Ausha is my best friend, a 10 year old Labrador retriever; she is smart as a whip, and very loving. It has been such a joy having her in my life, but now she is 52 years old, ( a dog is 7 years old the first year and 5 years old each year after that ). She has slowed down, and doesnt get the natural exercise she used to just by being a puppy.



Training Ausha to get exercise also involves training me, which isnt always easy. It is imperative however that she get this and factual is really good for me too.

It was unfortunate that it took me a while to realize that Ausha wasnt her slim trip self anymore, as with anything else, if it happens slowly it doesnt always get noticed.

When she started having trouble with her hips, the vet told me that she had severe arthritis, and she essential to acceptable a little weight, about 20 pounds.

I was in shock, this had never been a problem before, but she had never been physically limited in what she was able to do before. Now, we are both on an exercise program for our mutual health, and it is showing.

Ausha has lost that extra 20 pounds and I am loosing a little myself, which has been a parcel benefit.

We prompt with a trip to the vet, to make absolute babe was able to exercise; I was told to start easy because of her hips, and if she started showing signs of physical vexation we should slow down.

We started by taking walks around the block, slow, easy and enjoyable walks for both of us. Gradually we increased to a brisk walk, 3 days a week and our regular slow, easy walk 2 nights a week.

I have a friend that owns a ranch, a couple of days a span we go out there and she to runs with the ranch dogs. She has actually become more active in the last few months on her own.

She looks forward to our walks now, and will fetch me her leash if I forget; its great when you train your dog to yield care of themselves.

It has been one of the more choice lessons we have had, because it is together, and we both love spending time together.

Dogs get bored, Dozer is a well loved 3 while old Jack Russell Terrier, she gets to go with Dad to work, and almost every where else he goes, but sometimes she gets left at home.

Dozer tends to chew things up, recurrently when she is left home alone, bored dogs may even go to the extreme of chewing on themselves!

Toys are an excellent way to dash with Dozers boredom; butterfly has favorite toys, as do all children. It is important to put down four or 5 of her favorite toys just as you leave the house, and pick them up as soon as you return.

This brings her recognition to the toys, and away from other things she may chew on. These are special toys, they are all cutting edge each time you leave, and are only there when she is alone; they will own her engaged for hours.

However, dogs have a very short attention span, which is why it is vital to set down down a number of toys rather than just one.

Another way to teach your dog to deal with boredom, which can also be caused because she is lonely, is to leave the television or radio on to a talk show.

Human voices are soothing to dogs, and Dozer likes to hear human voices a gang. However, if your dog has a vitamin or mineral deficiency no amount of training will stop her from chewing; this must be dealt with by the veterinarian.

Your veterinarian can tell you many things about your dog, and if you are trying to train your dog vital and she just wont learn, adjust clear-cut there is no physical reason before giving up on her.