had the dog strapped in. sure enough, once the engine started and the treadmill started rolling, my dog started jogging. I set the timer for 30 minutes and got back to work. My dog jogged for the entire time and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. He huffed and puffed and when it was all over, he fell at my feet for the most sound and relaxing sleep I bet he has had in awhile. Now, even though they initially laugh, I recommend the treadmill to all of my friends.

How To Stop Puppy Biting

If your puppy is younger than 16 weeks old and is constantly nipping at things it’s perfectly normal behavior as young pups mouth a lot. They like to mouth when playing and they also mouth to communicate their needs.

If your puppy starts mouthing ask yourself these questions:

Are they hungry or thirsty?
Do they need to go to the bathroom?
Are they sleepy?
Do they need to play?

Remember, puppies nip when they feel needy just as a baby cries when it needs attention. If your puppy does not stop nipping it could mean they want something. Maybe they need to go for a walk to stretch their and get a different change of scenery for a bit.

Here are some tips to use when training puppies not to bite:

If your puppy does not need anything but continues to nip or bite put them in their crate or isolate them and give them a favorite toy or bone. Be sure and not scold your them as you isolate them, just calmly and quietly place them puppy in their special area.

Whenever your puppy starts licking you say something like “Kisses” and give them ample praise. You can encourage further licking by applying a little butter to you hand.

Withhold your attention when your puppy nips or bites softly. Keep your hand still because if you try and withdraw your hand you send a signal that you are playing and they will bite harder.

If your puppy starts biting down hard quickly say “Ep, Ep” in a stern voice and glare into their eyes for a few seconds then resume your normal routine. If they keep nipping try putting something bitter on your hand to discourage them. You might also put them on a leash so you can tug the lead sharply to the side to get them to stop. If needed, place them in a quiet spot to cool off.

If you’re puppy is still nipping after 16 weeks you need to make an extra effort to discourage it. Although some biting will continue you need to make it clear that it is an unacceptable behavior.

Here are some more ideas for training puppies not to bite:

Stop all challenge games like wrestling, tug-of-war, chasing your dog around and teasing. When you do these types of activities you are sending your dog the wrong message. These games teach dogs to clamp down hard on any object whether it’s a leash, your shirt, etc. and challenge.

Discourage all forms of nipping no matter if it’s a bite on your arm nibbling on your fingers.

Try using mouth spray or a squirt gun on them. Never stare at them while you spray her or you will turn an unpleasant result into a confrontational interaction.

Leave a leash on your puppy so you have something to direct them with and can avoid any physical confrontation. If your dog is not wearing a teaching lead place a short lead onto their collar buckle.

If your puppy begins to mouth turn and use a lead or collar to snap their head from your body or spray the area they are nipping at with some spray. Don’t glare at them or they will see your actions as confrontational play.

If you are still unsuccessful in controlling the nipping and biting ask yourself these questions:

Do I look convincing?
Am I snapping or pulling which can encourage confrontational play?
Is my dog taking me seriously?

If you answered “No” to any of these questions you may need more puppy biting training before you teach them that this is unacceptable behavior.

How To Keep Your Dog’s Eyes Healthy and Clean

Cleaning your dog’s eyes properly depends more or less on the type of breed. A dog with protruding eyes and wrinkles on their face like the Pug, Pekingese or Boston Terrier needs to have their eyes cleaned on a regular schedule. Alternatively, other types of breeds do not require as much consideration.

Different eye types also need different kinds of care:

Dogs with flat faces and protruding eyes need the most care as they are less protected than breeds with eyes that are set deeper and protected by a long muzzle. Protruding eyes also have a tendency to easily dry out and are also injured more easily.

Dogs with white fur may develop tear stains around the eyes.

Dogs with entropies, a condition in which the lid turns inward and eyelashes irritate the cornea, need special attention and in extreme cases surgery is necessary to fix the problem.

Dogs with too much tearing need the eye area to be kept dry and clean.

Dogs with dry eyes require moisturizing eye drops applied daily.

It is usually a good idea to check your dog’s eyes every day and not just once a month. The majority of dogs occasionally accumulates debris in the corners of their eyes, and will benefit from wiping the face using a soft moist cloth and cleaning the corners of the eyes using a moist cotton ball daily.

Be careful when wiping the cotton ball over your dog’s eye or you could scratch the cornea. Many dogs with protruding eyes also require a daily application of eye moisturizing drops to keep their eyes comfortable and moist. While some brands of human eye drops will work it is better to check with your vet first about which brand to use. Regularly cleaning, checking and moisturizing your dog’s eyes daily also helps them get used to the routine.

During the monthly grooming session, rinse out your dog’s eyes with canine eyewash or eye drops. Apply one drop in each eye and carefully wiping away any excess from the corners with a dry cotton ball or soft cloth.

If your light coated dog has tear stains or brownish streaks under their eyes be very careful when wiping their eyes clean. Apply a tear stain remover to the stained fur but not to the eyes according to the directions for the product. If your dog appears to be tearing excessively and is constantly wet under their eyes, or if you detect any unusual redness or swollen areas in or around their eyes, you need to check with your vet.

Dogs can develop many different minor eye problems that are easily treated if caught early. Be sure to check that their eyes are clear as any cloudiness could mean your dog is developing cataracts. Lastly, a yearly vet examination is essential to keeping eyes healthy, and your veterinarian can help diagnose any eye diseases while in the early stages when treatment is the easiest. There are many different types of dogs, some shed and some don’t learn which dog sheds and which ones don’t.

Facts about Dog Arthritis & Its Treatment

Dog arthritis can affect every dog, especially dogs that have entered senior ages. It is also commonly associated with obese dogs. Dog arthritis is very much identical to arthritis in human beings. It is a chronic disease which leads to tightness in the joints and muscles. As the dogs become older, it is unavoidable that the joints and bones get jagged due to extended usage in a long period of time. Arthritis can cause extreme pain to some dogs, particularly when the disease enters advanced stages.

As a matter of fact, dog arthritis is not only limited to older dogs. Dogs in younger ages are vulnerable to this disease as well. The most common reason for younger dogs to develop joint pain disease is injuries. If the limbs have been broken because of accidents, there is a great chance that arthritis will strike later on in the dog’s life.

Another disease which may lead to dog arthritis is canine hip dysplasia. Canine hip dysplasia is typically associated with different levels of hip joint looseness, partial dislocation etc. Some dogs don’t show any indication of hip dysplasia. Others may be totally impaired by the disease. Hip dysplasia is hereditary and can be inherited to the spring-offs.

Dog arthritis can be divided into many categories. The most general and popular type is called osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by the jagging of bones due to prolonged wear and tear. Every dog will have in one way or the other experience this condition resulting from the aging process. Just like the human beings, senior dogs will suffer from different illnesses such as hearing and vision problems.

Dogs with the arthritis disease will need the medical attention and diagnosis from a veterinarian. The veterinarian will give some prescription medications to help reduce the pain your dog has to endure. However, these prescription medicines may contain harmful side-effects. That is why it is suggested that you get an all-natural formula for your dog, such as the Pet Bounce dog arthritis treatment.

One way to improve the condition of dogs with arthritis is exercise. A light stroll in the park can be beneficial to the joints of your dog as joint movements encourage the discharge of natural fluids that act as lubricants in the joints. The lubrication of the joints and bones smoothen the movement between different parts of the dog’s body.

While the dog arthritis disease can’t be completely removed, it can be greatly improved with the help of proper remedies. The veterinarian will be able to verify if your dog has arthritis. Some medications can relieve the pain suffered by your dog in a very short amount of time. With the assistance of natural treatment such as the Pet Bounce remedy, the effects of joint pain in dogs can be kept at a minimal level.

Keep in mind that prevention is the key to maintaining a healthy pet. Always pay attention to the health of your dog and take immediate actions if you notice something unusual, especially when your dog reaches senior ages when the dog arthritis disease usually strikes.