Hi there my question is what are some good joint/hip supplements out there for dogs?
I have a dog who is about 8 years old and I know about 8 or so they start having slight pains in their joints and such due to age but I just worry about him and want to be proactive about his joints. Now he has lime disease which would cause the pain normally but his veterinarian says that it is absolutely not his lime disease.
So do you know of any good natural remedies, some sort of herb or plant. Or do you know or a good commercial product which you would give your own dog or give to your mothers dog? Or do you know of another way all together to help with joint stiffness and pain?

Please if you have something rude to say like "put him to sleep" keep it to your self!!

Thank you to all who post helpful and insightful answers =D
He is a medium size Labrador Mix he weights just about 80-83 pounds.
Also he is on people asprin once a day… I just worry that they are bad for him to get, because they sure cant be all that great.

The best joint supplement is a mixture of Chrondroitin, Glucosamine (repair and lubricate joints) and MSM (natural anti-inflammatory). The human form and the pet form are the same. Walgreen’s usually runs an ad at least once a month for Buy 1 Get 1 Free for the human form. The MSM will be just as effective anti-inflammatory as the aspirin without the harmful side effects of stomach ulcers and bleeding problems (thin blood). If you continue to give the aspirin be sure and crush it up and mix it in with food to help prevent stomach ulcers.

We’re launching a new dog training business. I’m looking for a name that would stand out.
The training will include obedience and problem solving, in home or off site.

For general canine obedience Paws ‘n Learn.

Most dog trainers believe that the best way to train any dog is using a method called positive reinforcement training. For those who are doing home dog obedience training this process simply entails using positive reinforcement for good behavior and ignoring bad behavior.

A dog’s natural instinct is to please her owner. Positive reinforcement uses this instinct and allows your dog to learn what it is you want her to do. This type of training has more meaning to your dog because she is able to learn what you want her to do using her own mental capacity.

Here are some quick tips you can use to implement this training method at home:

1. Pick good rewards. You need to keep your dog’s interest level up in what you are doing. A pat on the head or saying “good girl” will lose a dogs interest pretty quickly. Use tempting rewards such as food treats and physical affection to reinforce your dog’s good behavior. Dog trainers call these primary incentives and dogs are very responsive to these.

2. Timing is important. Good behavior and obedience needs to be rewarded the moment it happens. This way your dog begins to understand what behavior is being rewarded. This is where clicker training can be used. Using a small metal device that emits a click when pushed you click the clicker the moment your dog follows a command successfully. To reinforce the meaning of the clicker a treat should also be offered.

3. Use the same commands consistently. If you want your dog to sit don’t use “sit” one time, “sit down” the next, or “down” later on. This is confusing for a dog because they learn through repetition. Pick a command and stick with it for each behavior you desire.

If you are training your dog at home you will need to learn to reward your dog in a meaningful fashion. If you know what your dog likes as far as physical attention and treats you will know what works as far as rewards go. Some dogs prefer edible treats while others enjoy playing with a favorite toy.

If you are using food treats for your home dog training reinforcement you need to be aware that many dog trainers have found that dogs actually respond better if they receive treats in a more sporadic fashion. Apparently it keeps their attention better because they remain interested in what you are teaching them if rewards are given intermittently.

Positive reinforcement training is a great home dog obedience training process to use because it is relatively easy. Ignoring bad behavior is the cornerstone of this method because a dog being ignored is an unhappy dog. This can do more to motivate your dog to do what you ask more then just about anything else.

Andrew Bicknell
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/home-dog-obedience-training-using-the-positive-reinforcement-method-715776.html

In many ways canine pregnancy is not that different from human pregnancy, although it is somewhat shorter, averaging sixty-three days. A dog’s diet, as well as their consumption of medicine needs to be monitored during pregnancy, just like a woman’s should be, and you may notice changes in your dog’s emotions and social behavior. She can even experience morning sickness!

Most dogs will gain 15-25% of their original body weight during pregnancy, although this does depend on the number of puppies they are carrying and some do not put on noticeable weight until the last week before whelping.

Nutritional intake needs to increase during canine pregnancy and lactation; your dog may even double the amount she eats. During lactation she will need a high protein puppy food, and you may want to gradually introduce this during the last two weeks of her pregnancy, or even earlier. If you are concerned about providing the right pregnancy diet to meet your particular dog’s needs you should consult your veterinarian.

You should try to avoid nutritional supplements during canine pregnancy, even though these may seem like a good idea. Your dog will naturally produce everything her puppies need to thrive during lactation, and supplements may interfere with this process. This is particularly applicable to calcium supplements. If you use a good quality, high protein dog food, supplements will not be necessary.

A lot of canine medication is safe to use during pregnancy. If you give your dog regular preventative medication for heartworm you should continue this throughout pregnancy and lactation. Some medicines to get rid of other types of parasite, such as hookworms or roundworms, can be used but you should consult your veterinarian before administering these. It is important that your dog does get treatment for these conditions as otherwise she can pass them on to her unborn puppies.

Vaccinations should not be given during canine pregnancy. However, if possible, it is a great idea to have your dog vaccinated just before becoming pregnant as this will ensure she has a high level of antibodies to pass onto her puppies during lactation.

About halfway through her pregnancy you should take your dog to the veterinarian for a wellness check and to confirm the pregnancy. The veterinarian will be able to do this by examining the stomach, but a blood test can be done to provide a conclusive result.

You may want to have a radiograph done three weeks prior to the deliver to count the puppies. Knowing how many puppies to expect will help you to prepare for the delivery. Remember that your dog can become pregnant by more than one male during any one heat stage so you may be surprised at the number of puppies she is going to produce.

During the last three weeks of your dog’s pregnancy you may want to isolate her completely from contact with other dogs. This will ensure she does not pick up the herpes virus. While this is usually harmless in adult dogs, it can trigger a miscarriage in your pregnant dog.

You may find she wants to stay close to you during this time anyway. She may dislike being left alone and will probably become more affectionate, if a little irritable. As the delivery date approaches she will start to look for a safe place to give birth, and you should give some thought to where this will be.

As with human pregnancy, it is important to remember that canine pregnancy is a natural process, and your dog has been blessed with the natural ability to carry it through. With a little extra attention to nutrition, and some protection from common diseases, this should be a stress free time for you and your dog.

Rebecca Prescott
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/canine-pregnancy-guide-131059.html

My friend noticed that her 10 year-old dog’s hair was courser than before. She tried a vitamin supplement and noticed it greatly improved his coat and overall health. My dog is about 5 years old. Would starting a vitamin supplement for dogs help him maitain his health as he ages? If so, what vitamin supplement would you suggest. Or should a good dog food provide him with the vitamins he needs?

If you know which supplement your friend gave her dog then perhaps you could try it on your dog too.

All my dogs have Glucosamine with Chondroitin every day from the age of 5 years old. This is a good preventative for arthritis in later life. You could also add some Cod Liver Oil or Salmon Oil to his diet. This is excellent for helping to keep his skin supple and will also improve his coat.

Of course, you can buy certain Dog Foods which contain all these supplements so have a good look around to find one to suit your dog’s age and lifestyle. I know Arden Grange Premium is one of them.

Trying to find a gift for my wife who is deaf/ hard of hearing. Can everyone look at the Dog training videos or dvds you have and see if any of them have subtitles. If so would love to know the name of it.
Thank you,

Maybe a place to start looking would be Dogwise. They carry a lot of books and other materials about dogs. If they didn’t have it, they might be able to advise you where to look.

http://www.dogwise.com

Good luck in your search.

My rat terrier had an operation 6 months ago to core out 5 discs in his neck after they herniated and were putting pressue on his spinal cord.

He’s been pretty much pain free and back to normal until this week. In the mornings he’s stiff and yipes on occasion during the night.

I am giving him the correct dosage of aspirin for pain, but I was wondering if there are any real benefits from either Vitamin E or glucosimine? Or if there’s something else that maybe I haven’t read about yet?

(trying to avoid Rimadyl due to liver problems)

Whqat I would do if this was my dog is take him to a holistic vet. They can do really amazing things with both acupuncture and chiropractic treatments. One of my greyhounds has calcium formations 2 places on his neck and was in a lot of pain, putting his back out because of it and he had 2 chiropractic treatments for his back as well as 3 laser acupuncture treatments and he’s been great.

Glucosamine works well for joint pain, you should ask your vet if it would be of benefit to your dog.

I’m thinking about getting a home dog trainer. How much does it usually cost? I know it depends and the price varies, but what does it generally cost?

I’m thinking about getting a trainer from barkbusters. Anyone heard of them? Are they successful at what they do? Also, in general, do these (dog training) lessons pay off. That is, are they even worth it/ beneficial?

If it helps at all, I live in California.

well if i was you id do a obedience class that way your training your dog and not some stranger i think hands on is alot better for you and the dog plus you get socialize your dog will be alot more dog/people friendly…now if theres a real big problem you cant solve your self then call a personal dog trainer…at a pet store the classes will cost around $100

I’ve been giving my dogs a salmon oil capsule daily (on a vet’s recommendation) for many years and they do wonders for both their skin and coat, particularly in the dry winter weather.

I have a martingale dog training collar for my dog, I got the right size and all, but I am not sure where it is to sit on the dogs neck and that kind of stuff so any help would be appreciated.
the martingale dog raining collar I got has the partial chain on it, so does it matter where that DRing is for the leash to go on? Oike am I pulling to the side or straig twards me if the dog is on my left?

FIT:
as close to the ears as U can get it.
high and snug!!

the collar slips over the dog’s head, then is adjusted to fit –
use the sliding-figure-8 to fit the collar.
U are adjusting the collar so that there’s MORE doubled-over collar,
and LESS single-thickness collar.
when properly fitted, the fabric-loop is FLAT,
and the collar is HIGH and SNUG.

no more than a Pinky-Tip (to first-joint) should slip between dog and collar,
once it’s fitted; U want it to STAY up there,
not slither down the dog’s neck toward their chest/shoulders.

once the collar is snug, slide the fabric-loop to the back,
so it’s centered at the top of the dog’s neck.
now clip the leash on the metal D-ring.

when the dog (or U) put tension on the leash,
the fabric-loop closes, tightening the collar.
however, since the loop can only close to half its size,
there’s no danger of ’strangling’ or choking the dog.

that’s why a martingale is AKA a ‘limited-slip’ collar.

a choke or slip-collar closes to INFINITY:
they can easily shut-off the airway,
especially if U are so foolish as to imitate Cesar Millan,
and HANG a dog
(suspend them by their collar, with feet off the ground).

HANGING a dog is DANGEROUS!!
lifting a dog’s feet off the ground and shutting off their airway can cause death, brain-damage, epilepsy, and other serious injury.

martingales are safer than choke-chains or slip-collars;
they are far less-likely to injure the dog’s trachea or cervical vertebrae.
However, U still cannot safely HANG or SUSPEND a dog,
even with a martingale!

please make collar-corrections short and firm:
a quick tug, then let the leash droop slightly.
U want to get the dog into apropos position,
then REWARD them with that easy-loose leash.
a constant tension on the leash is counter-productive:
it teaches the dog that walking is ‘tug-of-war’.

walking should be BRISk, focused, and point to point,
Vs sauntering, meandering, and goal-less.

aim for a nearby object, go there; as U approach it,
pick another, and repeat.
dogs use the direction of our gaze to figure out where we are headed,
so by looking toward our goal,
we help the dog to understand where we (dog and human) are going.

happy training! <smile>