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Dandruff mostly occurs when the dog's skin cells naturally form, die, and flake off at a very fast rate. The following are seven suggestions on how to keep your dog's coat clean and dandruff free:

1. Because dandruff is a sign of flaky skin, you need to give your dog regular baths to wash away the flakes before they start to accumulate. Giving your dog a bath once a month during the winter season and twice a month in the summer time will help clear up the problem for good. Always use warm (not very hot) water to bathe your dog. Use a mild shampoo like regular baby shampoo and massage it thoroughly into his skin. Make sure that you rinse and dry well.

2. If using a regular baby shampoo does not get rid of the dandruff, try using a pet dandruff shampoo that contains sulfur or salicylic acid. Leave the lather on for about 5 minutes to give the active ingredients time to work. Medicated shampoos are available online and in pet stores. Do not use medicated shampoos intended for humans since they can be harmful to your dog. In addition, to prevent the dandruff from getting worse, do not use shampoos that contain insecticide such as most flea shampoos. These shampoos leave your dog's skin very dry, even those with added moisturizers.

3. You may use the same colloidal oatmeal soap that people use for dry skin to help relieve flaking. Oatmeal soap is great for dogs with dandruff because it moisturizes dry skin.

4. You can spray your dog's coat with an oil rinse, available online and in pet stores. Spraying him with an oil rinse helps lubricate the skin and lock in moisture. This is especially important if you live in a dry climate.

5. You can also rub your dog's coat with the same moisturizing lotion or cream that you use on your hands; this gets the moisture down really deep.

6. Regular grooming is also necessary in order to help distribute natural oils evenly over your pet's dry skin, which helps keep dandruff down. You need to choose a brush that is not too harsh. Test the softness of the brush by rubbing it on the back of your hand to see if it hurts. If it is soft enough to use on your own head, then it is going to feel good for your dog.

7. Some generic foods do not provide the full amount of vitamins and minerals that your dog needs in order to maintain a healthy skin. Switching to a high quality name brand food will help eliminate the problem. Sometimes, dandruff occurs because dogs are not getting enough fat in their diets. You need to consult with a vet before giving your dog any kind of supplement.

There are six standard commands: Heel, Come, Sit, Stand, Stay, and Down. With a new puppy, it does not matter too much where you begin. The important thing is to practice any old time everyday and never to be in any hurry to go to the next lesson. You do not set the pace for learning, you puppy does.

Training sessions should last only two to five minutes, which is approximately the length of your pup's attention span. If you push him longer than that, he will stop paying attention to you. This is FUN stuff! (You may also need to repeat that ten times to remind yourself occasionally.) End every session with a near-perfect performance. That could be one two-second sit, or three little "heeling" steps next to you. Tell him how "perfect" it was. Lay it on him! Really let him know how pleased you are he got it right.

Do not start a training session immediately after the pup has eaten because he'll be sleepy and those treat rewards won't be as enticing. However, you can practice at any odd time throughout the day, even if it is a three-second "stay." Your pup will love the attention.

Motivation for a puppy to do anything at all lies first in his desire to please you. Realistically,
treats run a close second. Dog biscuits do not make good training treats because they take too long to chew. Tiny bits of plain cheese are the perfect taste-treat. A thin slice of hot dog will perk up the interest of almost any dog that's not concentrating.

Rewards come in three forms: treats, pats and verbal praise. To grade your "student's" qualification for a reward, consider a treat the equivalent of an "A," a pat a "B," and verbal praise a "C." Any two together equal an A+, so be very careful not to go overboard or you'll run out of appropriate compensation and the pup will quit.

Verbal praise has a range from ecstatic (for the first few correct responses from a very young pup) to a calm "good dog" as Sparky grows up and becomes more expert. Don't overuse cheese or hot dog treats when practicing. As each word command is fully learned, gradually cut back on the treats and substitute "good dog" or just a big smile.

What you say to a puppy and how you say it can determine how quickly he learns. All conversation is perceived by the dog as meaningless sound. Try this: In the midst of some long-winded chit-chat, say his name emphatically and watch him take notice. When using the one-word training commands, remember that lesson. His name gives you his attention; one word tells him what to do. It is "Sparky, SIT" - loud and clear. Never, "Sparky, Sit. Sit. Sit. �Sparky, you're not listening - I said Sit. SIT, Sparky! "That is called nagging, and Sparky will tune you out. The puppy is not being disobedient or stubborn. He's just confused - totally! And avoid sounding like a drill sergeant! Smile, speak clearly and let the dog do the barking!

Is your dog having a problem with diarrhea? Does he have �accidents� while trying to get outside to go to the bathroom? While your dog may not loosing too much sleep over the problem, there is no doubt that you are not happy with the runny mess being made in your house!

Diarrhea in dogs often happen because of eating something rotten from the outside, or even from getting into a chemical inside of the house. There are times when he may have an intestinal virus that could be the cause. Perhaps you suddenly changed his diet which may be a contributing factor to the problem.

Below are several tips in which you can use to effectively help your dog recover from diarrhea:

1. Do not let your dog have a continual feeding of food in the dish. If you stop putting food in your pet, then he will stop having to use the bathroom. So it is obvious that once you notice your dog has the runs, simply stop feeding him for 24 hours after the onset of diarrhea. This alone could be enough to knock out the problem. However, if after 24 hours have gone by and there is still a problem with your dog's bowel movement, then contact your vet immediately because something could be seriously wrong.

2. Try feeding your dog bland foods for a while to keep her stomach calm. When your dog is ready to begin eating again you may want to have a week at feeding bland foods to keep her digestive system calm. Such bland foods may be skinless chicken or cooked white rice. Another ideal food that fits perfectly for the sour stomach is boiled hamburger meat.

3. Remove any dairy products from your dog's diet. Because most dogs lack the enzyme �lactase�, they have a very difficult time digesting milk. Lactase is needed to properly digest the sugar in milk.. If you are feeding your dog any type of milk product and she has diarrhea, then completely eradicate milk from her food choices. You will see dramatic improvement within days.

4. Keep your dog's system flowing with plenty of liquids. When your dog has diarrhea, his body is depleted of liquids and essential fluids. Be sure to keep your dog's water bowl full at all times. And like people, dog's also loose a lot of minerals when their body is depleted of fluids, so it is a good idea to keep a separate bowl filled with Gatorade. Gatorade is an excellent liquid that will help your dog's body with getting enough of the potassium and sodium that it lost.