The temptation to get another dog, to keep your first dog company, is too big for many to resist.  Especially considering the added benefit of a whole new being giving you all that unconditional love.

The truth of the matter is two dogs change the dynamic of your household.  Three dogs or more?  The dynamic changes exponentially.  Sometimes to the point you find yourself asking, “Was this a good idea?”

 The Exercise Myth About Multi Dog Households

It comes with our need to justify having more than one dog.  “My dog will get more exercise if there is a second dog.”  While this may be true in some cases, in way too many cases, you end up with not one but two or more couch potatoes. Just because you have more than one dog does not mean they will actually play together as much as they need or even begin to reach the level of exercise that is healthy for any dog.

 With couch potato dogs you are promoting poor health, boredom and behavior issues to name a few unwanted side effects.  The truth of the matter, if you have more than one dog you need to spend time exercising one dog at a time and both dogs together on a regular basis.  It promotes first a longer healthier life and the best dog ever when it comes to behavior.

 What Does Exercise Really Solve in Multi Dog Households Problems

Dogs who find themselves “living the life” laying around all day on relax mode, tend to chew things they shouldn’t or start playing too rough but for not nearly long enough, sometimes dominance and quarrels occur more frequently.  On the opposite end, a depressed, lazy dog could emerge.

 Usually 30 minutes at the bare minimum and an hour for most dogs is really the ultimate health recommendation.  Amazingly enough the same is true for people!

 The Most Important Thing You Can Do When You Live With More Than One Dog

 “Exercise both dogs and me. All of this is good: potty training on cue, teaching to “wait” by name, and one on one time with each dog! This everyday practice has gone far with our two dogs.  Two dogs = management.” ~ Lauren Mills ‎

 The obvious answer:  Get everybody enough exercise.

 Though days can be cold or short or you may simply feel too tired, exercise is a proven health reviver.  Get enough exercise and you WILL feel better.   Same for dogs.  A well exercised dog wags more, which in turn makes you wag and smile more.

 Ways To Get Enough Adequate Exercise for More Than One Dog 

• Swim
• Walk/Jog w/Intensity
• Run
• Play fetch games
• Walk up and down a set of stairs at your house or while out and about 10 times or more.
• Play hide and seek with the dogs
• Sit, stay, run.  This is where you get your dog(s) to sit and stay, move away first 10 feet, then 20, 30, 40 feet and on.  Call and encourage your dog to run to you.
• Visit a new park
• Find a new trail and hike it
• Sign up for a dog friendly 5K
• Leap frog the dog.  This is where members of the family or friends each take a dog.  Walk in line one behind the other.  The last person runs to the front of the line.  Once the the last person is at the front, the new last person in line runs to the front.  Best when played with 3 but can be a great workout with just two sets of people and dogs.
• Treadmill your dog

 *Tips for our Treading for Dogs Participants

 A dog treadmill designed specifically for your dog is the greatest equipment or dog toy you can have when you have more than one dog and you are weather challenged or time challenged. 

It is important to train each dog separately to run on the treadmill.  You can actually use one dog to help teach another dog.  Dogs learn by examples or in pictures.

Start with the dog in your pack that finds the treadmill the easiest, then switch dogs.

 Do an interval workout where you put one dog on for 10 minutes, then rotate, with a minimum of 3 sets or 30 minutes of exercise for each.  The dogs who are waiting don’t get bored and should you run short on time, each dog gets some exercise time.  Some is better than none.

 Use the dog treadmill as a way to spend separate time with each dog.  Treadmill one dog and walk the other dog to the park.  Occasional separate time within a pack can build confidence in everyone.

 Have fun and keep on Treading for Dogs!

Article by Jt Clough who lives on the Big Island Hawaii and is a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker, co-author ofTreadingforDogs and author and creator of the5KTrainingGuide | RunningwithDogs. As aHabitsCoachandDogWhisperer she encourages you to make that change you want so badly today!

Anxiety Solutions

Anxiety is part of our lives and affects how we act on a daily basis.  Many studies and modalities, including drugs have been used as a remedy for anxiety, yet the one constant that seems to help in almost all cases is movement, exercise and engagement on a physical level.

So in the case of the dog who suffers anxiety why wouldn’t this be the same?  The key to treating anxiety in dogs is not just exercise, but increasing the quality and intensity at which the exercise is performed. But how do you increase intensity when you may not be able to keep up the same pace? Here are a few great tips when dealing with anxious, nervous dogs.

Hard Core Exercise for Dogs

The truth of the matter is dogs can flat out go faster than we can.  Exercise to address anxiety needs to be at a level where endorphins kick in and take over to change behavior.  That usually means pretty hard core, or at the very least at a very consistent level over several weeks or months.

If your dog doesn’t have a place to run in a wide open field, ducking, turning, leaping, it could be why anxiety continues to plague your dog. Anxiety can yield unfavorable dog behavior that can cause many to retreat behind closed doors where we shower our dog with love and protective care, the best bed and food ever, but little exercise…. and the anxiety tends to increase.

Hard core exercise does work.  People attest to it and as a professional dog trainer, working with hundreds of dogs who suffer anxiety, I can tell you it works for dogs too.  It may not be the entire answer, but it is the most effective in getting your dog to a sustainable balanced place.

If you don’t have space for your dog to run wide open a dog treadmill could certainly be the answer to where your dog can exercise as it would on your own private fenced golf course.  A dog treadmill is the best way for your dog to run at a pace which will create an endorphin release that needs to occur to let go of the anxiety habit.

Keep Wagging

Anxiety in dogs can be frustrating.  If you have a dog that is afflicted by anxiety don’t give up.  Anxiety can be replaced with a happy well balanced dog.  The key to changing anything that has become a habit is time and consistency in a new practice.  Get your dog moving, whether it is a dog treadmill, an open field or park consistently and with intensity and you’ll find you’ll both be wagging more.

Article by Jt Clough who lives on the Big Island Hawaii and is a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker, co-author ofTreadingforDogs and author and creator of the5KTrainingGuide | RunningwithDogs. As aHabitsCoachandDogWhisperer she encourages you to make that change you want so badly today!

In other words, the dog, by nature, is going to make an effort to do his part.  We dog owners can optimize the benefits of having this devoted friend by taking some easy steps to do our part by “understanding the dog”.  The term “understanding” is meant to convey the idea that the dog, by reason of his natural abilities, will comprehend the effort you are making and that he will respond positively to your efforts.

There was a book written in 1978 by the Monks of New Skete, a monastery in upstate New York which specialized in breeding, raising and training dogs.  The emphasis of this well written classic is on ‘understanding the dog’ in order to communicate effectively with it and to solve problem behavior.  The book is appropriately called “How To Be Your Dog’s Best Friend”.

One of the most crucial and fundamental aspects of understanding the dog is that our dog craves daily exercise and play.  Importantly, this need for regular activity should include you or one of the other members of the ‘pack’ (the family).  Your dog will ‘relate’ to an effort made by you to participate in daily exercise and play.

For a year-round solution that doesn’t require you to be an athlete to participate, works around your hectic schedule and that shows you really care about the well being of this devoted friend, your dog, look at the advantages of the DogTread® authentic Dog Treadmills by PetZen® at http://www.dogtread.com/.

The DogTread® Dog Treadmills not only provide essential exercise for your dog but promotes a significant one-on-one experience between you and your dog.  There are several easy steps involved as you train your dog to use the Dog Treadmill.  The easy interactions between you and Fifi to get her started on the Treadmill, along with the supportive and encouraging praise during the exercise, will strengthen the bond between the two of you and ensure a more cooperative experience when other events are undertaken.

Combining the opportunity to exercise, the ease-of-use and the all-important interaction with you that a  DogTread® authentic Dog Treadmill offers, give your dog the life-long gift of improved health and gain the benefits of understanding this dear friend better.  For more information on DogTread® Treadmills, dog training, dog exercise, dog health, indoor exercise for dogs and treading for dogs please email info@dogtread.com or call us at (877) 563- 5151.  You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DogTread.

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dog exercise, dog health, dog training, DogTread® Treadmills, indoor exercise for dogs and treading for dogs, petzen

Our canine friends are also generally the same in this regard.  A dog who gets to exercise every day will turn out to be healthier, and also brighter, friendlier and more prone to accepting your lead and command.

If you haven’t already figured this out and you don’t have Fido on a daily exercise program, we highly recommend (for both your sakes) that you start TODAY.  For a year-round solution that provides the best return for your investment, check out the advantages of the DogTread® authentic Dog Treadmills by PetZen® at http://www.dogtread.com/.

Numerous studies have confirmed that there are real problems that result from a lack of exercise and play.  Being somewhat like young children, dogs need something to do to constructively use their energy, or, they may find something to do on their own which may not be to your liking.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reports that some of the more common behavior problems seen in dogs who don’t get enough exercise and play are:

Destructive chewing, digging or scratching

Investigative behaviors, like garbage raiding

Hyperactivity, excitability and night-time activity

Unruliness, knocking over furniture and jumping up on people

Excessive predatory and social play

Play biting and rough play

Attention-getting behaviors like barking and whining.

Does this sound like anyone we know?  Addressing these issues affirmatively  with a Dog Treadmill has immediate and long term benefits for your best-friend and for you.    This is because the DogTread® Treadmill makes the ‘opportunity to exercise’ possible.

Many dog owners have made the mistake of assuming that if their dog has access to the backyard, then the dog is ‘getting exercise’.  In addition to missing out on the very important interaction with you, the alpha, most dogs just don’t run laps by themselves.  My dog will find a good spot to relax and waits for me to come back to let her in…some exercise!

Combining the opportunity to exercise, the ease-of-use and the all-important interaction with you that a  DogTread® authentic Dog Treadmill offers, give your dog the life-long gift of improved health and, as a side benefit, you can count on improved behavior.  For more information on DogTread® Treadmills, dog training, dog exercise, dog health, indoor exercise for dogs and treading for dogs please email info@dogtread.com or call us at (877) 563- 5151.  You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DogTread.

– Video by Elizabeth Semrai and Shelby Pollack

http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/02/13/021312-news-westminster-video-page

For more information on DogTread® Treadmills, dog training, dog exercise, dog health, indoor exercise for dogs and treading for dogs please email info@dogtread.com or call us at (877) 563- 5151.  You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DogTread.

As stressful as any move can be, regardless of the distance, your dog will also share in the stress of the move, instinctively and emotionally.  As a caring pet owner, moves give you a special opportunity to strengthen the bond between owner and pet while proactively advancing your dog’s physical and emotional health.

Here are a couple of our recommendations:

1. Keep things as normal as possible by taking regular breaks in your packing and unpacking to groom, feed, exercise and play with your dog.

2. In particular, make sure his feeding time is kept to the ‘usual’ time.  Make sure his water bowl is always full.

3. Try to observe the same bedtime that you usually do.

4. Be sure to see your vet before that big move just to make sure.

5. No matter how old and smelly they may seem, be sure to pack (and unpack) your dog’s favorite chew toys.

6. At your new home, while keeping to the familiar routine, emphasize the exercise that your dog gets, as this allows him to ‘vent’ his nervous energy and to acclimatize to the home and area.

One of your best options and tools for optimal exercise in your pet’s life is the DogTread® authentic Dog Treadmills by PetZen®.  Before you move, during the move and especially, after the move, your Dog Treadmill gives you an easy, available form of exercise for your dog.  With the one-on-one exercise the Treadmill emphasizes your relationship to your pet, which is reassuring to your dog during a period when everything appears to be in upheaval.

You won’t need to worry about the Dog Treadmill getting in the way of your move either.  It’s ‘footprint’ is conveniently small and can be kept up and available to the last minute.  Ease of packing and then ease of setting up will ensure that the DogTread® Dog Treadmill can be used throughout the moving process.  Experts agree that this kind of interaction and exercise for your dog will ensure an optimal adjustment for your dog.  Look at the advantages of the DogTread® authentic Dog Treadmills by PetZen® at http://www.dogtread.com/.

For more information on DogTread® Treadmills, dog training, dog exercise, dog health, indoor exercise for dogs and treading for dogs please email info@dogtread.com or call us at (877) 563- 5151.  You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DogTread.

5 Things You Can Do For the Health and Longevity of Your Dog

1. Exercise
2. Exercise
3. Exercise
4. Exercise
5. Healthy Food

Just kidding there’s more to come, but the point is exercise is a huge part of keeping any dog healthy, happy, well behaved, and living to their fullest passionate potential.  By the way, all things we humans are looking for too.  Even the well behaved part.

Exercise is one that gets cut out of the picture too many times.  It could be due to a variety of reasons which really compute to excuses.  When it comes to your dog the weather, time or available energy is not a factor.  They want to go.  So even if you don’t take care of this essential element of healthy living for yourself as much as you would like to, you can still provide it for your dog.

Research shows that people will do something healthy for their dogs before they will actually do it for themselves.  You can use this as a catalyst for a healthy happier you too.

If any of the above factors are a problem for you, get a treadmill for your dog.

Dogs do need exercise and they most likely are looking for it in a very serious way.  Since most dogs live at home the majority of the time and don’t get the exercise we humans get at the very least by walking to and from the car, going to work or doing errands, intentional exercise is essential to include in their daily lives.

Healthy food is becoming more of an issue with our dog’s diets.  Recently there have been many dog food recalls.  The pet food industry is more than a bit unnerving when one really delves into what the big processors are really putting in our dogs’ food bowls on a daily basis despite the healthy looking meat and vegetable pictures on the front of the bag.  Do your research and know what you are feeding your dog at The Truth About Pet Food.

The 3 Other Healthy Happy Dog Essentials

2.  Intellectual stimulation

3.  Pure clean water

4.  Sunshine

Intellectual Stimulation

Dogs need to engage.  They need a job.  They need something that stimulates them.  Like people, a dog who has nothing to do is bored and can find trouble rather than bliss in this state.  Play games with your dog.  Something as simple as hide-and-go-seek works.  Trick training is great mental stimulation for any dog and contributes to both health and happiness.

Pure Clean Water

Water is the source of life.  Again, like people, dog’s bodies are made up of 65% water.  Staying hydrated is important, but does it matter what kind of water your dog drinks?

Consider the reason you drink filtered water yourself.  Fluoride and as it turns out over 116,000 human made chemicals are finding their way into the public water supply systems.  *Facts from William Marks, author of Water Voices from Around the World, FLOW.

No need to explain that our dogs are dying of cancer more often then ever.  There intestines are absorbing all the toxins we’ve so conveniently added to even our water supply.  Is it any wonder dogs are also suffering with health problems because of it?

Sunshine Daily

Have you ever noticed how your dog gravitates to the sun light.  Dogs curl up and soak it up or stretch themselves out, full belly exposed, to absorb as much sun as possible.  Dogs will follow the sun spots around the house.

For good reason.  The absorption of vitamin D, the essential vitamin that comes from the sun.  The sun is uplifting for your dogs mood and behavior.  It stimulates appetite and improves digestion.  The sun is a powerful immune system builder.

Get a little but of sunshine every day if at all possible.  It’s good for your dog.  It’s good for you.

Article by Jt Clough who lives on the Big Island Hawaii and is a 9 time Ironman finisher, change maker, co-author of Treading for Dogs and author and creator of the 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs. As a Habits Coach and Dog Whisperer she encourages you to make that change you want so badly today!

For more information on dog training, dog exercise, dog health, indoor exercise for dogs, treading for dogs or DogTread® Treadmills provided by DogTread a division of PetZen,please email info@dogtread.com or call us at (877) 563- 5151.

We have had many happy dog owners responded, and the overwhelming response is, “I wish I could get out more with my dog.” Your dog may not be slowing down at the same rate you are. Keep in mind that your best friend may need more exercise than you to stay healthy and active.

Our customers deal with all kinds of behavior problems from basic puppy issues, to separation anxiety, barking, destruction of property, aggression, and general training issues like teaching sit and stay. Usually we recommend more physical and mental exercise for your dog. A great way to curve these behavioral issues is to allow your dog adequate exercise time. If you have something holding you back from walking or jogging with your dog, please don’t let that hold your “best Friend” back from getting the adequate needed exercise.

For more information on dog training, dog exercise, dog health, indoor exercise for dogs, treading for dogs or DogTread® Treadmills provided by DogTread a division of PetZen,please email info@dogtread.com or call us at (877) 563- 5151.

Exclusive “DogTread® Canine Gym”

DogTread® will provide champion dogs with the exercise needed for

optimum performance when they enter the show ring at the

136^th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

OGDEN, Utah (Jan. 24, 2012) – Just like any all-star athlete, championship dogs require practice and a carefully planned exercise regimen to help them maintain a competitive edge. This championship form is an absolute pre-requisite for any dog entering the show ring at the fabled Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and the reason PetZen® Products is providing show participants and their dogs a free full access pass to its DogTread® Canine Gym.

“With all the activities that surround this week long show it can be difficult to find time to exercise these dogs properly to relieve tension and stress,” said Krista Wickens, co-owner of PetZen Products. “The DogTread Canine Gym will provide show participants with a convenient and easy way to keep their dogs fit and focused during this busy week. Our DogTread’s will provide them with an opportunity to get the wiggles out before and after they enter the ring.”

The DogTread Canine Gym will be located in the Hotel Pennsylvania directly across the street from Madison Square Garden, site of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Here participants will find a range of DogTread treadmills specifically designed and manufactured for dogs of all breeds. These treadmills are available in four models to accommodate a full range of sizes from small breeds to dogs weighing up to 200 pounds.

Each DogTread sports a portable space-saving design that is great for the demands of the show dog circuit. They are equipped with programmable distance and time workout controls, variable speed controls, Real Time LCD Data Display, remote control, safety cords and adjustable incline to simulate outdoor terrain to condition the right muscles.  As well, DogTread’s signature low-profile training fences provide a natural running platform aimed at providing a positive and enjoyable experience for both handlers and their dogs. The DogTread allows show handlers to provide their dogs with exercise on the road regardless of the conditions – day or night, rain or shine, cold or hot, dogs will be able to receive a complete workout indoors in a controlled environment.

“We believe that the Canine Gym will be a great asset for handlers and their dogs during Westminster,” added Wickens. “It is located in a dog friendly hotel where many handlers and owners will be staying, and is just steps away from the Garden. It will be a quick and easy way to give these champions the exercise they need to in order to maintain that winning edge.”

The DogTread Canine Gym will be located in the Green Room of the Hotel Pennsylvania directly across from Madison Square Garden on Seventh Avenue. Hours will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 10-15 and is offered as a free service to all dogs participating in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The public is also welcome to come see the DogTread in action.

About the Company

DogTread® equipment is designed, engineered and manufactured by PetZen® Products. Based in Brigham City, Utah, PetZen Products has been distributing its DogTread line since 2007 to dog professionals and owners around the world. As the pack leader in dog-specific motorized treadmills, DogTread by PetZen makes Treading exercise fun, affordable and easy for any dog owner and their furry friend to learn. For more information on PetZen Products and DogTread, please visit their website at www.dogtread.com or www.petzenproducts.com.