Miss Squeak Talks About Furbaby Emergencies.

 Okay so this week has been pretty full on in the world of 

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred, this week we had some great news in the form of being made one of the administrator of a chihuahua page on facebook. So that was very exciting and I extremely honoured to have this offered to me, And I have just started to feel better with my eyes so am able to blog again yay, All my furbabys are doing great, But they are feeling the cold so have their jumpers on to stay warm and toasty, 

But the matter we are going to chat about is to do with  Miss Mildred's furry friends little 

Miss Lilly and her fur sister Maci and the there beautiful 

Mumma Charlotte, look at the picture below just the amount of love that is shown is just amazing!

So over the last few weeks poor little Lilly was feeling not to well, Charlotte and I were talking about different ways to help Miss Lilly with her common problem that chihuahua's get Patellar Luxation,

as Lilly has been told she has the problem, so we were talking about things Charlotte could do to help the little chihuahua out, and her poor little girl Lilly when little Lilly was play with her sister, Charlotte heard the furbaby chihuahua cry in pain and the crying just wouldn't stop so clearly Charlotte and her Hubby we scared and worried about there furbaby so worried they went to the on call 24hr vet that was close to them after waiting and having Lilly examined with I believe was this below!

What is patellar Laxation?

Patellar shift is a condition in which the kneecap (patella) slides out of its traditional place, that is usually off to the side. In a very  healthy canine, there are grooves at the bottom of the femur where the kneecap gently slides in and out of as the canine walks and moves about. These cartridge grooves are necessary to make a sleek surface for the knee to maneuver back and forth. However, once the bony sides of the groove are compressed, the area too little for the kneecap to fit; therefore, it slides or luxates out of place.

Patellar luxation is mostly broken down into one amongst two different classes -- medial and lateral. A Chihuahua affected by medial patellar luxation can have their kneecap slip toward their body, whereas a Chihuahua tormented by lateral can have their kneecap slip out to the edges and far from their body. An experienced Furbaby Doctor ought to be able to 

tell what kind of patellar your Chihuahua is tormented 

by a simple examination and x-ray.

So after a night at the vets poor little Lilly was taken to her normal vet where she was examined and I believe maybe x-rayed where they found out that her hip was out of it socked so it was not the common knee lunation as they were told, this was very upsetting to 

Charlotte as they though Lilly was going to have have the knee operation only to find out she was going to have to have the hip operation, now that would have been a shock as the poor little furbaby was so druged up and she was still crying in pain  this kind of stuff breaks my heart! Below is what poor Lilly had done, 

Just thought I would share this story with you all as we all want the best for our furbabys! I am happy to tell you that Lilly is home safe and sound with her Mumma Daddy and fur sister, 

poor little poppet, Miss Mildred and I Miss Squeak wish Lilly a speedy recovery, Get better soon Lilly xx

FEMORAL HEAD AND NECK OSTEOTOMY (FHO)

Femoral head and neck ostectomy (fho) is performed to relieve pain and restore function to a hip that cannot otherwise be surgically corrected and for which medical therapy (time, pain control) is insufficient. Problems that can be relieved by fho include hip fractures, hip dysplasia, hip dislocations, and degenerative conditions such as Legg-Calves-Perthes disease.

PROCEDURE   FHO involves cutting off the femoral head (the ball of the ball-and-socket hip) and removing it. A scar forms in the remaining space, effectively creating a false hip. This procedure allows an improved range of motion of the hip, and relieves the often-severe pain due to bone-on-bone contact.

RECOVERY   Unlike most other orthopedic surgeries, the patient is encouraged to use the operated leg as much as possible as soon as possible. This enhances the quality of the scar that forms the false joint. We use pain relieving medications and medical procedures, nutritional management, and physical rehabilitation to enhance the recovery process.

Pain relieving medications commonly include a prolonged course of antiiflammatory medicine and a short course of a pure pain reliever. Medical procedures can include cryotherapy (cold compresses) for 10 to 15 minutes per day beginning on day one after surgery and continuing for three weeks, longer if needed, and laser therapy. We provide each patient with a recommended schedule of laser therapy.

Nutritional management typically includes weight loss down to an ideal lean weight (do not underestimate the value of maintenance of an ideal lean body weight - we have found it is tremendous!) and fatty acid (fish oil) supplementation for antiinflammatory effectPhysical rehabilitation includes both passive range of motion exercises and active therapeutic exercise. Passive range of motion exercises are performed by holding the patients leg below the ankle and slowly and steadily flexing and extending the leg to the fullest extent that the patient will allow. The exercises begin on the day after surgery and continue for 15 minutes a day until the patient has returned to normal function. 

We have found that most patients who are provided with the analgesic medications and nutritional support previously described perform their own therapeutic exercise. That is, they make steadily increasing use of the operated leg as the first several weeks post-op pass by. For the occasional patient that is persistently reluctant to use their leg, we recommend: 5 to 10 minutes of walking and swimming starting on day 1 after surgery, 5 to 10 minutes of balancing, obstacles and weaving starting on day one,  5 to 10 minutes of circles and hills added in starting on day 15, and 5 to 10 minutes of stairs, jogging, and running added in starting on day 21. All therapeutic exercises are continued until the patient has reached their individual peak performance. 

Routine progress exams at two weeks and two months post-operatively are included with the surgery cost. We are glad to do a recheck exam at any other time you think your pet needs one.

COMPLICATIONS  Complications are very uncommon with FHO. Complications can include: dehiscence (opening of the surgical incision), nerve damage, infection, bleeding, and failure to significantly relieve pain and improve range of motion. 

Small furbaby's will sometimes not use their operated leg because they are very agile on three legs, presenting a different challenge. This challenge can usually be met with a combination of medication and physical therapy. 

This is Maci fur sister to Lilly. Maci just wants her sister to get better so they can play together again, But on a lighter note 

little Maci pasted her puppy classes this week we are so proud of you little girl, You have learnt some wonderful new commands like sit stay and shake all very important in having a balanced furbaby, 

So well done Charlotte for being a wonderful Mumma to your two beautiful furbaby girls, I am so glad I have been able to help you with some of your problems with Lilly and I that some of my suggestions on teething helped you with Maci, I will be doing a blog in a few days about teething as when I was doing the research I found so much interesting information that I believe will be helpful for new furbaby owners.

Miss Mildred is very happy and healthy we are going to be doing a new photo shoot soon as she is getting some new outfits in the mail, 

including  one very special knitted outfit from a lovely talented lady call Ruth and I am extremely excited about getting this as it has booties hat and coat in the most prettiest colour it is just beautify made, so thats is what we have been up to over the last week or so.

Miss Mildred and I hope you have enjoyed this blog and the information we have given, if you want to have your furbaby featured on this blog just let me know in the comments below as we  would love to hear about you furbabys, 

I also hope your day is full of happiness joy laughter love and lots of furbaby hug and licks xx 

So we hope to see you all back for a new adventure in our next blog 

We hope you liked this blog about Miss Mildred's furbaby friends 

Lilly and Maci, I really loved helping Charlotte out with all the information just so she felt like someone was with her in this horrible situation. Please remember we love 

reading your stories too.

Remember to Like Comment Share and +1

Thanks For Reading 

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx 

Miss Squeak Talks Furbaby Chihuahua's and Water.

Okay furbaby lovers today I wanted to talk about the water and what we can do to help your little furbaby learn to love the water. Here are some things I have done with my chihuahua Miss Mildred

Now for the water tips, What I did with Miss Mildred was to make bath time a very fun and enjoyable time I even gave her chicken her favourite when she was calm and in the water it also worked with the hairdryer haha as she bloody hates that thing.

As we have a swimming pool outside we started her in the pool when it was her first summer only about a month after we got her and she was a little unsure of the pool as she was oh so tiny but we have other dogs five of them at all love the water and they will run and jump into the water and as we would include Miss Mildred to try and do the same with lots of excitement and enthusiasm! 

We ended up getting her a floating bed that she could sit on and just float around the water and when she would want to get into the water we would give her a treat! Now this went on everyday throughout the summer now she enjoys swimming if you call it swimming hahahaWith the spa outside she loves that as its small and warm and she can stand in the water with her little feet on the seat and she loves it! If we are in the spa having a romantic cuddle and a glass of w

With the spa outside she loves that as its small and warm and she can stand in the water with her little feet on the seat and she loves it! If we are in the spa having a romantic cuddle and a glass of wine 

Miss Mildred will bark and scratch at the side until we allow her to get in! 

 Now for some more tips and tricks to help you with your

 Furbaby and the water, Lets get started! 

The overwhelming majority of dogs can learn to like swimming. Some can take longer than others, and some would possibly never come to like it, but for most it'll become a favourite activity and is well worth the time spent introducing

First of all, there are some things to avoid:

Do not take your dog to the water—the 1st few times—unless you're able to get wet. i'm astounded what numberindividuals I see on the beach attempting to urge their dogs to swim while the furbaby owners are sporting shoes and are running away from every wave. You dog looks to you for leadership, and if you act like water is something to be avoided, they will too! 

Therefore make sure that, before you get anywhere close to the water, you have got removed your shoes, rolled up your pants, placed on a swimming costume, or no matter else you wish to do so that they willsee you happily and enthusiastically coming into the water.

Do not force your dog—do not pull, push, drag, shove, or trick your dog into the water.

Try to avoid the accidental entry. do not start out on a slippery dock, or a steep edge, or in a location where the surface of the water appears solid and your dog will attempt to run onto it and sink…

A few times before you head out to swim, take your dog to shallow water to play. Warm, fun, shallow, wherever you'll be able to each run and play fetch and usually have a good time within the water.Next, produce an optimum scenario for swimming:

Pick a warm day. I know you will be excited, however dashing and making an attempt to get them to get pleasure from going into the water when they are cold and uncomfortable can backfire

Select an excellent location:

Select water with no current or waves.

Pick moderately warm water.

Look for an area with a gradual slope into the water so they never have to be compelled to step off a precipice—they simply walk forward and notice themselves swimming.

Easy egress: a dog that feels trapped in a pool or alternative body of water is at risk of panic and not wish to get back within the water.

In a excellent world, you find a pool that is narrow, so that they do not have to circle to exit, and may simply swim a couple of feet across. However these are hard to search out, therefore if they need to turn it's not the end of the world.

Take along a water crazy dog, or a couple of water crazy dogs. Seeing different dogs run and jump into the water will help your dog see that it's fun and not horrifying.

Have treats, floating kibble, and some favourite toys in your pockets.When you first arrive, head all the way down to the water, enter quickly, and begin playing within the shallows. Go out some feet past where your dog can still stand, and lure him with whatever he finds most attractive. Ideally you would like him to swim just a stroke or two, get rewarded, then swim back to land so he understand he can. Try this a couple of times, then begin bit by bitincreasing the gap. And really, that's it—once they're swimming well you just begin gradually increasing the gap and you're off to the races. You may wish to carefully introduce them to current and waves and however essentially once they can swim these are all straightforward if you make them fun and go slowly.

Some dogs swim too vertically—instead of kicking with their rear legs and moving forward, they struggle to swim up and out of the water and their front feet come out of the water and splash and they get nowhere. 

The key to helping these dogs is to inspire them forward—throw a ball or a treat so are focused on that and are pushing to get to the reward, and they can accidentally begin moving forward, and can teach themselves that onward motion works better than vertical…

 If necessary, you can support their rear slightly and facilitate them to manoeuvre forward.

It is possible that with some dogs, even once doing everything above, they're going to simply not take that last step. If this is often the case, depending on your dog’s attitude, it may be time to help them in to the water! Remember to take it slowly and always reward your little furbaby with lots of love and excitement.
You might even want to invest in a life vest for your furry friend as this can help with keep their head above water.

  Thanks so very much for reading my blog 

Miss Squeak Talks Furbaby Chihuahua's and Water

if you enjoy my blog don't forget to sing up to my page so you won't miss out on future blogs form me 

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred 

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xx Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeak Talks Common Leg Problems in Chihuahuas

What is the explanation for cruciate ligament injury in dogs?

In the overwhelming majority of dogs, the bone cruciate ligament (CrCL) ruptures as a results of long-term degeneration, whereby the fibres inside the ligament weaken over time. we do not understand the precise explanation for this, however genetic factors are in all probability most vital, with certain breeds being susceptible (including Labradors, Rottweilers, Boxers, West Highland White Terriers and Newfoundlands). Supporting proof for a genetic cause was primarily obtained by assessment of family lines, plus the information that a lot of animals can rupture the CrCL in each knees, usually comparatively early in life. alternative factors like obesity, individual conformation, hormonal imbalance and certain inflammatory conditions of the joint can also play a role.

How am i able to tell if my dog has cruciform ligament disease?

Limping is the commonest sign of CrCL injury. this could seem suddenly during or when you exercise in some dogs, or it may be progressive and intermittent in others. Some dogs are at the same time affected in each knees, and these dogs typically find it troublesome to rise from a prone position and have a really “pottery” gait. In severe cases, dogs cannot stand up in any respect and can be mistakenly suspected of getting a spinal problem

What is happening within an affected joint?

Fraying of the ligament triggers a cascade of events leading to knee pain and claudication. At the earliest stage, arthritis is already present. It’s vital to simply accept this, as a result of many of us ask “when can my dog get osteoarthritis?” when actually the dog has it already. At a crisis of fraying, the CrCL loses its traditional mechanical function, and painful limping is in the midst of a mechanical disability of walking. At this point, one of the factors influencing the mechanical gameness is that the shape of the top of the leg bone (shin bone) that features a pronounced backwards slope in dogs. The consequence of this slope in dogs with an incompetent CrCL is that the leg bone will go down the slope every time weight is taken on the leg. In dogs without impairment of the CrCL, this slope can only become a drag if it's terribly steep indeed and might predispose to CrCL problemsIn some dogs, the mechanical deficiency can result in trauma to different structures inside the joint, particularly, a pair of buffer cartilages referred to as menisci. In slipping down the slope of the top of the tibia, the leg bone will crush and tear these cartilages, particularly the one on the within of the joint.

How is cranial cruciate ligament injury diagnosed?

Diagnosis in dogs with complete rupture of the CrCL is typically supported examination by an experienced orthopedic Furbaby Doctor, with demonstration of laxity of the joint by specific manipulations of the knee. In dogs with partial tears or early degeneration of the ligament, alternative tests could also be necessary, as well as radiography (x-rays) or imaging scans. To be of most benefit, radiographs should be of optimum quality. In most dogs, exploratory surgery or arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) is employed to verify the identification, and to research for possible cartilage tears or alternative issues.  

How is cruciate ligament injury treated?

Non-surgical management

Non-surgical management is seldom suggested, except where the risks of a anesthetic agent or surgery are thought of excessive (e.g. patients with severe cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hormonal disorders or immune conditions, etc.). The cornerstones of non-surgical treatment are weight management, physical therapy, exercise modification, and medicine (anti-inflammatory pain killers). These same techniques {are also|also are|are} vital within the short-term management of dogs who are treated surgically, though the primary surgical aim is to reduce the necessity for long-term exercise restriction and medicine. Dogs larger than 15kg have a awfully poor likelihood of turning into clinically normal with non-surgical treatment. Dogs weighing less than 15kg and cats have an improved likelihood, although improvement typically takes many months and is never complete.

Surgical management

Surgical treatments are classified into techniques that aim to switch the deficient ligament, and those that render the ligament redundant by cutting the leg bone and re-aligning the forces performing on the stifle joint.

Ligament replacement techniques

Various surgical techniques that mimic the procedures used for ligament replacement in humans are practiced for more than five centuries. Techniques using transfer of local tissues have the poorest likelihood of returning limb function to nearly normal or normal. this can be in all probability as a result of the replacement tissues don't seem to be as strong because the original ligament, and they are positioned within the same unfavourable biomechanical surroundings that caused the original|the initial} ligament to fail within the first instance.

Prosthetic ligament replacement techniques have conjointly been used for several years. These are straightforward techniques that have the power to return several animals to just about normal function. The first disadvantages of those techniques are their unpredictability throughout the early stages of recovery and mechanical limitations in heavy and athletic dogs. Some dogs become transiently more lame before improvement happens. Others take several weeks to improve, and a proportion can have on-going knee instability and pain. Variations of this system are most ordinarily suggested for dogs with traumatic cruciate ligament injuries and in animals where several stabilizers of the knee are broken, therefore known as “multiligamenous injuries”.

For decades, sutures of nylon with varied knotting and crimping systems are placed between a bone at the rear of the leg bone (the fabella) and a tunnel within the top of the tibia. These so-called fabello-tibial tubercle sutures have had variable reported  success rates dependent on material and technique. the foremost necessary aspect of this system is that the ligament origin on the femur and insertion on the shinbone are as iso-metric as possible, i.e. stay as far as possible the same length in flexion and extension. in point of fact this can be not possible and then the principle has been referred to as “quasi-isometry”. High success rates are reported  for the Anthrax “TightRope” technique that uses an artificial material known as Fibretape or Firewire on metallic anchors placed through bone tunnels within the femur and the shinbone.

What are the potential issues or complications after cruciate ligament repair surgery?

Fortunately, complication rates are low when experienced surgeons perform cruciate ligament repair surgery. the two commonest complications are infection and mechanical complications. Infection is treated using antibiotics. In some cases, surgical irrigation is necessary, and within the worst cases wherever microorganism adhere to the implants, the implants must be removed once the bones have recovered. within the overwhelming majority of animals, the implants stay in place for life and cause no issues in the slightest degree. Mechanical complications typically occur in dogs that exercise too much before the bones have recovered (which takes about six weeks). several mechanical complications are managed with rest alone, though some issues need surgical revision. A rare complication of late injury to the menisci (buffer cartilages) within the operated hinge joint can need treatment using keyhole surgery. other rare complications as well as sprains and strains round the hinge joint will usually be managed using physical therapy.

Miss Mildred and I hope this blog has helped so furbaby mum and dads out also below is a special question from a sweet little furbaby Chihuahua from Facebook called Chickeeta we hope this helps your mummy out and I think the problem might be number 4 on the list below!

5 Reasons Why Dog’s Paws Peel:

1—Burns – Hot pavement and searing sand can wreak havoc on your pet’s paws.

2—Rips— Nails, sharp rocks and even sand spurs can rip your dog’s paw pads. 

3—Allergies—If your dog suffers from allergies, one symptom could be peeling paw pads.

4—Footpad diseases – Hyperkeratosis is a disease affecting the tough and fibrous skin that covers the paw pads. It grows excessively causing the pads to crack so that peeling feather-like skin will appear around the edges of the paw pads.

5—Lack of moisture – If your dog’s paw pads dry out, they can crack and peel. To remedy this, you’ll want to rub Vaseline™ or other dog approved paw balm on the pads and keep them covered with furbaby socks so they can heal.

It’s a good idea for your vet to check out your pet’s peeling paws and make sure you address the underlying problem. If it’s a dog food allergy for instance, you’ll want to determine the cause of the allergy and eliminate it from your pet’s diet.

As your pet’s paws heal, you’ll likely need to keep them bandaged and will need to prevent your pet from licking the hurt spots. Licking can prevent healing.

 As I said before thanks so much for reading my blogs Miss Mildred and I are trying to do my blogging as its a nice way to spend sometime having a coffee and resourcing the information then putting it into my own words that other furbaby mums and dads can relate to with out all the big and fancy words that sometime come with reading medical info so we real love doing this as it keeps the brain active and gee its like my favourite subject to cover anything dog related its my passion as everyone should have one and this is one of mine some others include taking photos of my furbabys and helping out my Monster with his music hence I am the camera lady the makeup lady the hairdresser and the last but not least the tea lady and I love it .. I wish everyone reading this happiness and joy in whatever makes you happy dream big you can succeed 

Live Laugh Love 

please remember we would love to hear you comment and ideas below !

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Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx 

Miss Squeaks Tips To Challenge Your Furbaby .

Okay my fellow furbaby owners. Today I thought I would like to talk about a few things I do with my Miss Mildred to challenge her mind and not let her get bored and take it out on my shoes as I love my little furbaby but I also love my shoes and other girly things. So lets get started with a few tips .

Just like folks, dogs get tired of the same old everyday routine. Keeping them mentally challenged and constantly exposing them to new things is simply as necessary as taking them for walks and exercising them. Bored dogs develop damaging behaviours and take their negative energy out on things like your article of furniture.

Here are some artistic ways in which to stimulate your dog’s mind in order that they don’t get bored and misbehave. Work on a new trick

Every time you interact your dog in a coaching session, you are providing him with a mental challenge. Search around for brand spanking new tricks to work on. If you’re able to move past the essential commands, look at books, scan the net, and ask a trainer for concepts for brand spanking new tricks and coaching concepts.

“My dog, Miss Mildred just recently turned 6 months  old and I finally registered her in obedience faculty. it's modified each our lives. currently on days where I work her on new tricks and such, I even have noticed  that her temperament has calmed down. Challenging her mentally makes her a lot of less anxious generally and she has become more relaxed around different dogs. Miss Mildred is proof that previous dogs will undoubtedly learn new tricks.”Play with interactive games or toys along with your dog

Purchase a doggy parlor game or a canine puzzle to challenge your pup. interact your dog in a game of Dog Memory or Dog Dominos. give your dog one of the various toys that enable you to cover treats and objects within and interact your dog to work out how to work them out.

“This sounds silly however I bought this parlour game that I saw at the shop for my dog Miss Mildred and I to play together. I place treats beneath a peg and she has got to comprehend which of them to raise up so as to seek out wherever the treats are. there's another version wherever I hide the treats with this piece of plastic and Miss Mildred has got to spin the board around to uncover the treats. It really challenges her and I see her brain trying hard to working everything out.”Run errands together with your dog

Even a fast run to the mailbox, a trip at a friend’s house, or a spin through the car wash will place your dog face to face with a range of stimulants.

“Even simply taking Miss Mildred for a car ride or to the car wash is stimulating for her. She gets to envision lots of completely different sights and sounds and experience new things. she loves going and gets so excited. and i will see her brain operating because it takes it all in. And once we come home, she falls right asleep, even though it wasn’t physically taxing.”

Give your dog a job to do. 

Dogs are bred to complete tasks such as hunting and herding. When they aren’t able to fulfil  these types of duties, they can get restless. Engage your dog in a game of Frisbee. Get him involved in a sport like agility or Fly ball. Take him for a long walk, hike, or swim. Find jobs that  your dog’s breed. If you have a retriever, for example, nothing will leave it more satisfied than a hearty game of fetch.Introduce your dog to new faces

Every time your dog meets a brand new person or fellow canine, they're introduced to new sights, sounds, and butts to smell. Taking you pup to places just like the dog park can offer him or her with ample chance to have interaction their senses.

"I frequently take Miss Mildred  to the dog park, that she fully loves Mildred constantly meets new friends there and finds individuals to smell and get patted by. This has really made her listen better, less anxious and actually more happy." 

Give them new toys and rotate out the previous ones You wouldn’t wish to play with the same thing on a daily basis would you? Then you shouldn’t expect your furbaby to still love a similar toy that she’s had for months. offer her a toy to play with for a couple of days and after they grow bored of it, replace it with another one.

“ Miss Mildred  has such a large amount of toys however still gets bored. It’s ridiculous! i'm constantly bringing new toys into the house however she has a short attention span so they solely keep her diverted for a minute. we started keeping all of her  toys in a basket within the closet and rotating them out. She has so many currently and we’ll change up a replacement toy with one that she’s had for days which she could have forgotten about. She loves this and whenever we switch them up, Miss Mildred is simply as excited as when she gets a brand new toy.” 

Thankyou for reading Miss Squeaks

 Tips To Challenge Your Furbaby .

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Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred xx

Miss Squeak Talks Dog Exercise Tips

 

                      

Yes, it’s cold outside, and the number of daylight hours is short, but your dog does not hibernate, and it’s important that your dog get daily exercise. Vital for a dog’s physical and mental wellness, exercise is also a crucial part of the relationship between Pack Leader—you—and dog. On those days when bad weather makes walks impractical, you can still give your pup the exercise she needs with these six ideas for great winter exercise.

1. Play a game with your dog.

Hide-and-seek is a wonderful way to get your dog up and moving and mentally engaged. You can hide a treat or her favorite toy, but it’s better to make her come find you. Start by throwing a treat to get her to go away from you, and then hide in another part of the house. This game can really tire your pup out as she rushes around searching, and it’s good for reinforcing the “come” command.

2. Challenge your dog’s nose.

Dogs have incredibly powerful scenting abilities, so exercises that require your pal to use her nose are especially stimulating. Make her work for her dinner by creating an obstacle course she has to get through to find her food. Hide her meal in a box, or, better yet, put it in a Kong Wobbler or a Buster Ball.

3. Dog treadmills and indoor walking.

There are treadmills on the market designed specifically for dogs. But if you cannot afford one of these, use a human treadmill—but take the right precautions. Spend a few days familiarizing your dog with how it works. Use a slow speed and stand in front of the treadmill with a treat. Over three or four days, slowly increase the speed and the amount of time your pup spends on the treadmill. Work up to the same amount of time you normally spend on walks.

4. Sign your dog up for a class.

Sign up for an indoor agility or swimming class. Flyball provides good exercise, and a class comes with the added benefits of allowing your dog to socialize and boosting her mental agility by learning something new. Also, many cities have facilities with doggie swimming pools.

5. Practice targeting.

Being indoors gives you a great opportunity to practice targeting with your dog. Teach her to touch her nose to the back of your hand on command; this will make her focus on a target. It’s a great exercise because it gives you an activity you can do together. And once your pup has learned how to do this, you can use it whenever you want her to stop what she’s doing and focus. For example, if you’re out walking and she becomes excited when she sees another dog, you can use targeting to redirect her attention. Plus, your dog can’t bark when she’s touching her nose to your hand!

6. Don’t be a wimp…get outdoors!

Most bigger dogs love snow, and they can get a great workout by plowing through it. Spend 30 to 40 minutes in the snow, and your dog will get a workout that leaves her exhausted—and her muscles toned. When you come in, be sure to wash your dog’s paws to clean off any salt.

Thanks for following and reading!

Miss Squeak and Miss Mildred