Dog Treadmill - Tips on Choosing and Using a Treadmill With Your Dog

Looking for a dog treadmill?

With the popularity of shows like the Dog Whisperer and people's hectic lifestyles, treadmills for dogs have surged in popularity.

Walking your dog on a treadmill is not a substitute for a good long outdoor walk. However it can help to drain some of your dog's extra energy.

It's a great tool on blizzard or rainstorm days when you can't get out. And for dogs that have weight problems, it can help them trim down and stave off other diseases that come with extra weight (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.).

While there are specialized treadmills built for dogs, most people want a treadmill that can do double duty - one that both you and your dog can use. Plus specialized dog treadmills can be just as expensive as a regular treadmill - sometimes more.

So most people decide to go with a regular treadmill and train their dogs to walk on it.

However there are several things to know so you don't waste money or run into problems. This article will tell you what to look for when choosing a treadmill for your pooch and tips for training your dog to walk on it:

#1 Get the Right Belt Length.

Treadmill belts range from 50" to 62". If you have a smaller dog like a poodle or terrier you probably don't need to choose a longer belt, since these breeds aren't very long.

However the larger (and longer) your dog, the longer your belt needs to be so your poor pooch won't feel like he's falling off the treadmill.

For example, I have a 120 lb very long rottweiler that measures about 44 inches from nose to bum. Given that he can get lazy sometimes and fall back a bit, he needs all of the 60" belt on my treadmill.

While treadmills with longer belts can be more expensive, you don't have to spend a lot if you look around and compare models. For example, you may not need a big flashy console (your dog certainly doesn't care). So you may be able to get a longer belt, but skip those extra options and save some money.

#2 Keep Your Treadmill Clean.

Unfortunately your dog will shed (and probably drool) over your treadmill while he's walking. Hair, dirt and dust are the number one enemies to treadmill maintenance.

Make sure you wipe down your treadmill and keep it clean on a regular basis, especially after your dog uses it. This will help keep it in proper running condition and save you unnecessary repair bills.

#3 Watch Those Paws!

Dogs, especially the larger ones, can really tear up a treadbelt if their claws are not properly clipped. If you want to save the integrity of your treadbelt, make sure to keep your dog's paws properly trimmed down.

#4 Start Slow and Make it a Positive Experience.

I recommend you talk to a professional trainer before you try to train your dog to walk on a treadmill. However from my experience, here are some tips.

We started out to make the treadmill a positive experience for our dog. At first we just trained him to get up and sit on the treadbelt (no walking yet). He then got a treat.

After a few days, he was running eagerly to sit on the treadmill and get his treat. Then I kept his leash on (so I could keep him in place) and started the treadmill very slowly (0.5 mph).

After a few minutes we stopped and he got another treat. This was repeated until he seemed comfortable with the experience

Then we increased the speed little by little - all the time reinforcing with treats and praise. Again, I'm not a dog trainer and this doesn't substitute for professional advice, but it worked for us.

So those are 4 tips when looking at a dog treadmill. Remember that treadmill walking is not a substitute for a good outdoor walk. However for those times you need to drain extra energy from your dog or you just can't make it outside, a treadmill is a great tool to have.

Please Note: This article contains tips on selecting and using a treadmill for your dog. It is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional advice.

Before buying or using any treadmill with your dog, please consult a dog training expert.

How to Choose the Best Juicer Machine

Selecting a juicer to buy can be quite confusing, so here are a few points to consider when comparing different models.

1. There are two main kinds of juicers, fast ones and slow ones. This sounds silly but here's how - fast juicers shred up your ingredients a let the juice drain out of the shredded up pulp. They can be lightning fast, but make lower quality juice. The juice they make can be aerated and goes off faster and has a lowered level of vitamins present. These are called rotary juicers or centrifugal juicers and are the most common sort. Slow juicers (commonly called masticating juicers, masticating=chewing) work by slowly grinding and crushing your ingredients. They take a lot longer but make much better, healthier juice that keeps for 2-3 days and has more vitamin content. Not as common in stores, and often sold in heath food shops.

2. How easy is it to take apart and clean? often overlooked, but you will be doing this every time you use it - so if it has lots of little bits, then it will be a big job to clean. Most modern juicers are designed to be very easy to clean though.

3. How loud is it - if you can, have the shop turn it on so you can hear it running - some models are seriously SCARY in terms of how much noise they make!

4. Finally, is is appropriate to the fruits and vegetables you want to juice. Does it have a nice, big chute that will take say whole carrots, or will it require you to spend more time cutting every thing up into little pieces. Some modern juicers actually have chutes designed to take whole apples now, saving a lot of time indeed.

Check Your Washing Machine Hoses Today - Sleep Well Tonight!

Your Washing Machine Hoses could rupture today.

Some good friends of mine learned this lesson the hard way. They were away from home, a washing machine hose burst in the second floor laundry room, and fifteen thousand dollars later they now have a beautiful new bathroom below the laundry room. Because the old bathroom was completely wrecked.

Washing machines are attached to the water supply system with two hoses, one each for hot and cold water. They're similar to a garden hose, but about four feet long. New washers usually arrive at your house with new rubber hoses, and the installer hooks them up and you're ready to start washing.

Over the years the rubber slowly deteriorates. The water pressure in the hoses changes considerably depending on the flow. The hoses shake and vibrate with every spin cycle. Eventually they wear out.

Often the leak will begin as a drip, which won't be noticed because nobody ever looks behind the washing machine. A slow drip can cause almost as much damage as a burst pipe, but it takes longer.

Sometimes, as in my friends' case, a hose bursts and it's like having the faucet opened as far as it will go, water gushing over everything.

So what can you do to avoid this disaster? Buy and install reinforced washer hoses. They're available at hardware stores and home centers and appliance stores. If you own a pair of pliers you can install them yourself. Two reinforced hoses will cost about thirty dollars, which is cheap insurance.

Just turn off the water at the two faucets behind the washer, unscrew the hose fittings (you'll need the pliers to loosen them), remove the old hoses, and install the new ones. You may need to slide the washing machine away from the wall to access the hoses. There's a third larger hose that drains the washer - make sure that it is placed in the drain before you push the washer back into place.

Make sure that you tighten the hose connections on both ends of the hoses with your pliers. If the fittings drip, you've wasted your time and money.