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" I work about nine hours a day, and I live in an apartment. What can I do to keep my two small dogs busy (mentally or physically) while I&amp;#039;m at work? Are there any challenging toys that I could get? This is a challenge, but there are some things you can try. You could hire a dog walker to come in daily \u2014 or at least once or twice a week \u2014 to give them something different to do. They also might like a day or so in doggie day care. There are dog videos out there that many people swear their dogs watch, and I have seen the photos! Leaving the TV or radio on for company is an option \u2014 plug the radio into a timer so it comes on and goes off at different times during the day. Leaving treats for them is nice; you could even put the treats in a feeder that has a timer on it. (Look in your pet supply store or catalog.) Here is something that my friend Linda Watson used with her dogs when she was at work. She had an answering machine that had a feature built in where you could call and &amp;quot;monitor&amp;quot; the room by listening to what was going on. She would call home several times a day, &amp;quot;listen&amp;quot; and sometimes even talk to her dogs. It&amp;#039;s worth a try! I have a rottweiler-husky mix who will be 2 in July, and she is having problems with her knees and hips. Our vet said she is showing signs of hip dysplasia, and she has a cruciate or something in both of her knees (like football players get). If they both pop soon (one already did but it&amp;#039;s getting better) she won&amp;#039;t be able to walk anymore, and we&amp;#039;ll end up putting her down. The vet said surgery wasn&amp;#039;t an option. It would be nice to get a second opinion. This is really killing me. Many dogs are predisposed to certain ailments and conditions. It certainly would be worth your peace of mind to get a second opinion. Ask your vet if he or she can recommend a specialist in your area. Or, is there a veterinary school in your area where you can find a professor who specializes in orthopedics? Also, you might want to contact a rottweiler or husky owners group to see if they can help you. My heart aches for you and your dog, and I hope that things work out well. Please let me know how things go. My pet is a 12 1/2-year-old cocker spaniel. Among other problems, which I am treating, he has a exceptionally dry nose. Here is a hint I have used on our dogs that was suggested by Dr. Greg Lisciandro, who treats Savvi, our miniature schnauzer. Use some vitamin E \u2014 a 400-unit capsule is just right. Poke a hole in it, or break it open, and apply to the dog&amp;#039;s nose two times a day. It will help lubricate your dog&amp;#039;s nose and, if he licks it, should not cause a problem. Do mention this to the doctor so it can be noted on your dog&amp;#039;s medical chart. Just as with humans, anything that can affect health, even vitamins and herbal supplements, should be shared with health-care professionals. I was looking at the pup tent. Where can I purchase one? I have two black labs and I think they would enjoy one, especially if it&amp;#039;s raining. The pup tent that our dogs use was bought at a sporting goods store. You can find them also at many large discount stores in the sporting goods aisle or at Army Navy surplus stores. This tent cost less than $40 and has lasted several years. What&amp;#039;s really nice is that it can be &amp;quot;broken down&amp;quot; and taken with us if we take the dogs to the coast! Remember to put extra padding underneath and soft, warm blankets inside. We have two big dog pads on top of two layers of a old pillow-top bed. In our mild climate we zip up the tent and add heating pads and extra blankets over the top when the weather turns cool. This tent is next to our house in a protected corner of the covered patio, out of the wind and rain. The &amp;quot;boys,&amp;quot; Black Jack and J.D., just love their cozy digs. In fact, when we air out the blankets or move it to sweep, they get all pouty! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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