Archives of Q & A's 2002Archives of Q & A's 2002
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Hi Dr.
Cookie!
Our 6 month old cat does not clean his butt when he is finished using the litter box. He cleans everything around it and all other parts of his body, but he avoids the dirtiest part! What techniques should we use to teach him to clean this area? We've tried spritzing the area with water, wiping it for him, and rewarding him with food when he cleans around it.
Dear James and Jess,
Oh my goodness PLEASE don’t spritz or wipe your kitty’s derriere for heaven’s sake!!! He is not a human being, he is a cat. Cats do NOT wipe themselves after using the box. They may clean themselves during their normal grooming but normally do not even lick the anus. It is a very sensitive spot. Unless your kitty has diarrhea (in which case your veterinarian should examine him), leave his booty alone! Perhaps you need a new distraction? Try my latest book: “Dr. Cookie’s Guide to Living Happily Ever After With Your Cat” (St. Martin’s Press 2002)!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My husband
and I adopted a 5 year old Beagle/Dachshund mix named Boomer about 3 months ago.
Boomer is a very loving, sweet dog and we are so happy to have him. There are
three strange things he does: 1. He refuses to eat food out of a bowl. It must
either be off of a plate, or he will dump the food dish over, and eat one piece
at a time of the floor. 2. Recently, I gave him a new bone to play with. He
started running around the house, then jumped up on the couch and pretended to
"bury" it. in the couch. He even went as far as to pretending to shove
dirt over it. We thought it was funny until I came home one day and found blood
all over the bed spread. He had buried it so many times that he rubbed a spot on
his nose raw. 3. Recently, I took him for a walk, and he suddenly started
barking at a woman who approached us.
Dear Beth,
This all sounds like normal
doggy stuff to me. Some dogs take a
mouthful of food, walk away, spit it out, and eat it one piece at a time.
We all have our little rituals don’t we!? As for the bones, I recommend
only rawhide bones (strips, sticks, twists or braids, but no knots).
Give him ones he wants to eat right away, or even the crumbling kinds
that are easier to eat as a quick treat. As for barking at passersby during
walks, probably a combination of territorial and pack-defensive aggression.
That’s what ‘no-heel-sit!’ is for! Enjoy him, he sounds like quite
a character.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My wife and I
adopted a 3 year old Pixie-Bob two weeks ago. He was a
Dear Steve,
It takes time for new pets to
acclimate, particularly when they were not used to being ‘just pets’.
Two weeks is not a lot of time in the scheme of things.
It can take at least 6 months for them to let their guards down.
Remember, he is adjusting to a new territory, a new family, and a new
life! Hope you enjoy the book and thanks for being such a fan! Spend some quiet
time with him while he eats, encourage him to play with you...when he feels more
confident in his safe room, he'll come out of his shell.
Dear Dr. Cookie
My family has had a 2 yr old female Boxer since
she was 9 weeks old. A few nights ago my 9 year old son walked up to
Chessie who was sleeping on the end of the couch. He leaned down and put his
face next to hers. I guess it startled her, but she jumped and snapped at him,
leaving him with a 3 inch gash just under his left eye that required an ER
visit. Chessie has never been in the least bit aggressive (toward people). My 6
year old daughter rolls around on the floor with her all the time, sit on her,
jumps on her, as does my son...she never growls or anything. However, we have
noticed this reaction several other times (since this incident) in which she is
woken suddenly and she snaps at the person who woke her up. She immediately
looks like she is sorry and drops her head and "slinks" away as if
ashamed.
WE LOVE our dog, but this makes me nervous. Advice please!
Dear Trish,
My
advice would be to stop waking her up so abruptly! You should see what I’m
like when that happens to me!!! Seriously? Call her name to wake her gently, and
order my handouts on Dominance behavior in dogs, and Pets & Kids.
Sounds like you’re all playing some inappropriate games with her, too
(order Play behavior in dogs). She
could behave better, yes; but your kids and everyone else should respect her
limits, too.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a 5 month old American Bulldog.
Zeek’s mother rejected her 11 pups when they were about 3 weeks old; we agreed
to take Zeek at just a little over 4 weeks. He is also very affectionate
and enjoys being around people and our other dog and cat. Zeek is fed 3
times a day and he is done eating in 30 seconds without chewing.
He is not aggressive while he eats, but if we touch him or put our hand in the
bowl, he eats even faster. The vet said he is healthy and that this
behavior will stop, he said that 3 months ago. Zeek show no signs of slowing
down. We have tried several different techniques, none have seemed to
work yet. I tried placing large objects in his bowl so he would have
to eat around it, feeding him very small amounts throughout the day, even
placing his food across the floor so he would have to go get it.
Zeek steals our other dog's food like he hasn't been fed in a week. We
keep the cats dish on the counter and now Zeek is trying to figure out how to
get to it. He does not get table food, only his food, dog treats and raw
hides. We even use the toys that a treat goes in to keep him busy, and
those are ruined in a day or two. We feed him dry food and for his age and size,
the vet has recommended 5 cups a day. Could you give me any suggestions on
how to curb this eating habit.
Dear Wendy
in Ohio,
I agree
that frequent meals is an appropriate solution, as is keeping the cat food on
the counter. Zeek is in a rapid
growth phase which should level off in the next few months; beyond that, he will
still be ‘filling out’ for another 6 months or so. You might want to
have him dewormed, just as a precaution. From
a behavioral perspective, 11 pups is a huge litter for most bitches who only
have 6-8 teats. Although he was
removed from that intense feeding competition at a young age, he may still carry
that memory with him. I suspect
that it will fade in time, but probably not soon.
I think there are 2 types of dogs: 1) Those
that eat to live, and 2) those that live to eat.
Guess which one Zeek is! Let
him eat and don’t worry.
Dear Doctor Cookie,
My father-in-law has a 6 yr. old, little Chihuahua named Fawna, she has started doing a strange behavior thing. One she likes to lick my father-in-laws hand, legs like she is getting the salt from his body, but now she is licking the sheets, blankets anything she lays on.What could be the reason for her doing this? Is she missing a vitamin? It is very upsetting to my father-in-law worrying why she would be doing this. He asked his vet, and she has no clue as to why she started this behavior.
Dear
Doris and Fawna,
The
first thing to check is her teeth. Middle
aged dogs can accumulate impressive amounts of tartar, and Chihuahuas are
notorious for tartar and gingivitis. If
her teeth are perfect, then you might be dealing with a compulsive behavior.
If you are in the state of Massachusetts, we can schedule a clinic
appointment. Otherwise, please have your
veterinarian refer you to a veterinary behaviorist near you.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I have a dear little
female Yorky (4 1/2 pounds - 10 months). She loves to sleep in my bed with
me. About six months ago she began jumping up effortlessly on any
furniture she wished to, but I still had to lift her down. Then four months ago
she began jumping down from the furniture as well. Just last week she
became afraid to jump down again. She loves to get up on the furniture
when we are gone but then she can't get down and we find her stranded on top of
the bed, chair, or whatever.
Dear PatWNash,
I wonder if she might have landed a bit hard and
is once again hesitant? In any event, the fix is simple.
Get a couple of footstools and make sure they do not slip on the floor. Also, make sure they don’t have a slippery surface (non skid strips are
easy to find). Just position them
as needed! Presto! Happy Suzy!!!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a 4 month old
Bengal kitten that is licking the fur off of her tail from the tip back about 3
inches. This really looks awful and I feel could be unhealthy if continued. I am
having her spayed in December and hoping that her problem may be hormonal. Why
do you think she is doing this and how can I get her to stop?
Dear Sam,
I doubt that this is ‘hormonal’, although she
should definitely be spayed. You
might want to make sure she does not have worms (some pets will lick in the
vicinity when they have a sore bum). More
likely though, she might need a bit more activity and/or feline companionship to
distract her. Another kitten would
be easy to add at this age…! Psychoactive medication would help to get her out
of the habit but she is a bit young so I’d rather avoid that for now…
Dear Dr. Cookie
We have an 9 month old
Shiba Inu and a 7 month old Hungarian Vizsla. Our Shiba Inu (Bruno) is extremely
timid around anybody other then myself and my husband. We find it difficult to
take him for walks as he pulls on his lead and cowers if anyone comes near us.
When no-one else is around he is a different dog. What can we do so that other
people can see what a lovely dog he is and we can take him out to play like our
other dog
Dear Andrea K.,
How often is he walked? It sounds like he spends
extended periods in your yard, which is not a good idea for any dog at any age.
Puppies can feel very vulnerable when the pack leaders (you) leave them
unattended in the open. He may also
not develop the social skills of a more confident pup who is routinely exposed
to the world outside your yard. Two
daily walks, at least 45 minutes each are my advice; bring some special treats
(discontinue treats otherwise) and have dog-friendly strangers reward him with a
treat. Let me know how you do!
Hi Dr. Cookie....
Coda is
a 2 year old Lab/Chow mix. For the past 2 weeks she has "chased"
shadows. Mostly it is her own shadow, but she does follow ours if we walk
by her. If there is a light shining on it she becomes very agitated
and eventually tries to scratch it off the floor. . This goes on for hours
at a time. She will do this constantly all day long if we let her. We
now have to literally make her go outside to do her " business
". She has no interest in things that she used to like to do.
We are living in the dark to try and help her get over this, but I'm not
sure how long we can go on like this. Any advice for us and Coda?
Dear Renee, Jon and Coda,
Shadow chasing can be an
attention seeking behavior, a compulsive behavior, or a seizure related problem.
A handout is available on the QuickFix page. I recommend that you seek the
advice of a veterinary behaviorist in your area; I’d love to help if you are
in Massachusetts. If there is no
one nearby, ask your veterinarian to request a behavior consult with me through
Antech Diagnostics (if they send laboratory samples there, they’ll know how to
arrange that), ok?
Dear Dr.
Cookie
Alex is our 8
month old Turkish Van who has started to meow loudly at night waking the whole
family. We're not sure if it's because we gave his best friend to a family
member or because he reached puberty. We tried shutting him out of the bedroom
and leaving the TV on to no avail. What can we do to comfort our kitty at night?
Dear Katrina,
It
seems that there are at least 3 good reasons for his behavior change: 1) he is
missing his best friend (why did you separate them???), 2) he is looking for
something to do (is he neutered yet? Do you play with him to make up for his
lost companion?), 3) he doesn’t like the TV channel you’ve selected (Animal
Planet?).
Dear Doctor Cookie,
My mum has a Springer
Spaniel who is about 1 year old. From the beginning she has established that he
is to sleep in the kitchen in his bed, but for the past 2 months he has turned
aggressive when its bed time and snarls and has bit her once when its time to go
in to the kitchen.
Dear Shirley in England,
Firstly, neutering is a good idea but I don’t
think it will impact this problem. If you read my other replies, you’ll know
that I do NOT recommend that dogs be crated, or forced to sleep, away from the
pack. It is unnatural, and I believe
it is emotionally unhealthy. Unfortunately,
this dog has learned to control your mother with aggression, which is probably
related to some dominance issues, too. So,
my recommendations are: 1) let him sleep in his bed in her bedroom (tether him
to it if necessary until he learns not to wander); 2) give him a small rawhide
stick when he gets into his bed, and 3) long time overdue for some gentle
obedience classes, preferably in a group! Mum’s the word…it’s up to her.
Dear Dr. Cookie-
Our Sun Conure parrot is
approx. 2 years old. We are all well adapted to each other and love each
other unconditionally, but recently Prizm (he/she hasn't been sexed yet)
has been "humping" anything he can get his claws on, from wood toys to
us! We're attempting to "cease" this behavior (by telling
him "No" and putting him back in his cage for 10 minutes with no
attention), but we don't want him to be sexually frustrated either if it is
natural for him. Please let us know what we can do to help him "ease
his/her frustrations."
Dear Amanda and Tim
It appears that Prizm has declared his Y chromosome. You could find him a mate, or you could just distract him with more appealing toys, showers, etc. during mating season. I doubt that you’ll be able to stop his urges with punishment, and I don’t think you should discourage it unless it’s directed toward you... He’s probably less frustrated than you are worried about him.
Dear Dr.,
Our cat is 17 years old.
We are unsure of her breed. Possibly some Siamese and Tabby. She
meows very loudly especially at night to the point of whining.
Dear Karen A. from New Zealand,
I assume that this is a recent
change in her behavior. You should
ask your veterinarian to run some blood (including thyroid function) and urine
tests to make sure that there is no underlying change in her health.
If her health is not the issue, then you may be dealing with some senile
changes. Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome is a recently
identified problem that is the feline version of Alzheimer’s disease. There is a medication that can temporarily reverse the behavioral and
neurological changes in these geriatric kitties. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist in your
part of the world!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My 12 week out lab just walked into his crate and urinated. He had just urinated
a half a half hour before outside. Could he be marking his own crate?
Dear Melissa,
Dogs who are crate trained
sometimes learn to urinate or defecate in their crates.
Confined for extended periods with no choice and a full bowel or bladder,
dogs will do what they have to do. Once
they have soiled in their crates, they may continue to do so.
Young pups need frequent opportunities to go outside.
Even though he had just been outside, his bladder could have filled
again, or he may not have had a long enough outing to empty it.
House training takes time. Please
order my handout on House training, which also includes crate training tips.
Have fun!
Hi!
My family is looking to get a
dog sometime in the future. We have young children and are first timers at
owning a dog. I've read that Yorkshire terriers make excellent pets. Are they a
good choice for our family?
Hi Stephie,
Almost every dog breed source
will boast that theirs makes excellent family pets.
It has little to do with the breed really, and far more to do with who
raises them and how. For first time
dog people, I’d suggest you go with something smaller.
Mistakes you make with a small dog will have milder consequences. The
second thing to keep in mind is that the individual’s temperament is much more
important that generalizations about breed. Please order my handouts on Pet
Selection, Kids and Pets, and Basic Obedience.
Those should give you some great pointers and good start!
Dear Dr. Cookie
My mother has a 2 yr old male tri-colour Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Jasper is absolutely adorable and is brilliant with my two children aged 6 and 2. Recently we have noticed that he is beginning to growl at some children and adults who he doesn't really know who come to stroke or say hello to him. My mum is getting quite concerned about this and we were wondering if getting him neutered would help?
Dear Helen from Liverpool, England
I think that pets should be
neutered, however, I doubt that hormones are primarily responsible for his
behavior. At his age, he is flexing
his social muscle. Dominance
behavior emerges between puberty into young adulthood.
He may resent being petted by unfamiliar people who are unintentionally
dominating him by leaning over him or stroking the top of his head.
Consider my handouts on Dominance behavior in dogs, Basic Obedience, and
Effects of Neutering for an in-depth discussion.
Meanwhile, teach him to ‘sit/stay’ to greet everyone, including
family!
Hi Dr. Cookie.
I rescued a Husky about 2 years ago. I already had 3 cats at the time. My new Husky enjoyed yanking them out of the litter box and shaking them. She actually jumped the fence at a friends house and drowned an unsuspecting kitty that attempted to run. This all happened within the first month of owning her. I kept her on a leash inside for 6 months to train her not to eat my cats, and now they are quite friendly. I have adopted a stray bunny, that was abandoned in my neighborhood. He was just sitting outside at 2 am on the side of the road. So I checked to see if he was injured, picked him up, and brought him home. Is there a difference between inside "family" animals, and the ones outside, like a stray cat running ... or are all rabbits dinner?
Dear Judi,
I really think you’re pushing
your luck in more ways than one. First of all, this is not just a Husky thing, but a predatory
instinct. You are lucky that your
own cats have not been injured. Secondly,
I think you should bring the bunny to a veterinarian to make sure it is healthy.
It could carry diseases that are contagious to you and to your other
pets. Thirdly, some cats hunt
rabbits too. Find the bunny a new
home where it can relax and live without fear.
Or, try the leash restraint again. But
understand that the rabbit could pay the highest price for any lapse in your
vigilance.
HI,
We have a 12 year old
Golden Retriever who is now deaf, slow to get up but still loving and
delightful. Over the last few years he has begun to howl at random times, but
so far thankfully only during the day. At first I thought it was because
he was alone as the howling will stop when I approach him. A neighbor has said
he has heard the dog howl sometimes.
The howling seems to be increasing and now he does it sometimes if I give him a
treat before he eats the treat. Your thoughts?
Dear Carol M.,
Separation Anxiety Syndrome can
impact pets at any age. In older
pets the chance of underlying illness is higher.
Your old boy needs to have a geriatric evaluation (including blood and
urine) to be sure. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, which has many
similarities with SAS, must be considered a possibility too. CCDS is the canine
equivalent of Alzheimer’s disease and often responds to specific medication.
Please order my handouts on Separation Anxiety Syndrome and Behavior
Changes in Aging Pets.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a 20 month old
neutered Boxer. Recently when we take him out for
Dear Tara (From the Netherlands)
Some doggies can regress in training after
surgery. Sometimes this is because
owners are a bit more lenient for a time. In
any event, he is in his prime and at his age would be showing this behavior
anyway. He is challenging you, and
everyone, it seems. If you cannot
trust him to respond to your commands off leash, he should be kept on leash. Go
back to basic obedience training. He
may not be getting enough exercise, especially important with other dogs, and is
taking this frustration out on you and in your absence. Handouts
on Separation Anxiety Syndrome, Destructiveness in Dogs, Basic Obedience will
fill in the rest.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Three days ago we purchased an 11-week-old Rhodesian Ridgeback from a breeder in Iowa. She is an absolutely lovely pet, and we love her dearly. The only problem is she's afraid of everything! We live in an area where there are a lot of dogs, so whenever we walk her and she sees another dog, she starts trembling and whining. We eventually have to pick her up if we want to keep walking. Now she's associated this fear of dogs/other people with being outside in general. As soon as we're out the front door, she sits down and refuses to move.
Hello
Lori.
Many pups are overwhelmed with life in a new home, a new territory, with new
dogs and people. It’s a lot to
cope with and there’s so much to learn. Build
her confidence slowly. Take
frequent short walks on your property. Play
with her, give her treats, encourage her with your smile and praise.
Enroll in a puppy class so she can make friends her own age and her own
size. Take baby steps now.
She’ll take it from there.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I foster cats for a rescue group. Presently
amongst my many fosters I have a
Dear Cathy D.,
From your description, you’ve done wonders with this cranky boy. It was important to make sure there were no physical problems contributing to his irritable aggression. He sounds like a macho boy who is used to having his own way in his own space. He is a bully! Many cats have a limit to how much petting they will tolerate. Stop touching him before he reaches his limit. Get up and leave before he chases you out of his space.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My cat is due for his annual checkup in October. I usually put this off every year because the veterinarian I take my cat to insists that it is necessary for him to "put the cat out" in order to perform the exam. He says he is "an extremely difficult cat to handle." I have seen this behavior, and he does become extremely violent and aggressive, but I would assume that many cats behave this way. Do you think this is unusual, and do you think I could find another veterinarian who would be willing to have my cat as a patient without putting him out?
Dear
Terri,
Many
pets are anxious at the clinic, but some have a bad time of it. Your cat must be
terrified to behave this way. Your
cat has a phobia, which implies that his fear response is way out of proportion
to the actual danger present. You
can’t explain to him that you are only giving him the best care you can,
however, you can retrain him to be a better patient.
Techniques are described in my handouts on Aggression at the
Veterinarian’s Office, and Fears and Phobias.
You could go elsewhere, but chances are that he would eventually have the
same problem. Some cats do better
staying at home, with house call veterinarians. See if this service is available in your area.
Either way, the handouts will help.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
five-year-old cat who will not allow me to show him any sort of affection.
If he thinks I am going to pick him up or pet him, he runs. He will rub
against my legs while I'm doing dishes or preparing food, but if I bend down to
pet him, he runs. I have had this cat since he was five weeks old and he
was very loving as a kitten. There are 3 other cats in my home, two older
(1 male, 1 female), and one younger female. I am planning to move to
another state next month, and if I cannot see some improvement in his behavior
soon, I am considering placing him for adoption. I love "Marshall
Dillon", but moving with animals is a chore and all I want from him is some
form of affection.
Dear Carol E.,
If you love Marshall Dillon,
why can’t you just accept him the way he is?
Every cat is an individual and shows affection in their own way.
Most cats are not ‘lap cats’, and many do not like to be carried or
restrained. For him, rubbing
against you is a lot. Let him come
to you, instead of forcing him to run away.
You’ll get a lot of insight into cats and what makes them tick in my
most recent book, “Dr. Cookie’s Guide to Living Happily Ever After With Your
Cat” (St. Martin’s Press, 2002). Keep the family together; take him with
you. He sounds like a wonderful boy to me.
Dr. Cookie,
Our wonderful 2
yr old Lab/Hound has only one fault, hard to believe isn't it? She will not come
when called, we have and do use a training collar for this. Just when we think
she got it and we stop using the collar back comes the look "who me."
Tried a retractable lease, treats etc. Nothing works so far.
Dear Audrey,
If a ‘training collar’ is a
shock collar, I wouldn’t come to you either! If your training collar is a
choke collar, that does not entice a dog to approach you either.
‘Come’ has to be a jubilant joyful experience for the dog.
It is a voluntary decision that is very different from other obedience
skills. If she anticipates punishment with this command, she will learn to run
the other way. Practice makes
perfect, using delicious tiny treats but on an intermittent basis. Practice indoors at first.
If she doesn’t ‘come’ off leash outdoors, then she should not be
released! Patience!
Dear Cookie,
I
recently rescued a 10 month old kitten. She is fine during the day, but will cry
and cry every evening...all evening until the early morning hours. I believe she
wants to go outside, which is probably what she's used to. Is there any way to
stop her crying at night?
Dear Ellen
It takes time to adjust
to a new environment. Keep her
indoors and make sure she's spayed. She
doesn’t know what’s good for her and how good she has it in her new home!
Wake her up during the day to play with her, brush her, keep her moving.
Eventually, she will synchronize her daily rhythm with yours and you’ll
both be ready to sleep at the same time. Consider
adding another kitten to your home, too. This
way, she’ll have the best toy in the world, another companion cat!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
family adopted a young English Springer Spaniel 10 months ago from the local
Humane Society (approximately 2 years old now). This very good-natured guy has
quickly bonded with our family. Snickers is very sweet but his escalating
vocalizations are going to cause some hearing loss soon. Initially, he
would sort of woo-woo when he "captured" a tennis ball or toy, circling
the yard or the room with the object in his mouth. Soon after, he began
"trilling" or "singing" when he was about to be fed.
He was otherwise doing everything he should (dropping the toy on command,
sitting before being pet or receiving his food) so we assumed this was just his
happy noise. It has now become his habit to greet each family member (and
especially me) with a regular opera upon coming home from work, returning from
the store, coming in from taking the garbage out ...etc. I'm thrilled that
he's thrilled to see me, but it takes a full 10 minutes for him to complete the
evening song and dance routine and heaven help us if the phone rings or we'd
like to talk to each other during the show.
Dear Karen,
Many
dogs vocalize with excitement; it is normal canine behavior, after all.
Barking is a trait that was emphasized when dogs were first domesticated
because making noise was an advantage for alerting people to danger.
Territorial barking was the first home security system.
If he has learned to bark in certain circumstances, he can also unlearn
it. By not correcting the behavior
when it became a nuisance early on, it was effectively reinforced by your lack
of discouragement. Keep your greetings calm.
Make him EARN your return/greeting and his food by remaining silent and
in a “down/stay”. Don’t feed
him until he is quiet for at least a few seconds, and then build it from there. It will take patience, but you can do it!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My grandcat, a 16 month old
Siamese, eats fur play mice down to the plastic innards in about 15 minutes. She
also eats leather shoestrings, if she finds them. I got her some rawhide dog
chews but she didn't care for them. Can you suggest anything that would be safe
for her to chew and ingest.
Dear Grandma Martha R.,
Many cats like to chew on things, but Siamese and a few other oriental breeds seem a bit more partial than most, at least for the first few years of life. Try the crumbling kind of rawhide sticks. You can also try ½ of a frozen meatball. A boiled tip of a chicken wing (the bones are small, and will become very soft with cooking) also provides a satisfying chew. Read more in my award-nominated book “Dr. Cookie’s Guide to Living Happily Ever After With Your Cat” (St. Martin’s Press, 2002).
Dear Dr.,
My Miniature Pinscher has
never been socialized with other dogs, and snaps and barks at my Akita.
The Akita puppy is 70 lbs and wants to lick and play with the Min Pin.
The Akita puppy has been in obedience training consistently since 2 1/2
months old. What can I do to get
these two dogs to tolerate and interactive with each without
anyone getting hurt?
Dear
I don’t know how old your Min Pin is, but a big
Akita pup would be terrifying to even well socialized toy dogs at first. Teach
your Akita to ‘down/stay’ near the tiny one.
This will reinforce the Min Pin’s dominance a bit, and help make it feel
more secure. It will also teach
your Akita to remain calm around the little dog.
Obedience training with your Min Pin
will also help to improve your control over the little dog, and in a group
class, will help socializing too!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My dog friend sits on me!!
Buddy is a Lab mix, with a very sweet and loving disposition. When Buddy sits
with me, he always, but always parks his butt on my foot. Recently when I laid
down on the floor to wrestle with him, he backed right up and sat right on me.
Wazz up with that?
Dear Anne S.,
Sitting on your foot is one thing; he probably just wants to feel in contact
with you and that’s fine. Sitting
ON you and wrestling with him should both be discontinued.
You don’t want him to learn that he is dominant over you, and you
don’t want him to think that wild behavior
directed toward people is acceptable.
Dear Dr. Schwartz:
I have a 16 year old female Yorkshire Terrier who has
recently begun walking in circles. S
Dear Joan Hermann
Circling behavior can be a symptom of many things.
The most benign problem might be infection or inflammation of the inner
ear, which generally resolves in several weeks with appropriate medication.
It could also be a neurological problem with more serious causes. Your
veterinarian should evaluate your little old lady and make a first hand
diagnosis. Call
today!
Hi!:
My husband recently bought me a neutered ferret to keep me company. I let him have the run of the living room but now he’s sneaking up behind me on the couch and biting me in the butt He also bites my husband’s feet and ankles when he takes off his shoes. He also bites my daughter very hard. I bought him some toys; he especially loves his stuffed weasel. I’ve tried popping him with the fly swatter, and a rolled up newspaper, not hard, but he just gets more aggressive. He is also climbing up onto my cockatiels’ cage and terrorizing tem.
Dear Andie & Rowdy,
You
don’t mention how old this rowdy boy, but I assume he is a young adult.
He certainly sounds like he is looking for things to do and has more
energy than he knows what to do with! You
might consider getting a second ferret for him to play with.
On the other hand, he might not have the right temperament to fit in with
your family. Just because they are
small does not mean ferrets are always cuddly.
Hitting him or squirting him are not helpful and never
recommended. Try restraining him with a harness and leash so that he knows you
have the upper hand! Build a little
playground for him, with obstacle course and things to climb.
Teach him tricks! Right now,
he’s a juvenile delinquent and he needs direction and guidance.
Hi,
My dog licks everybody that comes through the door or anyone she can get close enough to outside. Even when we call her over to play she has to get in a couple of licks to everyone near by. She is 3 years old now, is there anything we can do??
Dear Alison O'Boyle,
Sure! How about teaching her to
‘sit’ and ‘stay’, or simply ‘heel’?
But what’s so wrong about a couple of licks?
Would you rather a couple of nips? Sounds
like a great doggy to me! Enjoy!
Dear. Dr,
I
have a 6 month old Maltese puppy who incessantly eats the potting soil out of
the potted plants in my apartment. He also is intent on licking feet but more
frequently when they are dirty. He eats his food regularly but sometimes will
choose the dirt over the food. We have tried obedience training by isolating him
when he does this after we tell him no but now he grabs a
mouth full and then runs because he knows he will be in trouble.
Dear Brooke Baker,
First of all, social
isolation is not obedience training. Isolating
him will teach him nothing except to be afraid of being alone, or of you.
Puppies normally explore the world by tasting it.
Does he have anything else to chew?
Rawhide sticks or strips would be a
safe alternative. Bring a stool
sample into your veterinary clinic in case he has picked up some worms (the
eggs can lay dormant in the soil for months and
years). And get this boy enrolled
in a puppy class. He needs to
play with other dogs, and you need to
get some basic instruction. And
don’t forget those long walks either! Treat
him like a big dog. Raise him as if he was a Rottweiler.
You’ll prevent all kinds of problems down the road!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
We
just adopted a 5 year old Aussie/Shepherd mix. A week after we got her, she went
into heat. She is still in heat now. She
had no behavioral problems (other than not wanting to walk more than a block
from the house) until the last day or so when she started shredding pillows and
'humping' her doggie bed. When I
catch her doing it, she sits on top of the pillow or doggie bed as if she is
protecting it. Is this normal behavior for a dog in heat?
Will it stop when she is done? We
intend to get her fixed as soon as this cycle is complete.
Dear
Karen,
Hormones
can drive dogs and bitches pretty wild. Bitches
in heat are not feeling like themselves at all.
It’s a massive chemical change in the brain and there is only one
focus. It is generally not
recommended to spay a bitch in heat because the blood vessels to the uterus and
the uterus itself become engorged with blood, making the procedure more tricky.
She will go back to normal after her heat is passed.
You can have the surgery done about 4 weeks later.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
Two
months ago I rescued a 2 year old unaltered male Beagle from a hunter who said
he was about to drop him off at the pound because he was not a successful rabbit
dog. When I went to get the dog with my husband and 4 year old son he was a
skulking nervous wreck and peed himself and shook the whole time. In the 2
months I have had him he has not come very far. I did recently get him neutered
and he is perfectly
Dear
Caribbean Cindy,
Sounds
like a particularly terrified and traumatized puppy.
He needs help and you need help with him.
Clomipramine, manufactured for pets under the name of Clomicalm®,
is a tricyclic antidepressant. I’d
rather see him on a drug that helps to control anxiety more specifically.
But more than that, you need to see a veterinary behaviorist (referred
through your veterinarian) who can help to define his diagnosis and lay out a
plan for behavior modification as well. There
is no such thing as a magic pill. However,
from your brief description, your little guy needs a comprehensive treatment
plan to help him overcome his past and enjoy his life in a wonderful new home.
Hi
Dr. Cookie.
My
friend has a 2 year old Boston Terrier that has started urinating in her sleep.
She does this wherever she is sleeping - the couch, the bed, etc. She is always walked before bedtime and does not seem to do
this intentionally - only in her sleep. The
vet says there is nothing wrong with her, that it is a behavioral issue.
In the past she has urinated on the couch intentionally - we think for
attention - but lately she really does appear to be sleeping.
Any advice?
Dear
dhberlin,
Dogs
who urinate in their sleep on a regular basis are unlikely to have a behavioral
agenda. Involuntary relaxation of
the urinary sphincters implies a neuromuscular laxity.
She would probably fall into the category of urinary incontinence and
should be treated accordingly. Consider
getting a second opinion from a veterinarian in your area.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
have a 7 month German Shorthair Pointer with a docked tail.
He intermittently chases & chews his tail.
He gets plenty of attention and exercise.
Dear
Kerry,
Have
your veterinarian examine your dog to make sure there are no parasites that
could be bothering him (fleas, whipworms…).
His anal glands should also be expressed to make certain they are not
impacted or infected. If there is no physical cause, the behavior is likely
behavioral. Some dogs learn to do
this for attention. Some dogs do it
when they are excited, really need to go for a walk, or have to defecate.
Other dogs have a compulsive desire to chew their tails and need to be
treated by a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
Treatment may include psychoactive medication and will certainly be based
on a change in lifestyle and interaction with the owner (behavior modification).
Dogs who chew their tails even in play should not be encouraged to do so
because it can progress to a serious form of self-mutilation.
Speak to your veterinarian about what to do next.
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
My
14 month old Boxer has become very skittish around people.
My family was over for a picnic and she spent the whole day under the
coffee table. When she was younger
she was very friendly and would walk up to people, now she will start to walk up
and then run the other way, bark and wag her tail.
I am not sure how to correct this problem. I would like to socialize her
more to help her overcome it but I am worried about her getting scared and
wiggling away from me. I would
appreciate any suggestions you may have.
Dear
Bridget and Chloe,
It
is unclear from your report what could have caused the regression in her
sociability. She may have had a bad
experience with someone, or she may not be getting the same opportunity to
socialize with people that she did when she was younger (e.g. fewer walks, fewer
visitors). On the other hand, she
is now a young adult and is likely showing the emergence of more adult
behaviors. Territorial defense is a
responsibility of mature pack members. She
is exhibiting conflict behavior, wanting to approach and retreat at the same
time. Clarify her indecision but
relieving her of the responsibility to make any decision.
Teach her to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ when greeting you, family, friends,
anyone. Have visitors give her a
treat to reward her for approaching them in a friendly and controlled way.
Establish clear leadership over her so that she is more confident in you.
Enroll in an obedience class and practice every day!
(Handouts: Obedience for Dogs, Territorial behavior in dogs)
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
I
have a 3 year old mixed breed dog. I think he's part Lab and either Rottie or Doberman.
He
Dear
Melissa
Sounds
like this boy needs a nice long walk in the evening before he gets to chewing
his bowl. Then, how about a rawhide
strip to enjoy when he comes home. And, what about changing to a stainless steel bowl
while you’re at it? No worries…
Dear
Dr. Cookie
I
am in a state of despair. My 6 month old lion head bunny is chewing the
wallpaper in his room! He has got plenty of toys he can chew e.g. telephone
directory, wooden blocks etc. Is there anything we can put on the walls to stop
him ruining them! Please help before my mum puts him outside :-(
Dear
progers.com,
Well,
think about this for a minute. The ‘toys’ you’ve given him were not appropriate for
bunnies to begin with, and they also taught him that it’s perfectly fine for
him to chew paper and wood. So why
are you surprised that he’s chewing wallpaper?
Speak to your veterinarian about how to provide for your rabbit’s basic
nutrition and need to chew on appropriate objects. Visit your local pet store for all kinds of neat toys and
other items that will help to wear down his bunny teeth! Meanwhile, keep him
away from telephone directories and wall paper, of course!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
have a Siberian Husky (8.5 yrs) and a Lab/Chow mix (9 yrs)... they have been
crate trained from 10 weeks. Every
night they 'go to bed' just fine & I lock them in (I just stay 'bedtime' or
'go to your room' & they both merrily go down to their crates and wait for
me to close the door)... this isn't because they are destructive or not
housebroken... it is just our family ritual. One or two times while I have been away on business, my mother
didn't lock them in and my Husky apparently took a liking to it.
Now for the past week or so, she goes down to her room just fine, but she
doesn't want to move her feet out of the doorway when I go to
Dear
Lori,
Honestly?
I don’t think it’s compulsory to crate dogs (although many will learn
to live with it) and I don’t think it’s advisable to crate them away from
your bedroom at night. That’s
like tying them out in the woods all by themselves away from the safety of the
pack; every survival instinct would go against that notion…Crates are not
tolerated by every dog, even though yours did fine until recently.
But now your Husky has had a taste of the good life.
Dogs who are crated overnight should at least sleep in a crate in their
owner’s bedroom. You could try
that and see if it’s a welcome compromise.
Or, you could just let your dogs be happy and sleep by your bed, either
on the floor or in a doggy bed of their own.
You could use the same commands but direct them to even sleep in an open
crate in your room. Come on, now.
Bend a little?
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
just adopted a new dog one week ago. Teddy is approximately a year old and neutered.
Dear
Amy P.
No
flicking penises please! He’s just a happy boy and this is quite harmless.
It is not a ‘behavior’ problem really because it is not a conscious
effort on his part. Think of it as
a reflex and pay no mind. Just
enjoy your dog!
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
If
we get my pygmy goat fixed will he lose the interest to mate and stop peeing on
himself?
Dear
Leighann,
Nice
to have a question about a farm animal for a change!
Neutering him will reduce sexual behavior to nearly zero, unless he has
already had some experience, in which case it may not disappear completely.
Self-marking with urine is seen in males of many species, and is often
related to sexual advertisement. This
too should resolve with neutering.
Dear
Dr Cookie,
My
son owns a female Brittany Spaniel who was two years old when she had her 1st
litter. There were 5 pups in the
litter and she ate 4 of them. Is
this a normal occurrence and why would a female mother eat her pups?
Dear
Frank,
Some
new mothers are very nervous and can cannibalize their pups.
It can also happen if there are too many spectators, especially if they
are strangers to her. If this is
repeated at her next litter, she should not be bred again and should be spayed.
Not every dog of breeding quality has the temperament to go along with
what it takes to breed and raise a litter, or the temperament to pass on to
future generations.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
recently adopted 2 kittens. My household has 2 children. One of the kittens was
immediately playful and liked being handled, the other one hid. I hoped she
would get better, but it’s been about a week and she seems more fearful. The
lady we got her from says both kittens were handled equally and were fine with
handling when she had them. They were not around children though. Should I give
the more fearful one back? She says she will come and get it if I make that
decision. Or should I give it a little more time?
Dear
Betty,
All
kittens are individuals. From the
same litter and with the same early exposure to people, you describe kittens
that are obviously very different. The difference could be in their ability to adjust to change,
or in their social inclination. A
busy household is overwhelming to any kitten.
Let her come around on her own. On
the other hand, if she is not the kitten you’d hoped for, return her now while
she is still easily adoptable and can be placed in a less stressful environment
(for her).
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
Our
two male cats, both 9.5 years old, 100% indoors since birth, neutered since 8
weeks, not littermates but
Dear
Pam,
Cats
mount to assert dominance, as do dogs. It
is not necessarily sexual, but it could be.
Neutering at such a young age would imply that they’ve had no
significant circulating testosterone, the sex hormone that drives libido in both
males and females (people, too). Nevertheless,
it could still be persistent sexual behavior, redirected onto the ‘next best
thing’. If it doesn’t bother
them, and it doesn’t really bother you (after 9.5 yrs), forget about it! Or, shoo them apart if you catch them in the act.
At least they’ll learn not to do it when you’re not around.
Dear
Dr. Schwartz,
In
the last couple of weeks, my 4 year old female cat Cheyenne has been urinating
on me at night while I am sleeping. She does not urinate anywhere else abnormal,
and her box is kept clean. She doesn't even urinate on the bed, unless I am in
it. She has also started carrying around a small stuffed animal that used to be
her chew toy. While she carries it, she makes deep throaty meows
(like a cat in heat might make). The meowing is only strange because in
the past four years, the most she has ever vocalized was small, short squeaks
(while playing or when picked up) or howling (only in the car). She has also
started sleeping with me, which usually only happens when I am ill or upset (she
is otherwise uncuddly). We have ruled out any type of pain or infection. I am
quite far along in my pregnancy and the vet suggested that because she is very
attached to me that she is picking up on my pheromones and is reacting to them,
and possibly going through false pregnancy. She was spayed as a kitten and has
never had a litter. Does the vet's explanation make sense (if so, why?) or could
there be an alternative explanation?
Dear
Elizabeth,
Sometimes,
the cats who seem less bonded to us, or at least less sociable, turn out to be
more responsive and affected by our moods and routines. It would be interesting
to take a blood sample from her and measure her hormone levels (estrogen,
progesterone) to see if they are within the range expected for sterilized or
intact queens. The feline sense of smell is actually more sensitive than dogs.
She could well be perceiving changes in you. There is no evidence that
false pregnancy occurs in response to human pregnancy. Generally, false
pregnancy in pets resolves after spaying. But that doesn’t mean your
veterinarian is off-base. At the
very least, you describe a kitty who is clearly anxious and going through an
undetermined change. Make sure that
there are at least 3 boxes in your home (2 cats = at least 2 boxes + 1).
If her baseline blood and urine tests are normal, ask for a referral to a
veterinary behaviorist in your area. If
your veterinarian is a client of Antech Laboratories (just ask!), let them know
they can arrange for a free telephone consult with me about you.
This is a specialty consulting service for veterinarians only.
Dear
Dr.Cookie,
We
have a male yellow Lab who is 5 months old. When we are outside playing with him
(retrieving games, swimming) and during a walk he will suddenly start jumping on
us, trying to bite and grab our clothes. We have to hold him down until he calms
down enough that he will stop. During this attack he won’t listen to any
command even if a treat is offered, he seems very excited but he isn't barking
or growling. Is he playing or is he being aggressive? How can we stop this?
Dear
Sheila
Sounds
like it’s time for obedience classes for everyone!
Play aggression gives pets important social feedback about who they are
and what they can do. Dominance issues often emerge in young doggies during play.
Don’t hold him down, that’s not really teaching him anything.
Push him ‘off!’ with your knee.
Then, teach him to sit and stay, or down and stay.
Reward with a tasty treat. And
give him more opportunity to play with other dogs.
He needs to play rough and tumble boy dog games, but he should only be
playing those with doggy pals.
Dr.
Cookie,
Barney,
our 3 year old blue point Siamese has suddenly started acting very aggressive
toward my 7 year old son in the last few days. The cat will hiss and growl w/
his tail and back bushy...acting like he is going to attack. He has not bitten
or scratched my son...front declawed. When I approach the cat, he lets me pick
him up. I then put him in "time out" in the laundry room for a while.
He immediately calms down and purrs. Barney & my son have always been good
buds. Now my son is terrified of him Barney
has always been a very gentle and easy going cat. He has always been a little
afraid of strangers w/ him hissing ever once in a while at some one
....especially children, but never aggressive. Barney is strictly an indoor
cat....so I can't send him outside. And I don't want to give him up. Could there
be a possible medical problem? Would squirting him w/ a water bottle when he
acts this way help?
Dear
Joyce,
Although
an uncharacteristic behavior change should be investigated for any underlying
medical problem, Barney may be changing because your son is changing.
A 7 yr old boy is more active, louder, bigger, and stronger than a 4 yr
old. He may have startled Barney
unintentionally, or Barney may be reflecting a problem in your son’s behavior
toward him that you may not have witnessed.
Speak to your son, teach him to approach the cat gently and not to pursue
him if Barney is warning him to go away. Perhaps
your son would like to take over feeding Barney? That might teach Barney that a
7 yr old boy is not such a bad thing after all.
Order my handout on Kids & Pets for more tips.
Also, my most recent book “Dr. Cookie’s Guide To Living Happily Ever
After With Your Cat” (St. Martin’s Press, 2002) has just been nominated for
an award and it is full of great information on this topic and many others.
Dear
Dr.,
We
recently (3 days ago) adopted our Greyhound from a reputable adoption
organization. He's was a sweet, but
timid boy in the foster home, and when we first got him home. He shows no signs
of aggression and now that he's been around for a few days, is more relaxed,
playing, seeking affection, sleeping near our bed (instead of his crate).
However, every once in a while (every few days) something will trigger him to
start yelping like he's being beaten. The
last episode, I went to rub his head (like I do a million times a day) and he
yelped all the way into the kitchen, hid in his crate and wouldn't let me near
him for 10 minutes. He NEVER growled or snapped, just "yelped".
After that, he was fine. Back
to seeking attention, and out of his crate on his own. Almost like a switch. I know I didn't step on any tails, toes, etc.
Our vet is at a loss, and there's no history of abuse (of course, you
can't be sure...) Any suggestions? Do
you believe it's something that will improve over time?
Dear
Kelli M.,
I’d
like to see this guy get a thorough physical workup, including CBC, serum
biochemistry, and thyroid panel. I
don’t have all the details, but I understand that these episodes can erupt
spontaneously and are not necessarily triggered by your approach or touch? Yes,
indeed, there is always the possibility of abuse with a rescued Greyhound.
But, if fear is not the issue, you need to investigate sources of pain
and discomfort (neck, disk disease?) or even seizure disorders.
Let me know how you do? (Your veterinarian can ask for a consult with me
if s/he is a client of Antech labs…)
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
just recently found your website, and think it's great! It's full of tons of
very useful information. I have a slight problem. I just recently got a
dwarf bunny, his name is Elvis. I believe he's only a few months. I love
Dear
Meg,
1)
Keep him off your bed, 2) Speak with your veterinarian to make sure that
Elvis’ cage is large enough and set up the way bunnies like it.
He should prefer to eliminate in the wood chips section if he has the
option to bed/nibble on hay in the other, and 3) Teach Maggee to sit and stay
when Elvis is around; if she gets to see him more, she’ll get over the
novelty. As long as no one seems to
want to hurt him, and he seems comfortable with them, they’ll get used to
being together in time.
Dear
Dr Cookie,
I
have just inherited a 4 year old Budgie but he has never been trained and is
quite frightened of human contact. He will not eat millet seed from my hand and
won't eat until I leave him alone with his food. I would love to be able to
teach him to trust humans and sit on my finger and hopefully one day be able to
come
Dear
Emma,
Sazu
could become better socialized in time but he will probably never be a
completely ideal ‘pet’. Are you able to touch him at all?
Perhaps you could get away with just one finger stroke on his back when
you place the food in his cage, and build from there.
And perhaps, adding a friendly hand-raised Budgie friend to keep him
company would help you both. Place
them in separate cages near each other at first, slowly moving the cages closer
together. Eventually (several months or more), you should be able to
introduce them into the same cage. And
he might learn by watching the other bird’s interaction with you.
There is also the option of psychoactive medication for anxious birds.
Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist near
you.
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
I
recently rescued a 2 year old female Shiba Inu and currently have an 8 month old
male Shiba Inu. Lately I've notice
that my younger one has starter to lick my new and oldest one's ear.
I mean really digging for gold. She doesn't seem to mind to much of the
younger one doing this. I just was
wondering why dogs do
Dear
Jlbray25
Actually,
it is something nice and it’s submissive.
Your younger boy is submissively licking the adult female.
It is also simply affectionate. Just check her ears periodically, because
dogs who get licked this much sometimes get ear infections (from so much
moisture). Sounds like a happy couple to me.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Are taste
deterrent products such as Bitter Apple, safe to use by spraying directly into a
dogs mouth to solve problems such as barking, aggression, etc.? The product
Bitter Apple does not state on the bottle that it can be sprayed in the mouth,
but I’m hearing from other dog owners that it is the ultimate, completely
safe, all solve product.
Dear Linda,
Aversive conditioning with bad
tasting substances is best applied to deter destructing chewing, and even then
the success is limited. These substances should NEVER be sprayed into the mouth
of an aggressive dog, or a nonaggressive dog, for that matter. The best way to
trigger escalated aggression or retaliation is to punish a dog that is already
in a state of high alert! Golly gee, if your child was having a tantrum, would
you pore anything down his/her mouth? Try
to understand the problem, then work on preventing it!
It would make much better sense to use basic obedience to reassert your
leadership over the dog, or increase the dog’s daily exercise, or provide more
play time with other doggy friends so that the misbehavior would not even
appear! Don’t listen to these
other dog owners. In fact, maybe they
should listen to you, after you read this and pass it on. Thanks!
Dr. Cookie,
I
have three cats. Two have been
raised indoors and one is an outdoor cat. The
2 year old female cat, that is spayed, has darted out as the door is open, a few
times. She doesn't know what to do
after she gets out in the yard, and she runs from us while we are trying to
catch her. Please let us know how
to keep her away from the door and darting outside.
Dear Nancy
(Praline's Mom),
I commend
your decision to keep your 2 cats indoors.
It is very helpful to place break-away collars with bells on all your
cats (my 5 cats each have one). That way,
you can hear the indoor ones when they approach the door.
If the little female does get close, yell ‘no!’, or even hiss at her.
The collar for the outdoor cat should have ID on it; it will also help to
warn birds and chipmunks to stay alert. Ideally,
of course, they should all remain indoors. See
my handout on Territorial behavior in cats, which contains hints on how to keep
your kitties safe and sound inside your home.
Dear Dr.,
I
have had several dogs, and now have 2 Great Danes that we love very
Dear Sue
(Danes are great!),
The
scratching is an abbreviated digging pattern intended to carve out a cozy
indentation. This would expose cool
earth in the summer months, or excavate a hole in the snow to help avoid winter
winds. The turning around in circles is probably just settling into bed in just
the right position, just like we do when we smooth out the sheets and cuddle
under blankets at bedtime.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have two small Poodle mixed female dogs approximately 3 yrs old.
The first year they got along great; the second they tested each other.
Going on the third year, they are trying to kill each other. I try separating them but this makes things worse!
Dear
Hilary,
You
describe a classic dominance conflict between your dogs.
It can be a bit worse between dogs of the same gender because they are
vying for the exact same position. Separating
them does make things worse because they are prevented from working things out. Most dog fights appear pretty ‘vicious’, but the majority
of them result in minor injury, if any. All
this, and what to do about it, is described in detail in my handouts on
Dominance Behavior in Dogs. You
should also order Basic Obedience, too!
Dear Dr.
Cookie;
I
have a 10 yr old Siamese cat ( male, neutered ) who
Dear
Jennifer Kidd,
Sounds
like he is looking for something to do! There
is no real evidence that Siamese cats vocalize MORE than other cats; but their
distinctive voices certainly make it seem that way!
Consider introducing another cat, perhaps a younger female?
In any event, play with this boy. Provide
an interesting variety of toys. Focus
all that vocal energy on some other entertaining outlet!
Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a 7 month old Shiba Inu named Kona. He is showing 3 traits that are not
that great. 1st he will not have bowel movement on our property. We have to take
him to the park. This is a slight inconvenience in bad weather. The park is a
short walk from the house. 2nd when it is time to leave he will start to jump up
on us, nip at us, grab pant legs or whatever else he can get his mouth on. 3rd
The problem that we are having with him is that he is constantly mouthing our
hands and nips us for attention.
Dear David
Churchill,
Kona needs
more exercise, not less. There are very few days in the year when the weather is
bad enough not to take your dog for a walk!
And if the park is so nearby, why deprive him? All that aggressive play related energy is an indication that
he needs more outlets for his energy: more doggy friends, more controlled play
with you, daily obedience practice, more walks, longer walks… get it?
Good!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a 2 yr old female dog of mixed breed. Last spring while walking her, two
large dogs got loose from their fenced-in yard and attacked my dog. My dog was
not hurt but we were both shaken up. Since this incident, my dog has been very
aggressive towards other dogs that she
Dear
Andrea,
Go back to
basics. Short leash (4 ft. or shorter)
and a headhalter collar (gradually introduced) such as Halti Collar®
or Gentle Leader® would reinforce your leadership and lessen her
anxiety. You should also file a complaint
with your local animal control officer. And
it might be an idea to carry a walking stick or an air horn, just in case.
You need to resocialize her to friendly dogs so that she can refresh her
social skills and loose some of her fears.
Hello Dr.
Cookie
I
have a six month old female Golden Retriever named Lexie. This morning I let her
out to go pottie and she came back inside with a pair of dead bunny legs in her
mouth. I tried to take them away from her to no avail. She ended up swallowing
it. I'm not sure if she killed the bunny or just ate it? Either way it is very
upsetting to me. I looked all over the yard for the rest of the bunny but
Dear Laura
(Bunny defender in Colorado)
I know how
you feel, Laura; but after all, Lexie is a dog with predatory instincts.
I suggest you place 2 or 3 jingle bells on her collar so critters can
hear her coming. You can also place a
leather strap with cow bells on your door for even greater effect when the door
opens. And how about a fence?
Bunnies are, unfortunately, on the bottom of the food chain. Sounds like you have a lot of them! Hawks and owls usually help to keep the population down;
coyotes and foxes take care of the rest.In the burbs, the predatory species
usually stay away or are chased away.The balance of nature is a delicate thing.
People have interfered far too much in so many devastating ways.
Try not to feel too badly, chances are if Lexie did kill that bunny, it
was very quick. On the other hand, there
have been links to predatory aggression and aggression toward small children.
So, it would be wise not to let her continue and to order my handouts on
Basic Obedience and Predatory behavior!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
My
small dog was attacked a few weeks ago while on a walk around our
Dear
Valarie,
You really
should register a complaint with your local dog officer.
This kind of problem must be nipped in the bud so that it does not happen
to you or anyone else! I would stay away from that house because approaching it is
certainly reinforcing his phobia. Try
driving to another neighborhood or park area.
Just get him back into ‘happy’ mode when going for walks.
Then reintroduce him to your neighborhood but bring a few delicious
treats (pea sized fragments) to entice his progress.
You can also bring a favorite toy if that helps too!
Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a two year old Lab mix female dog. Recently
she has begun refusing to go into the kitchen. I
think she is scared of walking on the tile floor.
This has gone on for about a week, and now she is afraid to go in the
guest bedroom (I have hard wood floors). I
have tried tempting her with treats, carrying her in the room and sitting with
her for a while, but nothing works. She
is clearly terrified. This behavior is a
huge change. Previously, she followed me
everywhere and would lay on the floor of the room I was in.
How do I help her get over her newly acquired fear?
I want her to be calm and healthy but also because her food and water are
in the kitchen. She won't eat unless I
move them to the living room on the carpet.
Dear
Betsy,
If your
veterinarian does not think there are any changes in her eyesight (retinal exam)
or that she has slipped on very long toe nails, it is difficult to understand
why our pets develop some of the quirky behaviors that pop up for no apparent
reason. However, you do describe a
dog with some prior anxiety related behavior.
She has a history of ‘shadowing’ you, which may be a sign of neurotic
tendencies. A behavior consult
would allow us to get a full history, so that behavior modification (and
possible psychoactive medication) can get her back to ‘normal’.
Let me know if you’d like to schedule a consultation…
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a 2 year old neutered Lab mix that I adopted from the Humane Society at 10
weeks
Dominance
behavior is normal in dogs. At 2
yrs old, he is a young adult male flexing his social muscles.
This is all part of the normal interaction seen at doggy parks.
Dogs need to be dogs. His
behavior would be undesirable toward people, but he still needs to be a dog!
As long as no one is getting hurt, RELAX! Let them work it out. Intact
males have additional motivation to establish dominance and their hormones often
intensify many undesirable behaviors, including dog fights. That is a risk his
owner has decided to take. So you
could avoid the park if your dog’s nemesis is present, and find a friendlier
group of dogs in another park nearby. Or you could just let them handle it
themselves!
Dear Dr
Cookie,
Over
the last month I have lost three ferrets all to cancer and old age. My two
remaining ferrets have to be separated. Ms.Peegee
loved the ferrets that passed away but has always and continues to beat up the
other remaining ferret. I brought in a friend’s ferret to watch; she tried to
attack her. She has attacked foster dogs I brought into my home, too. I miss
seeing ferrets wrestle and play.
Dear Pam
Walker,
Can’t
you take a hint? Ms. Peegee is very
selective about her companions. Why
do you insist on imposing them on her? If
she is happy on her own, leave her be! Do
not jeopardize the safety of your remaining pets or foster pets, for heaven’s
sake! Keep her in her own little
territory and enjoy the peace. If you
want to watch ferrets wrestle and play, go to your local animal shelter and
adopt one for your more social pet ferret. Ferrets
were a real ‘fashion pet’ for a number of years but the peak interest in
them has waned. Consequently, there are
many shelters around the country who would love to place ferrets in good homes
like yours.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have two 6-mo-old puppies - a Bedlington Terrier male and a female Miniature
Schnauzer. They are both neutered. They have a great relationship but since my
female got spayed she is displaying a very nasty streak when they are
rough-housing. Can she possibly have some
kind of a hormonal imbalance?
Dear
Michelle,
Play
behavior allows dogs to work out some more serious issues, including dominance.
Play behavior can also get too rough and trigger retaliation.
Your boy dog is maturing and may be playing more roughly, as males
usually do. Let them work it out,
and let them play with other dogs that may be more suitable playmates at this
stage of their lives, ok? (Handouts: Play behavior in dogs, Dominance behavior
in dogs)
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
My
dog loves to stare at my roommate for long periods of time. It doesn't matter
what she's doing (eating or not), he wants to sit and gaze at her all the time.
Is this okay?
Dear
Denise,
Well, you
could tell your roommate to put on some clothes! Or you could just make sure you dog has something else to do,
like go for more walks, chew on rawhide bones, watch Animal Planet…
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
We
just got a Boxer dog, 3 yrs old. He takes off running when we let him out to do
his duty. He runs to highway or
other peoples yards and destroys their flowers and plants and ignores any
command to come back. He stops,
looks at you, and then takes off. I
tried taking him out on a leash, but he yanks so hard to take off, that he pulls
me along behind him and I can't keep up or he gets away.
Dear Nancy
Conner,
Seems like
you would both benefit from an obedience class! You sound like you don’t have much experience with dogs.
You also sound like you need a fence.
PLEASE: order these handouts: Basic obedience (includes tips on selecting
leash/collars, which you need), Why it’s important to walk dogs; Escaping;
Territorial behavior in dogs… thanks and your new dog thanks you too!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
Why
do dogs stick their tongues in and out of their mouths when they’re going to
sleep? It's cute but
odd.
Dear
Azaria,
Just
swallowing saliva (the production of which slows down when we finally fall
asleep) and feeling cozy!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
My
8 yr old Lab/Retriever mix WILL NOT stay in his pen and absolutely FREAKS out
when a storm is near/hits. He chews his way out regardless of the pain he is
causing himself. When he gets
loose, he attacks the neighbor’s dog. His lifetime companion died in January
and my husband moved out in February. I pay more attention to him than ever, and
my new boyfriend loves him and plays with him all the time.
Dear HBA
of Johnston County
You really
need to order my handouts on Why it’s important to walk your dog, Territorial
behavior in dogs, Fears and Phobias, and Separation Anxiety. This dog has a lot
of issues, some may be recent, many more have probably existed for years.
It is not normal or desirable to leave dogs penned up by themselves.
They lose social skills, and are vulnerable (and feel it) to all kinds of
weather and dangers besides. Keep
your dog indoors. Take him for long walks twice a day.
Avoid rough play and train him to retrieve balls, sticks, on land and in
the water. And make sure he does
not get loose, ever. OK?
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
We
have a 6 month old Papillon puppy and a 3 month old Ragdoll kitten. The cat and
the dog both love to be in the same room with my husband and I. They seem to
enjoy each other- but we think the playing is getting too rough. The dog will
continuously bite the cat- pulling on her ears and
Dear Carey
Daniel,
My 3
youngest kitties (see Family Photos page) grew up with the dogs.
Our Boston terrier Georgyanna is particularly fond of them.
One of the kittens’ favorite games was to hold on to her round muscular
rump as if they were lionesses killing a zebra. They
worked it out and learned to inhibit the pain they inflict on each other. They
don’t play ‘zebra’ much anymore but they still chase each other around.
Your puppy needs to have doggy companions, too.
Take him to puppy class, or to meet new friends in a dog park.
Enjoy!
Hey Dr.
Cookie,
My
deaf dog Skyler likes to chase cars. I
don’t want him to get hit and I don’t want anything bad to happen to him so,
how can I teach him to stop chasing cars? My
second question is about my dog Shadow. We
hook him up on a chain when we let him outside because if there is somebody
outside next door our a little kid outside he barks and wants to go after them.
I'm very afraid that if he gets out he will chase and hurt someone.
He only is aggressive at the house, if we take him to the vet or on a
walk, he does not mind people at all. How
can I get him to not be so aggressive towards people when he is at home?
Dear Katie
from Greenville, SC!
AAAAARGH!
Why are you letting a deaf dog run loose?
Why does anyone let a dog run loose in this day and age?
Why chain a dog up and set him up to be frustrated with nowhere to put
all his energy and then wonder why he gets aggressive?
Katie, please order my handouts on Why it’s important to walk dogs;
Basic obedience; Territorial aggression. They
contain basic and important information that will help you to help your dogs.
They are both exhibiting high risk behaviors that might eventually claim
their lives. Please don’t let that
happen. Thanks.
Dear Dr
Cookie,
We
have a 2 yr old Australian Blue Heeler cross. When we go on our walks she
frequently rolls in a rotting animal carcass or in other dog's feces. This is a
rather annoying habit as we are constantly having to wash her. Why does she do
this and is there any way of preventing it? I usually give her a firm
"no" if I catch her in the act but that is often too late. Also, since
we have had our baby she knows that he requires walks during the day so as
soon as the baby is up, she constantly circles around us or sits and stares at
me in expectation of another walk.
Dear
Sunshine,
As
difficult as it is with a new baby, your dog’s schedule should be maintained
as closely as possible. If your dog
were better trained, you’d be able to walk the dog and baby together. You’d also be able to control your dog off leash and keep her from
doing normal but gross doggy stuff like rolling in skanky things that are
perfume to her. Basic obedience twice daily to keep her skills sharp will help
to contain her behavior. And if she can’t be trusted off leash, she shouldn’t be.
Please order the handouts on Pets and Kids, and Basic obedience.
These will help to clarify some of your current confusion, ok?
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
We
have just purchased the cutest little mutt.
He is Collie/Rottweiler/Lab. What
breed will his
Dear Katia
Gauthier
His
temperament will be, to a large degree, what you make of him.
Take this puppy to puppy class so that you can get off to a sensible
start. Breed predispositions are
few; I prefer not to make sweeping generalities about any group (dogs or people)
because there are many more things that are in common than things that set them
apart. Temperament problems can be inborn, but for the average dog of the
average breed raised by the average owner…he will grow up to be the dog you
create. So, do some basic research.
Look through the list of my handouts and order the ones with basic
information on obedience, play, dominance, territoriality, and any others you
are interested in. The rest is up
to you!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
My
cat recently had 4 kittens.
I gave them all away at about 12 weeks.
Now I wonder if the mom is sad. She
looked for them and doesn't spend a whole lot of time inside anymore.
Did I do something horrible? Should
I have kept one kitten for a companion for her?
Dear Paul,
Weaning is
a normal process but it is stressful for mother and babies.
The only horrible thing I see is that she may not yet be spayed and she
would be far safer and live longer if she stayed indoors.
And if you want to get a companion for her, go to your local shelter!
The handouts on Pet Selection and Introducing New Pets will help.
Hello Dr.
Cookie,
My
neighbor has a 6-mo-old German Shepherd who has decided
to do his poop along the fence which borders our properties. Needless to
say our back yard is filled with this lovely aroma. What can we do? Have your
husband urinate along the fence? We have cats and do not want to use anything
that might harm them.
Dear B.A.
(Babgraffix),
Well, I
don’t think my husband is too keen on going to urinate along your fence.
Perhaps you could have a conversation with or drop a note to your
neighbor? They might be able to do a better job at picking up after their dog.
But what about your cats? How
many of your neighbors are complaining (or silently moaning) about feline
marking behavior. I get a lot of emails from folks who are increasingly
irritated about roaming cats. At least this dog is in his own yard!
Of course, you could place a giant fan to blow all the aroma back into
their home; that might give them the message, too! Good luck! J
Hello Dr. Cookie,
My family and I
just got 2 rabbits. The bigger white one seems to have a problem with leaving
his little "treats" all over the place. He poops almost every 2
minutes, so when we take him out of his cage we always have to clean up after
it. We have tried to get it to use a litter box, but it just tries
to eat the litter, that’s the other problem its is ALWAYS eating! It
eats anything in sight. Any
Dear Brett,
You may be keeping their pen
too clean. It is completely normal
for bunnies to eat their stools and you may be removing them too quickly.
They eat the night time stool, which is only partly digested and contains
vitamins that they need to salvage back into their systems.
It is also possible that he has intestinal parasites. I’d suggest you pick up a good book on rabbit husbandry from your
local pet store or book store. Also, make
an appointment with a local veterinarian to make sure they are healthy, and for
additional health tips you may not find in books. It is important to know what
you are doing if you undertake to care for pets!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My year
old spayed female pup has recently had surgery.
Since this operation, she has become increasingly protective of her chew
bones and treats. Beginning with high pitched crying, then she tries to lick
hands at the same time. When ignored, she lies down and guards food, growling
when we approach her. Could this be related to her limited mobility and/or any
pain, discomfort resulting from the operation?
Dear San-d,
It is possible that she is
redirecting some of her anxiety on to the bones, but more than likely it is
coincidental. Possessive aggression
is a common problem that can be corrected with basic training exercises.
These are described in my handouts on Guarding Objects of Value and Basic
Obedience.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My
husband and I have just adopted a Miniature Pincher.
She is about 2 years old and seems to be in good health.
We are not sure of her history, other than that she was found along a
highway. She was pretty scared when we first brought her home but quickly calmed
down and seemed to enjoy her new digs the first day.
However, whenever one of us makes a fast move she freaks and goes into
"attack" mode. We had
company the third day. I was
holding her and my friend was petting her.
When she stopped petting her she snarled and lunged at her, biting her
arm hard enough to draw blood. When
this same friend (female)
Dear
Katy,
Many small and toy breeds get
away with misbehavior that would never be tolerated in a larger dog.
In fact, some folks think that little dogs don’t need to have obedience
training, or even go outside for walks. Consequently,
it is not uncommon to see dominance and territorial aggression go unchecked in
these little guys. Of course, fear
may be a factor if they were not exposed to many people growing up, or react
defensively to new places and people. I
can’t say for sure because there were not many details to go on, but I suspect
this Min Pin needs to go to obedience class and learn how to behave like a
‘lady’ at home. Either way,
it’s up to you to teach what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Two days
ago, I noticed that my 8 yr. old Boston Terrier had scratched the wall and had
removed part of the drywall. Today
I came home to find a new, larger section of the wall removed - clawed at and
chewed into. My Boston even had
bits of plaster and drywall still on his muzzle and nose. I'm extremely worried about him.
I don't neglect him in any way, he is frequently taken on long walks,
taken to the dog park, and receives generous amounts of love and affection.
Is it possible he may be lacking something in his diet?
Or have some stomach discomfort? Should
I be worried about health risks associated with ingestion of paint and drywall?
Dear Concerned Dog Lover
Health risks would be
associated with the lead (Pb) content of the paint and how much he is ingesting
at one time. Speak with your
veterinarian just in case. As for
the behavior change, some dogs can have subtle problems with separation anxiety
syndrome for years before it seems to be a ‘new’ problem.
Destructiveness in your absence could be separation-related.
Please order my handouts on Separation Anxiety in Pets for more details.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a problem with my cat trying to cover her deeds in the litter by scratching
everything
Dear
Sleepless in Seattle
All cats
have their own style of scratching to cover their waste, or not at all.
Scratching everything but the litter can be associated with litter box aversion,
so you need to consider how clean that box is kept. I’d be concerned that by
shooing her out of the box, you are discouraging her from using it further!
And yes, you could be reinforcing the digging because that is what you
initially respond to. Not at all
what you want to do, I’m sure. Sounds like she doesn’t sleep much at night,
which probably means she sleeps too much during the day. Play with her more,
especially when you get ready for bed. Consider a covered box to control the
odor, and try clumping sand litter which she might prefer to scratch in!
Dear Dr Cookie,
My
boyfriend gave me an 8 mo. old Pointer cross who came from an animal
Dear Leonora from Dublin,
Ireland!
Wayne sounds like a very
fearful and submissive dog. We
don’t know what his early experiences were, but it is possible that he was
either not well socialized to men, or associates some bad memories with them.
I’d like to see you 1) keep him indoors in your absence: it is
dangerous to leave him unattended, and he could revert to more uncivilized ways;
2) take him to obedience class (both you and your boyfriend) to clarify your
relationships and let him know who is in control: insecure dogs are often
relieved to learn that they don’t have to be in charge once they know that you
are; 3) let your boyfriend take over caring for the dog and withdraw your
attention from the dog except when your boyfriend is home.
This will also help to ease his overdependence on you.
See how that goes and let me know!
Dear Doctor Cookie,
My 17 yr
old cat disappeared Thursday night and there is absolutely no trace of her or
clues. She never wandered far and always came running when I called. We have
been in this same small neighborhood for the last 8 years. She wasn't ill and
ate her dinner that evening. The weather was nice and I just figured she wanted
to stay out a while. By 10:30 pm I was out calling and searching with the
flashlight. No sign of her since.
She was tagged and chipped. I
checked the roads outside the subdivision to see if she had wandered and been
hit by a car. Could she have
Dear Lydia,
I hope you find your kitty! Chances are that she will find her way home, however, it would be wise to keep her indoors from then on. An old lady like she is should be sheltered. She will be even easier prey to predators than younger outdoor cats and less reactive to all the other usual dangers outside. It is sort of a myth that pets wander off to die alone. They might become ill while outdoors. Many cats prefer to remain indoors when they don’t feel well. Hopefully she will be back safe and sound very soon.
[Note:
Please prevent this heartache from happening to you ...keep your kitty safe and
indoors!]
Dear Dr.
My female
Yorkie is pregnant and is due in approx 6 days and I noticed she has begun to
eat dirt in our back yard. Is this a problem?
Dear Randy,
Pregnancy can put a lot of
pressure on a dog’s internal organs. She may feel uncomfortable and is eating unusual substances
in an attempt to make herself feel better.
It would be wise to keep an eye on her outdoors and to contact your
veterinarian. She may be closer to
deliver those pups than you think…
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I have an
Old English Sheepdog that is the greatest dog.
Every time I try to take him in the car, he gets so excited that he
cannot calm himself. He drools like
mad, barks at the window and is very difficult to control.
He loves the car and will knock you over to get inside.
We drive to Michigan almost every weekend in the summer and you would
think he would get used to it, but every time is like the first time all over
again.
Dear Laura,
Sounds like he only goes in the
car on weekends. Try putting him in
the car just to go around the block a few times a day.
Practice obedience commands daily during walks and indoors so that you
can control him when you really need to. Then practice going in and out of the
car on command. If he does not obey, no car ride! It may take a few weeks of intense training, but with a
little effort, he should be fine.
Dr. Cookie,
Henny
Penny is about 4 years old. She is
strictly an indoor cat and was spayed at 6 months.
She has 3 other cats who live with her -- all of whom are
"fixed" as well.In the last few months, Henny Penny has been bringing
socks from the basement all the way up to the second floor in the middle of the
night and when we are gone. She makes this awful meowing sound while she carries
them up the stairs and then leaves them at the bedroom doorway (the doors are
opened when we sleep). If there are
no socks for her to bring, she starts
Dear Krista in Cleveland, OH
This could be a redirected
predatory behavior that she finds entertaining.
The fact that she does it at night and when you are away suggests that
there is an element of anxiety, such as separation anxiety, to it. However, it
seems that you are also encouraging it when you see her do it.
All of these possibilities could have contributed to the escalation.
Make sure that she is getting enough play time and attention from you
when you are home so that she is not so restless at night.
And of course, put your laundry away or close the door to the laundry
room!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a 6.5
mos. old Golden Retriever. If he
has a bone and you walk up to him, he'll growl and bite you. He has bitten me
and my husband several times. Every time he does it, we immediately push him
down on the floor and lean over him (to show dominance), we say No, and hold him
down until he stops growling. He cries and you might think he learned a
lesson.....NO, because next time he does it again. He is the same way around his
food bowl. We have taken him to puppy classes, but that didn't work. What makes
him so angry?
Dear Asa,
Possessive aggression has
nothing to do with dominance rank or being ‘angry’.
Subordinate animals will successfully guard an object of value from a
superior if they want it badly enough. Punishing
him for this will only reinforce the aggressiveness and jeopardize your safety.
Please order my handout on Guarding Objects of Value; it will help you to
apply basic obedience skills to correct and prevent these problems.
In the meantime, give him small rawhide bones that he will finish more
quickly and have nothing left to guard!
Hi Doctor Cookie
My 3 yr
old neutered cat is displaying strange behaviour. The other day our dog got
loose on us and was roaming the neighborhood for about 15 minutes. Well, when we
got him back in the house the cat went berserk and wanted to attack the dog. I had to squirt gun the cat and dog to
break them up. They normally get along just fine. Tazzi continued this behaviour
throughout the night. He wouldn't even let me go near him. He'd just hiss and
strike out at me. I had to cancel his doctor's appointment the next day because
he was acting so strange.
Dear Linda in Canada,
I wonder if your dog did not
come back with some very strange odor on him. It
could have been something funky that he rolled in, or something quite subtle
that human noses would not detect. Cats
have a very sensitive sense of smell. Your
cat may have been frightened by the dog’s unfamiliar scent and no longer
recognized the dog as ‘his own’. Confined
in a room where he had not yet calmed down, you could have panicked him further
if he felt he could not escape. I’d
suggest just leaving him be for a day or two.
If he is not back to his old self by then, he should be seen by his
veterinarian as a precaution.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I am
thinking about getting a ferret, but I read that dogs that chase squirrels would
not get along with ferrets. I will be living with a Scottie
for the next year. Is there any way to teach the dog to accept the
ferret, or should I wait until a
later date?
Dear Kirstin,
Predatory behavior is part
instinct and part learning. Some
dogs chase squirrels and live very happily with a ferret they have been raised
with. Often, dogs who are raised with prey species (e.g. rabbits) do not
recognize the individuals as prey. I
don’t know anything about the Scottie you will be living with, but Scotties
were bred to chase ground prey after all. I think your notion of waiting to acquire a ferret is
probably wise…
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I live on
a ranch in New Mexico and own a 9 month old female dog named Purdy.
She is a Border Collie and Australian Shepherd mix.
Purdy is a little wild. She
is very sweet but I have never gained her trust completely.
She possesses many behavior problems such as not
Dear Vivienne,
Purdy was born outside and had
limited contact with people as a pup. She
continues to live outside so it seems, and do what she wants to do. She herds
your livestock because it is in her genes, and because she is not prevented from
doing so. If you want to civilize this pup, you need to keep her with you and
indoors. If you don’t know how to train a dog, enroll in a local
obedience class. Everyone has to
start somewhere! I’m sure
you’ll both do fine with a little instruction…if there is no class near your
ranch, order from the list of my QuickFix Handouts! They are available to
help ranch folk and folks everywhere 'git along' with their 'little dogies'!
Hello Dr.Cookie,
I am
having some problems with my 5 yr old Dachshund. He has been urinating every
night at the same time for the past month. I take him out around 5:30 every
afternoon and my mom took him out last night at 8:00 p.m. to see if that would
solve the problem, but no luck. Could he have a bladder infection? Or could it
be just behavioral? He urinates around 30 minutes to an hour after I get him out
of my mother's bedroom so he won't wake her up.
Dear Leslie Williams,
You can’t expect to see a big
change in one day! This little guy
sounds like he needs to have more walks and longer walks.
If you think he might have cystitis, your veterinarian should see him.
Please order my handouts on House Training your Dog, Why It is Important
to Walk Your Dog, and Elimination Problems in Dogs.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
6 yr-old neutered male Husky-Retriever mix.
He is in good
Dear Suzanne Brewer,
Your dog could have a small
foreign body, an infection, an insect bite…it could also be psychogenic
licking but your veterinarian needs to rule out the obvious medical causes
first!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
beach close by that we take our dog to. The leash law is not enforced there and
many dogs are able to run freely. our dog loves this and loves playing with the
other dogs. He is very well behaved except once in a while he will go up to a
towel or blanket that is on the sand and urinate on it!! We can't get to him
fast enough to correct him. How can we deal with this?
Dear Jane
The leash law may not be
strictly enforced for well-trained dogs under voice command.
Do you or your dog know what a ‘heel’ is?
If not, it would be wise to a) keep him on a leash, b) allow him to run
but leave on a very long lead that you can get to quickly, c) take an obedience
class with him! Even dog lovers
would not appreciate being anointed at the beach by anything other than suntan
oil…
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My 8
month old budgie misbehaves and is very aggressive with me. This started two wks
ago after I bought a 3 month old female. He bites my hands when I go get the
food cups that are inside his cage and bites my lips constantly when I try to
hold him near my face. Sometimes I separate him and his female friend so he
won't be so aggressive with me. I see he feels less angry when he is in another
cage but I don't know if I should keep doing this or not. I feel sad that such a
lovely bird has turned into such a vicious biter.
Dear Ana Raquel,
Based on your brief
description, I assume that the male is not behaving aggressively toward the
female. If this is so, then it seems that he is protecting his new mate from
you. I would stop putting him anywhere near your face or above your shoulders
for a few weeks (this isn’t recommended anyway because it reinforces the
bird’s dominance over you). Don’t put the food cups back in either.
Make him come to you for the food. If he nips at you, take the food away
and come back a little while later. You can always separate them for a while and
reintroduce them gradually, but try this and see how things go.
Let me know, OK?
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
mutt mixture of terrier, Schnauzer, Cocker Spaniel. The problem is whenever we want to play with our 2 year son,
our beloved pup, (his name is EIGHT) crashes in on our playtime. He acts like he
is jealous, if that's possible and gets so annoying with us wanting to pet or
scratch him. Other relatives have
commented on his annoying behavior.
What should we do to eradicate this needy behavior?
He gets lots of attention from both my husband and I.
He has always shared our household with 4 cats so it is not like he has
been "an only child". We
sometimes can't sit on the floor with our son because the dog gets in everyone's
face constantly. We want our son to
appreciate all animals but he gets frustrated with his behavior too.
Dear Needy Dog Parents,
It is normal for dogs to be
involved in pack activity. And besides, he was there first!
Instead of pushing him away, tell him what you want him to do instead.
That could be a ‘down/stay’ and pet him while you play with your son;
or, it could be calling him to ‘come/sit/stay’ and give him a rawhide bone
to enjoy so you can focus on your 2 legged baby!
Give him a nice long walk before play time with your little boy, as well.
Please order my handout on Kids and Pets, and Basic Obedience for Your Dog.
You’ll learn how to apply the basics to prevent and defuse problems
that are relevant to you!
Dear Dr.,
I am an
American living in Japan, and in my neighborhood there are probably a dozen cats
Dear Jen in Japan,
Perhaps these Japanese cats are
miffed that your husband owns a BMW and not a Kawasaki or Honda!
I gather that putting the bike in a shed or garage is not an option? You
could construct an easy cover with chicken wire and a few pieces of wood.
Or, cover the seat with some sticky surface (contact paper sticky side up
for instance). Sayonara kitties!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
We
have a 4 yr old neutered cat who is quite affectionate and has a lot of cat
toys. He has this game with the cupboard door in the bathroom where he opens it
and bangs it shut. We usually shut the cats out of the bedroom (whether we're in
it or not). We used to run in there and try to stop him from banging the
cupboard door, which he seemed to enjoy. Any attention is good attention, I
guess. Now we ignore him, hoping not to reinforce his behavior.
Dear
Joanne,
Attention,
even negative, is reinforcing to this kind of mischief.
You are right to ignore him but it may take some time for him to realize
that it doesn’t work on you anymore. You
should also play more with him, rotate his toys, invent new games, particularly
at bedtime so you’re all ready to sleep at the same time.
Hi Dr Cookie!
I
have two male cats. One is 12 yrs and the other is 1 yr. Not long ago, we caught
the younger one trying to hump the other cat. I don’t know what to do…
Dear
Berkshire736
Persistent
sexual behavior is not uncommon even in some neutered males.
It may be more frequent in cats that are neutered after puberty, and
usually subsides in time. However,
cats mount to display dominance too. It
is not clear whether this is a social declaration or redirected sexual behavior.
Either way, if it does not bother your older cat, I wouldn’t worry
about it. You can easily distract
the younger one with more attractive toys…
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
My
cat loves to play by putting her toys in her water dish and making a big mess. I
have tried different dishes, different placement of the dishes and giving her
empty bowls to put her toys in but nothing works.
Dear
Ann M. in Portland, Oregon
Cats
are intelligent and curious creatures who frequently invent their own fun.
Water is fun! Besides, many cats learn to exploit prey in water, so it is
a natural instinct to investigate all the resources on their territory.
You could just live with it by putting in a small volume of water in a
small bowl placed on an absorbent towel. Or,
you could just place the bowl in your bathtub and let her enjoy herself!
Dr.
Cookie-
We
have a precious 10 wk male Whippet puppy who is a joy to have
Dear
Donna M.,
Puppies
need more exercise than they usually are given, and puppy Sighthounds need a
zillion times more exercise than others. The
first year is always the hardest for raising any pup, but it is your job to see
that he gets his needs met so he does not have to get obnoxious with so much
energy to burn. Your Whippet boy
needs at least 3 hours of running, particularly with other puppies, in a safe
area. Start obedience classes soon,
and get your boys involved in the training.
Dear
Dr. Schwartz;
We
just adopted a 2 1/2 yr old male Shiba Inu from our local shelter.
We
Dear
Doug & Kathy in Colorado,
It
could be that he is a bit anxious in his new home, or it could be that he is not
prone to licking to show affection. It
is not really a ‘breed thing’. Perhaps
he was discouraged from licking in his previous homes.
Licking is a submissive behavior that is also associated with juveniles
soliciting food from an adult. Dogs
don’t need to show they love you with licking.
Just look at their eyes…and give this guy time to learn to love you.
Shelter dogs have baggage; it takes time to unpack!
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
Our
5-yr-old Pug barks at and chases lights. This occurs outdoors when airplanes go
over our house, when you turn on the overhead fan (with our without the light),
when the light reflects off the walls or doors. It is very annoying. We have
tried everything. When he was a puppy our daughter would shine a flash light
which in turn would send him barking and chasing after it. I soon discovered
that he developed an uncontrollable urge to bark at any type of light and chase
after it. We have curbed his behavior somewhat, by informing him when we are
going to turn on a light. We are at our wits end with this.
Dear
Janice in Dayton, OH,
This
is an amusing example (well, maybe less amusing to you!) of how we are often
responsible for the doggies we create. It
is important to consider that what pups learn in play is what will become part
of their adult repertoire. So, now
that you’ve taught him to do this, teach him not to do it by learning
something else as a response to a flash light or other light.
‘Sit’ or ‘down’ are always appropriate; reward him with a few
tiny treats at first and then just use praise for appropriate behavior.
And get him another hobby, such as chasing Frisbees, instead…
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
Jabba
is a 12 wk old male American Bulldog. He is absolutely wonderful except he eats
dirt and any rocks he can find. He
will dig through the grass to eat dirt and tries to bite and lick the sidewalk.
I have a hard time believing it is a nutritional deficiency because I
feed him a high grade dog food (Canidea).
Aloha
Andy & CJ in Hawaii,
Although
it is probably normal for puppies to taste the dirt, rocks and cement are no-nos.
Make sure he does not have any digestive problem (such as worms).
This is not a nutritional deficiency, however,
I am not familiar with your dog food, and suggest you switch to a well
known brand. Your vet can help you
with your selection. Some
compulsive behaviors run in breed lines. Check
with your breeder for any similar behavior in relatives.
If nothing obvious comes up, it may be necessary to set up a consult with
me, so please stay in touch!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
am trying to mate my 3 yr old Shih Tzu female for the first time to a six month
old stud. Is he too young to try to
mate with her? They have been
together for 4 days but he hasn't tried to
Dear
LaTrina,
Inexperience
can affect sexual performance in males, and this little guy is quite young.
Your female is also new at this, however, she may not be in full estrus
just yet. Individual preference
also plays a role in mating between dogs, and males generally feel more
confident in their own territory. Speak
with your veterinarian who can advise you regarding your female’s fertility;
for a first litter at her age, and if she is not of particular breeding value,
it may be best to have her spayed.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
adopted an adorable Shih Tzu from the pound 5 months ago. He is the love of my
life and extremely well-behaved. When it rains, he absolutely doesn't want to go
out...even if
Dear
Nancy Y.,
Most
dogs would prefer not to go out in the rain.
When you think about it, most critters (including us) seek shelter in
inclement weather. This is probably
an instinctive behavior. If he is
able to control his sphincters on an occasional rainy day, I wouldn’t worry.
If you like, you could construct a small roof outside your front or back
door to help him through those rainy days…
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
My
cat, Top Cat, is a great hunter. Lizards,
moths, and small snakes. I bet she has brought me 15 snakes over the last 2
years that I have had her. She brings them in through the doggie door I have
installed for my energetic Border Collie. Two weeks ago she brought in something
Dear
Jennifer in Houston, TX,
Where
do I start? If you read anything I
have written, you would know that I do not support allowing cats to roam.
You have described at least 2 very good reasons (there are many others)
to keep cats as exclusive house pets. Rabies
is a contagious and fatal disease that is transmissible to people.
Your cat should be vaccinated according to the laws in Texas.
I can tell you, however, that here in Massachusetts, an unvaccinated cat
who came in contact with bats (who can be carriers of the rabies virus) would be
placed in a 6 month quarantine and vaccinated only after 5 months.
The alternative is to euthanize the unvaccinated pet with possible
exposure to rabies. Cats use their
front and back claws in hunting, self-defense, and many activities. Cats have an
overwhelmingly devastating effect on wildlife.
Bats and snakes are valuable creatures that help to control insects that
also carry diseases transmissible to other animals such as mosquitoes (bats) and
pests such as mice (snakes). Indoor
cats should be vaccinated against all diseases as a precaution.
Cats who roam outside should not be declawed.
Cats should not roam outside. Period.
If you can’t keep her in, build an enclosed pen outside the doggie door to
protect her and others from her.
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
I
adopted my female Great Dane Justice, about 4 years ago.
I'm actually her 5th home. She is absolutely the most wonderful dog EVER
. . . I usually take her to a dog
park about 1 mile from my apartment between 3-4 days a week.
Sometimes there is around 18-20 dogs, all running around playing, ALL off
leash. She prefers to stay at my
side at all times. Whenever another
dog approaches she will growl and kind of nip at them, but never bites and tries
to fight. She is a little
protective over me, not aggressive to where no one or dog can approach.
I just wish I could let her understand it's okay for other dogs to run
around and play growl. Whenever the
other dogs are playing and they are growling or barking she runs up to them,
gets in between them (almost as if to say, "hey cut that out").
Dear
Angie in Birmingham, Alabama,
Now
Angie. We don’t know what
happened in her first 4 homes; perhaps she never had the chance to play much
with other dogs when she was learning how to be a dog herself.
She could be anxious with so many dogs and might be better in smaller
groups or just a couple of friendly dogs to develop friendships with to start.
She could also be defensive of you or she could be behaving as a mature
dominant female and overseeing the activity of younger dogs.
And it could be all of the above! Try
taking her when things are a bit less chaotic and see how things go…
Greetings
Dr. Cookie,
I
have a 1 yr old dog, half Chow Chow and half Bull Terrier.
He has been socialized since I adopted him at 10 weeks and has been to
obedience classes and ongoing training. He
is very friendly and lovable to most people and animals, but I have a friend who
visits once in a while and for some reason, Max greets her with heavy barking,
which subsides until she gets up to move at all, and then he will take notice of
her and bark again. She is a
taller, bigger person than myself or my roommate, but I do not want to believe
that her size would affect him.
Dear
Michele Martinez,
Some
dogs do react to people who look different if they have not been exposed to
them. So, for example, if your dog
has not seen many tall people, Asian people, or men, he might feel anxious.
In your case, however, it could just be that he doesn’t like her.
We all have individual preferences, and so do dogs.
Regardless of what his problem with her is, you have to control him and
remind him of his manners. Teach
him to sit or down and stay to greet you and everyone, and correct his barking
with a stern ‘no!’, following by a ‘sit’ and ‘good boy!’.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
have a 4 yr old female Maltese who seems to be depressed. It started
Dear
Courtney H.,
It’s
unclear whether she is depressed or just mellow.
Many dogs are less playful as adults.
She enjoys walking and socializing, just not wrestling (which is probably
not appropriate play anyway) or running after balls.
As long as she is eating well and your veterinarian feels she is healthy,
I would not worry. If she is not
yet spayed, it is time!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
My
2 yr old male, neutered cat has started mounting.
Just in the
Dear
Jessie M,
Persistent
sexual behavior in neutered cats is not unheard of.
In fact, I suspect it is probably more common then we know.
Once they discover it, they will do it with or without testicles.
Just say ‘no!’, push him away, and give him something else to do.
Play with him and provide a wide and variable choice of toys.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
am considering adopting a mistreated dog. He
is about a year old Chihuahua mix, maybe Jack Russell. He is very timid and shy.
He has warmed to the foster care provider and seems attached after 5 days
with her. What are the chances the dog will get over the timidity and be able to
play with children's friends and other strangers?
Dear
Mike,
If
this dog is able to relax after just a few days, the chances are good that he
will relax in a more permanent setting. However,
you don’t know how he is with children and may not have been socialized to
them. So I’d take it very slow
and give him time to bond to the adults in the family and with the children only
when they are in ‘quiet mode’ and under your supervision.
No dog should be left alone with children or strangers.
Dr.
Cookie;
Back
5 years ago a neighbor’s Boxer came in my yard and took my Pekingese dog by
the neck and killed it. I
called the dog warden and all they did was tell her to put it on a leash since
our town has a leash law. During the past 5 years this Boxer has killed another
dog, a cat, and chickens and geese. Just
this past Thursday, it got a hold of another neighbor’s dog and seriously
injured it. The next day he came into my garage and grabbed my new Pekingese
dog. It did not kill it but he has
three bite wounds. I am really
concerned since we do have several young children living in the area that are
under the age of 7.. Is it safe for them???
Dear
Donna,
This
kind of behavior is of real concern. Dogs
who are left unsupervised with this kind of aggression are a menace to everyone.
Has the dog officer been advised of all these incidents?
It might be an idea to circulate a petition with a complaint listing all
these unacceptable and sad incidents and present it to the police.
Leash laws are meant to be enforced.
Dogs with this history are at high risk of aggression toward people,
including children. It is
unfortunate that this dog belongs to irresponsible and negligent owners.
Dear
Dr Cookie,
Last
week one of our cats passed away unexpectedly and we are now trying to cope with
the loss. We have an Old English Sheepdog who is 18 months old who was very
close to the cat. During the day
she is left by herself in the house (which was never a problem before) but now
we are getting complaints from our neighbors that she is howling and barking all
day. I know that she must be
feeling the loss of our cat but how do we cope with this problem.
We leave toys for her and treats and I also come home during my lunch
hour and take her for long walks. Do you think this is just an immediate problem
or will the dog continue to be distressed in the future?
Dear
Tammi,
I
am so sorry for your loss. Our pets can and do form deep bonds with us and
other pets. They do not need to
understand what ‘death’ is (do any of us, really?) to react emotionally to
the abrupt absence of an attachment figure.
Separation anxiety syndrome is reported in pets whose housemates have
died. Your puppy needs some extra
attention these days before you leave (for details see my handout on Separation
Anxiety in pets) so that this does not become an ongoing problem.
Your dog might benefit from psychoactive medication for a short time too.
Please let me know if you’d like to set up a consultation.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
just adopted a 3 yr old tabby for my mom. As
usual the shelter claimed the cat had been determined healthy by their
cooperating vet and up to date on shots. My
concern is the cat does not appear to groom himself.
He is fearful, doesn't eat or play much either, but I had attributed this
to new home syndrome. I have been
researching and have found that lack of grooming is indicative of a disease,
probably in the mouth. Should I get
this cat checked over by my vet?
Dear
Cat Lover Jane,
Happy
and healthy kitties normally groom themselves several times a day, such as after
eating, before and after naps…Your new cat sounds very anxious.
It takes time for adoptees to acclimate to their new homes.
I would definitely recommend that he be examined by your own veterinarian
in case there is an underlying physical problem.
His lack of appetite is of more concern to me.
Once you know that all is well, give him lots of space and be patient.
Good luck!
Hello!
I have
three shelter kitties - five, seven, and somewhere between 10 and
Dear Noelle,
I have to admit, I haven’t licked much deodorant lately myself! But I would discourage your ‘babies’ from licking all these chemicals! Of course, the manufacturers might get a kick out of your report of how much you all love their product, put you in a commercial, and make your rich, but then you’d never be able to run for president because the whole world would know your little Secret! :-D
Hello Dr.Cookie from a fellow
Montrealer!
I was
wondering can cats be mentally retarded? I have 2 yr male cat named
Dear Cindy,
Goodness, he does sound a bit
‘eccentric’ doesn’t he?! Head
trauma is always a concern for long term health.
It is difficult to say whether his unusual behavior is due to brain
injury or whether he would have been this way anyway.
You describe a number of compulsive behaviors (eating dirt, licking the
bunny skull) and others that are perhaps just Rosco’s style (preference for
elevated surfaces, bedside lamp). As
for his litter box use, you’d at least get some direct tips from my handouts
on Elimination problems in cats, Litter training your cat, Territorial behavior
in cats…or you could just purchase my new book!
Rosco would make interesting discussion during a behavior consult!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Recently
my dog was lying on my bed with me when for no apparent reason she
Dear Ann Berninger,
Based on your description,
I’m concerned that your doggy has developed psychomotor seizures.
If she is generally calm and happy in between times, I don’t really
think you’re dealing with an anxiety disorder or a phobic response.
Please discuss these episodes with your veterinarian, who may want to
refer you to a veterinary neurologist in your area.
With seizure medication, if the consensus is that she may indeed have
seizures, she should do very well.
Dr. Cookie,
I'm not
quite sure what to do. My 2 year old ‘pound puppy’ Shih-tzu Sammy gets quite
excited when I
Dear Nancy Yamada,
Submissive urination is not
uncommon in young dogs. It is more
common in female puppies, and most dogs usually grow out of it.
However, because he is 2 yrs old and came from a shelter, I suspect you
may be dealing with separation-related anxiety and not just submissive
urination. Separation anxiety
syndrome is very common, and may be even more common in shelter adopted dogs.
He may also not be getting his bladder quite empty enough before you
leave…Urinary incontinence can occur in neutered male dogs too, but I’d
start with a urine analysis to make sure there’s no other underlying problem,
just in case! Please order my handouts on Separation Anxiety, House training
your dog, and Why it’s important to walk your dog.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
At night,
my dog Gracie starts scratching at the carpet in the living room.
She does not seem to be "making her bed" as
she does not lay down where she scratched.
Also, she does not always do this in the same place every time.
She takes her blanket and puts it under
Dear Lyda,
You describe compulsive digging
and another behavior which sounds like redirected play behavior.
I wonder if she just needs a nice long walk in the afternoon when you get
home from work, the opportunity to play with other dogs, and a rawhide bone to
occupy her at bedtime!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I
recently purchased a Pygmy goat kid and am interested in
"potty-training" him. I
had heard of people who have been able to train their goats to use a litter box
with great success but, unfortunately I do not know how to begin teaching this
behavior. I am a veterinary student at
Dear Amy Louise,
Well, this is a new one!
I am skeptical that this can be done successfully because goats are not
really known for their discrimination, - your little goat might well decide to
snack on the litter just as soon as void in it.
For what it’s worth, here’s my advice.
Confine your kid to an area that is completely covered with your litter
of choice. Gradually reduce that
area, and sprinkle food on the area you do not want him to void on. If you can be there with him, reward him immediately with a
special treat for voiding in the litter area.
You may well discover that the best thing would be to keep him in a
penned in area when you can’t be there to supervise his activity anyway.
Good luck!
Dear Dr.,
The
wallpaper in my hall resembles bark on a tree.
My cat is having a field day with
Dear Linda Muraca,
Place
scratch posts directly over the locations where your cat is scratching most, and
cover the other areas with something he won’t want to scratch (like a sheet of
acrylic, for instance). Order my handout on Training your cat to use the scratch
post, and Training your Pet to Tolerate Nail Trimming,
Destructiveness in Cats, Territorial Behavior
in Cats, and Declawing Your Cat ( a last resort, of course; but I’d rather see
him declawed, than deceased!).
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We adopted a 3
yr old male cat from the protection league 4 months ago. After 2 weeks, he
started displaying very domineering behavior, he demands all the doors in the
house open and if he doesn't get what he wants he scratches and pulls the carpet
up. He constantly meows at the top of his voice, and demands 110% attention all
the time. We have tried everything to stop this behavior but nothing seems to
work.
Dear Candyfloss in the UK,
It would be important to neuter
this boy. If he is neutered, it
might be an idea to double check his blood for testosterone, just in case a snippet
of testicular tissue was left behind. If
he is going to be an outdoor cat (not my preference), then he may be trying to
tell you that he wants to go outside on his own schedule, not yours.
He may prefer to go out in the afternoon instead of the morning, for
example. Your response to his
behavior should be 1) ignore him, no matter how demanding he becomes, he will
eventually realize that his behavior does not get any results; or 2) bring him
to the cat flap you have installed and scoot him out the door.
Sounds like he’s confused about the cat ‘flap’ (we’d call it a
cat door here in the US) not being universally installed on all the exits!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I have a 3 yr
old male cat. For the last 2 years,
I have taken him with me to my vacation condo.
It is a 1 hour drive, he rides securely in a pet carrier and seems fairly
happy but he meows the whole time. Also,
when nighttime comes he becomes very restless, sits near the front door and
meows (he never goes outside)! Sometimes
his behavior keeps up all night, very loud, howling meows!
During the morning and afternoon he always seems comfortable, happy and
well-adjusted!
Dear Sandra,
He sounds pretty anxious to me!
He is anxious in the car, but I wonder if there are not some odors
outside your vacation home that are calling to him.
At the very least, make him tired before you go to bed with some extra
special play time, toys, etc. so he is tired when you are.
You might also try placing him on a harness and leash so he stays in bed
where you say he is quiet.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have 2
pound mutts that my husband & I adore.
Since moving to the city, Lucie ‘s fear
Dear Nicole,
Most dog’s feel less anxious
in general when they feel confident in our leadership.
It’s not a question of scolding her, or of reassuring her either
(she’d only take that as positive reinforcement, which is not what you want).
Keep her on a short leash (4 ft or less), and train her to heel when you
pass anyone. Reward her with a
yummy tidbit. If she jumps or makes any aggressive move, she must down/stay and
then reward her for that! Order my
handouts on Basic obedience and Territorial Behavior in Dogs for more practical
tips and insight!
Dear Doctor,
We have a
Great Dane and she is eating her own poop.
I am embarrassed to even write about this, but it concerns us as to why
she is doing is and we would love to find out an answer as to why.
Dear Kelley Brown,
Coprophagia is a normal
behavior in mother dogs who clean their pups and keep the den area clean by
ingesting the waste. Many puppies
do this briefly but soon grow out of it. However, some dogs develop a taste for ‘poopsicles’ (the
frozen delicacy in winter months) or for their own stools, or those of another
animal. I can imagine that she must
like it a lot since Great Dane’s produce bowel movements in proportion to
their size!!! The handout on Elimination problems in dogs contains a discussion
on coprophagia. I’d also
recommend you order House training your dog, and why it’s important to walk
your dog for more important tips!
Dear Dr. Cookie
We have
2 male one year old cats that follow and sit with my partner, however,
Dear Steve Sorbie,
Cats, like people, develop
preferences. I’d recommend that
your partner withdraw from the cats and let you take over their needs for
attention, food, etc. Provide them
with additional treats that they only get from you for a few days, and then only
now and then. Let me know how you
do! It would be a shame to give
away these cats for this reason, although I understand that you feel personally
rejected. Just don’t take it
personally! Your resentment may be
recognized and push them away further!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have an
8 yr old Maine Coon. During the
past 2 weeks, I have found him chasing his tail.
We had another cat that lived with him for about 6 years.
She passed away in October of 2001.
Is he missing her, possibly lonely or maybe something is wrong.
He has never displayed this behavior before.
Dear Julie,
Separation-triggered anxiety
can be seen in pets who have lost their companions.
However, his behavior started quite some time since your other kitty
died. Your boy should be examined
by your veterinarian, who will also want to check his anal glands, make sure
there are no fleas, etc.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I have a
2 yr old male domestic shorthair cat that’s.
I attend school during the day and my live-in boyfriend works all day.
Pepi (my cat) is not usually vocal, but now when we come home he starts meowing
and won't stop. Could he be just
wanting attention after being alone all day? And would it be a good idea to get
him a friend like a kitten or an older cat, or does that even matter?
Dear Kim (sweetpea),
I think 2 cats are always
better than 1, and it’s great that you want to get another shelter cat.
Your questions are answered in my handouts on Pet Selection, and
Introducing New Pets. Just remember
that compatibility is hard to predict, and the key is to introduce them very
very gradually.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My 7 yr
old Pomeranian has a real fear of flying insects. In the summer she hides behind
chairs most of the time. When out, she scans the room constantly looking for
imaginary insects. This has been a real problem for a few years. Her vet
recommended Prozac or valium. I have yet to try either of these. I feel so sad
watching her & not being able to help.
Dear
DJordan32,
Instead of medicating the dog, perhaps you should put up some screens in your windows?! Fly strips will help to trap insects when you are not there. You could also get a kitten or cat who will not only keep your dog company but help to capture flying insects. Personally, I haven’t used a fly swatter in 22 years, since getting my first cat!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have
been taking my 5 1/2 mos old American Cocker to my friends house so he can play
with her 6 mos old Golden Retriever. I
visit her and her family weekly and her dog considers me part of the pack.
The last time I took my dog with me the two dogs played and ran and had a
great time together. However, whenever I went to pet my dog or he came to me for
attention, her dog would get between us and stick his head under my hand so I
couldn't touch my dog. Soon I
noticed a puddle behind my chair and, later, one next to my chair.
Then to my horror my dog urinated on my coat.
I was very upset by his lack of manners and my lack of a coat and quickly
said good-bye and took
Dear DJT,
Manners are for people.
All we can do is try to teach them socially acceptable behavior.
This retriever was dominating your dog and blocking his access to you.
No wonder your little guy was anxious, and he probably did mark you, but
more likely because of anxiety than strictly proprietary behavior.
Don’t let anything come between you and your little guy.
You are a pack of two. You
may be a peripheral pack member to your friend’s family, but your dog must
have priority where you’re concerned.
Hi Dr Cookie,
Today I came
home to find my dog had dug another hole in the wall of our living room.
She is generally a good dog but she has this problem with digging.
She first started digging when we kept her confined to one room when we
would go out. After she was potty
trained we let her roam in the house and she stopped digging in the walls.
We have a spot in the yard that she uses now to dig, but during the
summer it is our garden. Recently
she started digging in the house again. I have really had a hard time with this
dog. She waits for the perfect
opportunity to run out of the house, whether it be at 5 am or 11 pm, so we have
to chase her all around the neighborhood or this problem with digging.
I am at my wits end with this dog.
Dear Jessie Tuno,
Digging can be due to many
things – sounds like she digs for at least 2 common reasons: Separation
Anxiety Syndrome and frustration. Either
way, she is not having her needs met. There
are probably some very simple things to do to prevent her getting that anxious
or frustrated, rather than waiting for you to get anxious or frustrated.
Longer walks, play time with other doggies (daily if possible), agility
training, basic obedience training… get the picture?
If not, get the handouts (Separation Anxiety, Destructiveness in Dogs,
…) on the QuickFix page!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We
have a 5-month-old Shiba Inu named Lola. She has always been fine on a
Dear Anne,
I wonder if she simply prefers
the other routes you take! Still,
since it’s probably unwise to establish the precedent of her deciding where
and when you go by rebelling this way, and what you’ve tried has reinforced
her ‘stubbornness’ already, I’d advise you to stop going that way for at
least a month. By then, she might
be led by her own curiosity instead of with treats and a tight leash!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
Until
recently I had two German Shepherds female
4 years and male 3 years. One year
ago I rescued a young Collie/Aussie mix. Of course, all are neutered. All three dogs get along great almost all of
Dear Barbara,
Regardless of how large your
property is, and how secure the fence, there is nothing, and I repeat NOTHING
that replaces leash walks, at least twice daily. These dogs spend most of their time as a pack and unsupervised.
It was only a matter of time before they reverted to less than civilized
behaviors. You describe redirected
territorial aggression (redirected because they luckily can’t get to the
trigger on the other side of your fence). Meanwhile it may also be destabilizing
the dominance hierarchy between them. If
these are pets, they should be kept safe and sound indoors, unless you are out
there to make sure they know who’s boss and what the rules are!
Check out my handouts on Territorial Behavior in Dogs, and Why It’s
Important to Walk Dogs (much more important than you can imagine!).
Dear Dr. Cookie
My cat (an
outside cat) recently had babies. Now she comes inside even though we try to
keep
Dear Berry Bortz,
Get her spayed, keep her
indoors, and get at least 2 litter boxes for her use! My handout on Territorial Behavior in Cats will give you tips
on retraining cats to become house pets, and Elimination Problems in Cats will
help you with the rest. Cats should
remain indoors. Period.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have 2 Rottweilers. When they play with each other or a family member they
"sneeze" at each other or
Dear Chris Brown,
Play behavior contains
behaviors that sometimes seem out of place or exaggerated.
These are meant to signal to the playmates that their interaction is all
in fun, in case anyone gets a little anxious.
The play related ‘sneeze’ is an example of
a displacement activity. It
may be out of place, but it is very reassuring to know when a Rottweiler (or any
other goober dog) is just fooling around!
Hi,
My 17
year old female Siamese eats clean cat litter. She used to throw it up, but now
just digests it, sort of. She's very old and frail, and in failing health but I
want her to be comfortable.
Dear Cwparis,
Pica, the ingestion of nonfood items, can be particularly worrisome. Cat litter has no nutritional value and could make her ill. Your veterinarian will want to test her thyroid function because some cats with overactive thyroid glands develop ravenous appetites and lose their discriminating palates! Meanwhile, change to another litter filler that will be less appetizing (even if it’s just shredded newspaper). If the behavior continues, she might be a candidate for psychoactive medication to control her compulsive patterns. Keep in touch.
Hi Dr Cookie,
I have a pair of cockatiels and the hen won't stay with her egg; she just lays them and leaves. I am not even sure if the eggs are fertilized or not. We have even taken them to a completely different room away from the family area with hopes that with less distraction and stimulation that she would stay with the eggs. I am loosing hope that she will ever bring an egg to hatch and worry if she would be able to care for the babies if they should hatch. The other pair we have won’t even think about nesting! These birds were paired before we bought them from a breeder and I don't know what to do.
Dear Dawn Z. from Raleigh, NC,
Breeding birds and wild animals
in captivity is the topic of our times when we are relying increasingly on
artificial rearing to preserve endangered species more and more.
Still, cockatiels are among the easier species to breed.
Check with the breeder you got the birds from for specific tips and
tricks (no space here!). Consider not
just the placement of the cage, but the size of the cage.
Breeding birds need a lot of room, the appropriate type of nesting box
(or raw materials from which to build their own). Many breeders remove the eggs once they are hatched and incubate
them separately as a precaution anyway, then hand-rear the fledglings so they
will make better pets. If you are
serious about breeding, you need to do some basic research.
Don’t panic, prepare!
Dear Dr Cookie,
The
youngest of our 6 cats is a lovely 9 month old spayed female
Manx. We have recently
started
Dear Jenny,
You have a number of options:
1) Keep all your cats indoors. Surely
you know how I feel about allowing cats outdoors? Way too dangerous, and this is just one of the milder
dangers… 2) Construct an enclosed pen (complete with roof) so your kitties can
go outdoors but not stray far. 3) Cut down all the trees in a 10 mile radius of
your home :-)
4) Leave the kitty up there. She
has learned to climb up by observing your other cats; she will climb down when
she’s good and ready, although you may be readier before she is!
5) Keep all your cats indoors. 6) Cover the trunks of all the trees in a
10 mile radius with silicone spray so the cats will slip and slide (no, strike
that, the squirrels won’t be able to get away at all!); ok, how about covering
the trunks of all the trees in a 10 mile radius with a thick coat of honey so
the cats’ paws will get all sticky and gooey, won't climb, and maybe just stay
home where they belong! (of course, your furniture and carpets will be
completely ruined but at least honey is biodegradable and won’t harm the
environment!). :-)
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
husband and I recently adopted a 13 years young Greyhound!
She is a retired
Dear Kathy in PA
Certainly she was neglected but
it doesn’t mean she learned to do this to forage for food, necessarily…
After 13 years of confinement and breeding, she’s had time to develop all
kinds of neurotic and compulsive behaviors, and I reckon this is one of the
milder things she could be doing, given her history.
Offer her rawhide bones (the kind made from crumbled and recompressed
rawhide), take her for walks rather than just letting her out in the yard where
she’ll continue to eat dirt. She
might do well on psychoactive medication, but on the other hand, eating dirt is
not so bad. I mean, we might not
find it appetizing, but many dogs take a bit of soil now and then.
Soil probably won’t harm her, unless it contains parasites (ask your
veterinarian to do frequent stool analyses) or rocks.
In that case, you could always let her outside wearing a basket muzzle,
so she can’t eat anything. Have some
blood drawn every 6 months to make sure all is well, and verify her thyroid
function now. And love her everyday, the way she should have been loved the
first 13 years of her noble life. Thanks
for rescuing a Greyhound.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My son
gave his wife a Great Dane fawn bitch for Christmas. Gwen is now 12 weeks old,
but she
Dear Linda in Arizona,
Puppies normally investigate
the world around them, and just like human babies, everything goes in their
mouths. Soil sampling is normal,
for geologists and for puppies alike. It
is not a sign of dietary insufficiency, but primarily healthy curiosity.
Still, Utah mud pies are a bit rich as a constant diet, so it all comes
back to puppy proofing the home! Elevate
the plants, place them in an inaccessible area, cover them with chicken wire,
and give this puppy something more appropriate to chew on, like rawhide bones,
or another puppy friend in the park to play with!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
2 year old Bengal cat who seems to think
Dear Jean Miller in Missouri,
Territorial conflicts are not
uncommon in multicat households. Bengals
are muscular cats and would be overwhelming to a submissive kitty.
You are right to set up the time share solution. Meanwhile, play with her
more so she doesn’t victimize your other cats for entertainment.
Treat her more like a dog by playing more challenging interactive games.
For more detailed advice, order my handout on Territorial behavior in cats, and
Aggression between cats in a multicat home…
Hi Dr. Cookie!
This week
I'm in the process of getting fencing estimates for a fenced-in area for my
dogs, and happened upon your website Q&A which said a lot about not leaving
dogs unattended in fenced in areas.
Dear Cindy (Momopom),
Four dogs is a lot of work.
I’ve got 2 dogs and it sometimes FEELS like four!
You are doing everything right, by walking them, pairing them off by
their individual preferences, practicing obedience stuff.
Good girl! I’d recommend a
fenced in area, like a large pen, at least 4 ft. high.
They shouldn’t be out there for long unattended, but it would be a
holding pen. Just for containment,
temporarily, so you can have THEM under surveillance!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I just
learned of your site in an issue of Cat that I got from Iams.
We adopted 2 littermate Siamese crosses, one male and one female, from
our local rescue society when they were 4 months old. They are now 13 months old.
Both were neutered at the time of adoption. Sometimes when I am petting the male and he's purring
contentedly, he will very carefully put his teeth on one of my fingers.
He never breaks the skin and releases after a couple of seconds.
I have tried to discourage this by hissing or sternly saying No and
removing my hand. He just keeps
purring and seems to ignore me completely.
Is this his way of showing affection?
I really don't know a lot about cats and will appreciate any insight you
can give me.
Dear Leslie Collier,
Well, cats do sometimes give
‘love bites’, but it could be a form of dominance behavior too.
Either way, it’s not an appropriate behavior to encourage. I’d like
to see you stop petting him BEFORE he nips.
That way, you can avoid reinforcing the behavior.
And I strongly recommend you pick up a copy of my new book “Dr.
Cookie’s Guide to Living Happily Ever After With Your Cat” (St. Martin’s
Press, 2002), which I know you will find informative, heart-warming, and
inspirational!
Hi,
I have a
Birman who is just a year old. He
bites and pulls on his claws and I was wondering if you could tell me why he
might
Dear Tina,
Healthy cats groom themselves
thoroughly, and clean paws is part of their toilette! Some parts of grooming behavior are stereotypic, meaning that
all cats do certain grooming sequences in exactly the same way.
But then there is also lots of room for individuality and style.
As long as he is not injuring himself or spending unusual amounts of time
grooming himself, don’t worry. Your
boy likes to be well manicured, it seems.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Our cat,
Daisy, nearly 17 years old, has decided to make the cloakroom her home, sleeping
on the cistern or in the washbasin. Until
about four weeks ago she was very friendly, affectionate, full of beans and
would sleep anywhere that was warm. The
vet cannot find anything wrong physically, x-rays, blood tests, etc.
Dear Susan Watkins from the UK,
Preferences in sleeping perches
can change over time, or with the seasons. It also depends on the preferences of other cats who might be
dominating her, or other changes in your household. As long as she is eating well, not losing weight, grooming
herself, has a nice healthy coat, and continues to socialize with you, it does
not concern me at this time. At her
age, however, it might be wise to repeat the blood tests, urine analysis, and
perhaps an ultrasound (which might pick up what a radiograph might miss) in
another 3 to 6 months.
Dr. Schwartz,
I am the
owner of a Caracal and an African Serval. My
Caracal is very wonderful in the way of litter box duties in spite of being
badly abused in a sanctuary for 90 days. My
Serval , Noah on the other hand is a different story.
If I lock them in the bedroom with me at night he will use the litter
box. If I let him be he will pee on
the condo every 30 minutes and if I clean it up the we pee on it every 5
minutes! He is as healthy as a
horse, no infections or kidney problems, just an overactive tail!
He is the typical boy in that while he is having his pee he will face
towards the sliding
Dear Deborah-Ann,
All cats mark their territory with urine. Why should a Serval be any different? He’s just doing his night time territorial patrol/marking thing. You have found one solution that works so stick to it! If he is civilized when confined at night, then that’s the way to go. If he is not neutered, that would be helpful. Handouts on Territorial Behavior in Cats, Elimination Problems in Cats would all apply to your big kitties, too. Meanwhile, get a king size bed so that you can all stretch out comfortably!
Dear Dr
Cookie
We
found our cat about a year ago, she was about 3 mos old and in a terrible state;
a very badly broken leg, cuts, etc. She
is now physically very well, but she hates her tail. She hisses, screams and
bites it and then runs round the flat trying to get away from it.
We have checked with the vet to see if it’s a physical problem but the
vet said it wasn’t. It sounds
funny, but it isn’t when you see how distressed she is.
What can we do to help her?
Dear
Annabel in Italy,
Your
veterinarian should make certain that your cat’s anal sacs are not inflamed or
infected. This can be done under
brief gas anesthesia if necessary. A
fecal exam would be important to make certain there are no intestinal parasites.
In the absence of any underlying medical problem, this may well be an
obsessive compulsive disorder. These
generally respond well to treatment. Please
contact me again to set up an email consult once these other possibilities are
excluded!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a 2 and 1/2 year old Golden Retriever who delivered her first
Dear
Caryn,
Your dog
is displaying conflict behavior. The
fussing and restlessness indicates her anxiety because she is torn between
staying with you and her pups. Why
don’t you just bring the pups into your bedroom? At least place them in a room on the same floor as the
bedroom. That should do the trick
to give you both some sleep!
Dear Dr.
Cookie:
My
little 8 month old Siamese, Lucy, is driving me crazy with her
scratching..-everything, me included. I
have tried to get her to use a scratching post but to no avail.
Can you recommend something else before she has everything in shreds?
Dear
David,
I’d
recommend you order my handouts on How to Teach your Pet to Tolerate Nail
Trimming, Destructiveness in Cats (which includes scratch post
training), and Declawing Your Cat (which I hope will be a last resort)!
If she is also being aggressive toward you, you should consider a consult
so that we can deal with all your problems with Lucy before things get worse.
I am here if you need me.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
My
11 year old Cocker began by licking a rock wall. Now she and her 9 yr old
daughter eat dirt out of potted plants. My vet doesn’t have a good answer.
Should I test them for parasites or provide vitamin-mineral supplements?
Dear
Hollis in Santa Rosa, CA
You
describe 2 behaviors: excessive licking and the ingestion of soil.
These oral behaviors are normal but not in the degree you describe.
Parasites are unlikely as the cause, however, eating dirt is a good way
to get them, so I’d suggest a fecal analysis anyway.
These behaviors are not symptomatic of dietary imbalance and they are
eating an excellent food. Pica, the
ingestion of nonfood items, can be associated with a number of behavioral
disorders. The fact that the 2
behaviors coexist suggests that they share a common cause.
I’d love to do a consult so that we can help your potted plants (and
your puppies of course :-D)!
Dr.
Cookie,
I
have 2 Shih Tzus, male-5 female-6, since they were puppies. They've always been a little clingy because they are spoiled
rotten and treated like children. I
cook all of their meals, they have there own clothes, sleep with me every night,
and have a live-in baby sitter if I have to go out of town.
A few months ago, my husband of 2 1/2 years had some pretty major
arguments, and at the time, my little boy sat in the corner and yelped at the
top of his lungs. We haven't had any more major arguments, and the only time our
voices are raised is if we are yelling at each other from opposite ends of the
house to say something, but never anything else in anger. However, during the past three weeks my little boy has been
acting really strange. He will
periodically run
Dear
Carol,
Your
dog’s anxiety appears to be generalizing to several contexts.
His overdependence is of concern, and I wonder how much of it you have
yourself encouraged (at least initially)? Please
contact me so that we can set up an email or telephone consult.
This kind of anxiety will likely require careful discussion and
monitoring.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
When
my husband and I go on vacation once a year (for a week), we
Dear Kim,
Here’s
my opinion: 1) You have a right to
go on vacation for at least a week without feeling guilty about it! 2) Cats are
affected by separation from attachment figures but this can be dealt with
appropriately if things become truly problematic. 2) I think that cats are fine
for brief periods in a familiar environment with a pet-sitter (professional or
otherwise). 3) The only cruelty here would be to allow your mother-in-law to
interfere! Maybe she just wants to
come along on your next trip? Don’t
worry, be happy!
Dear Dr.
Cookie:
I
have a male kitten born on 3.09.01. I
kept him when my female cat had kittens. Although
his mother (a rescue cat) has always used a scratch post, he is causing a lot of
damage to my home by scratching the woodchip wallpaper.
I have only caught him doing this a couple of times so it has been
difficult to discipline him. I have used the cat sprays - no good - water sprays do not
seem that effective either as he seems to love water. I keep both of the cats as house cats.
Dear
Lesley in the UK,
If I
understand correctly, both cats are now neutered and remain indoors, right?
Hope so! Sounds like your
boy cat has acquired a liking for the texture of the wallpaper.
You have a challenge here, depending on how widespread is the application
of this wallpaper in your home. Forget
the sprays. You need to place scratch posts where he is scratching, cover or
remove the wall paper elsewhere. It
may be time to redecorate. Perhaps
the addition of wainscoting or paneling? Declaw
is a last resort but I’d rather see him live happily ever after with you than
be put down or given away with his claws intact…My handout on Destructiveness
in Cats should cover most of the bases. Also,
my new book is now available and covers this in great detail: see the Books
page on this web site for more information on “Dr.
Cookie’s Guide to Living Happily Ever After With Your Cat” (St.Martin’s
Press, 2002).
Dear Dr. Cookie
My fiancé
has a 5 yr old Pit Bull named Diesel. I'm
6 months pregnant and I have a 4 year old little girl from a previous marriage.
I feel our relationship is not going so well
Dear Bridgette,
Honestly?
I think you should say goodbye to both of them.
Seems to me that both man and dog are accidents waiting to happen. The
dog's misbehavior has given you the valuable opportunity to see what kind of a
life-partner this man will make for you. The way I see it, the dog is
doing you a favor...
Hello Dr. Cookie,
I
have a new puppy and I also have a inside cat.
The puppy has been going into the cat box and sitting and I do not know
why. The cat box has a cover over
it and I am wondering if my puppy thinks it is a dog house.
Please tell me how to break him from doing this.
Dear Carol,
Your puppy is probably just
exploring. Put a baby gate across
the door to the room where the litter box is to keep the puppy out, or turn it
in toward the corner or wall so that cat can get in but your puppy can’t.
Dear Dr Cookie....
My 2 yr
old spayed indoor cat has begun chewing wooden objects in my home. She is in
good health and very active.......Would you know why she is doing this?
Dear Cheryl,
Chewing is normal in young animals as they investigate objects in their environment. Sometimes, even cats develop a liking for some surfaces but there is a fine line between normal and excessive chewing. Compulsive oral behavior is reported in cats and may be your problem, however, it could just be an undesirable habit. Keep your kitty busier with other diversions such as more play time with you, alternating toys, and maybe even little rawhide sticks that crumble when she chews them! If this is not enough, consider setting up a consult with me. Destructive chewing can be hazardous to her health. Unless, of course, she's really a beaver disguised as a cat...
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I am a
licensed Veterinary Technician and feel as if I have failed with my own pet. I
adopted Byron, now a 6 yr old Sharpei/Black lab mix, at 8 weeks old.
At the time, I was in high school and lived with my parents. He stayed
there while I went off to college. There
were no other pets in the home, so he did not get the socialization that he
needed.
Dear Christopher,
Predatory behavior toward cats
can occur in dogs that have been reared in the absence of cats but many dogs
that have never seen a cat will not show any predatory inclinations.
Instinct is a very powerful motivator.
There are training techniques that could be tried (I’m happy to set up
a consult if you like), however, your problems with this dog are not limited to
anti-feline sentiment. He is not
under voice command and is probably not getting enough exercise either, both of
which probably contribute to his hunting frenzies.
Putting him in a home with other cats at this point would be a big
mistake. Handouts you need include:
Predatory Behavior, Introducing New Pets, Basic Obedience…
Dear Dr. Cookie
This past
June I adopted a 10 mo old kitten. He's
a feisty little
Dear Diane,
Yikes!
Being a tree trunk sounds painful. The
thing is that cats need to climb. They
were born to climb and to explore elevated surfaces.
You need to make sure he is tired with planned interactive play so that
he doesn’t need to come looking for you to be his toy.
Purchase or make your own cat tree, with platforms at several intervals,
wrap the ‘trunk’ in sisal, dangle toys from it… and put a collar with a
bell on him so you can hear him coming BEFORE he ambushes you and YELL
‘NO!’. And don’t forget to
trim his claws at least every 2 or 3 weeks.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
7 mo old Australian Terrier and she does something that is
Dear Errol,
This probably started as a
random playful poke and got a ‘fun’ response from you, from her perspective
anyway. It doesn’t sound like
you’re discouraging it either, however, it is playful aggression that is not a
good precedent to set between dogs and people.
Give her attention before she needs to provoke you for it!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
We have a
sweet 4 yr old Kerry Blue Terrier named Molly. The one behavior problem that we have not been able to
control is her jumping on people. When
new people arrive, her first instinct is to get on her hind legs and jump up on
them with her front paws.
Dear Heather & Gregg in
Seattle, WA
Have you taught her to greet people otherwise? How do you encourage her to greet you and your family? Start with calm entrances. Teach her to sit and stay to greet you and your family. And do the same with visitors, even if you need to have her on a leash at first. That’s what obedience commands are for, you know – to teach your dog how to behave in every context of your lives together!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I
have a 15 mo old German Shorthaired Pointer.
Whenever he hears a disturbing noise, i.e. the phone ringing, hammering
nails, or just a person talking loudly he reacts. He runs around frantically and begins to lick the floor.
What can we do to calm his nerves?
Dear Tricia,
Make sure he is getting more than enough exercise. And time to play daily with other doggies is essential. Tired and gratified doggies are less reactive to many external stimuli. Practice with these noises by recreating them and teaching your pup to find a toy or rawhide bone instead. Ask a friend to call you, for example, and let the phone ring while you retrain your little guy, on leash if necessary.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have 2 male
kitties, recently neutered, that are 6 + months old.
They were litter mates and seemed very attached to each other, so I kept
them both. They like to sleep close
together, in my bed, which is not a problem.
Except Duncan sucks and slobbers
Dear Jan5010,
Don’t worry about, they’re
not! Duncan will grow out of it eventually…
Hi Dr. Schwartz,
My dog
Cody has suddenly become afraid to be in the house.
He runs upstairs as soon as we enter the house, and won't come down even
if induced with treats and toys. He
has always run straight to his toys in the family room when coming home
Dear Jen,
I would definitely encourage
you to set up a consult with me. I wonder if something happened while you were away?
An underlying medical problem should also be considered…
Hi Dr. Cookie,
I have a
Shih-tzu who is about 2 yrs old and we are breeding her. We got to breed her one
good time but she will refuse to do it again could this be because she got
pregnant on the first time?
Dear Pam,
It is possible that mating is painful for some bitches, but it is also possible that she does not prefer the mate you have chosen for her. Mate preference is recognized in dogs, and in cats. It might be kindest to have her neutered. If you really want puppies, there are lots of wonderful dogs looking for homes in shelters around the country! She doesn’t need the experience and apparently doesn’t want it either way.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
We have a
3 yr old female cat and a 7.5 mo old male kitten, both neutered. We brought the
male home 2 months ago and followed the recommended introduction steps to the
letter...or so we thought. The problem is that our female cat has chosen to set
up residency in our bedroom, on our bed and the male kitten now regularly
patrols the area, monitoring her every move, sometimes lying across the doorway,
and when she attempts to venture out into other parts of the house, he is there
to chase her right back onto the bed. We have an extra litter box and feeding
station set up near our bedroom for her, but it doesn't do much good when she
isn't even able to get off the
Dear Scott and Melissa,
Keep your bedroom door closed
during the day when you’re not there to monitor him.
And when you’re home, keep him busy with interactive play right up to
your bedtime so he won’t go looking for an easy target to torture.
Territorial behavior is often confused with playful chases but playful
energies can be rechanneled into territoriality.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My
2 yr old female Pit Bull has a tendency to try and mount family members when she
gets playfully excited. I have had
her for only 6 months, she had a litter 5 months ago and has turned into a
wonderful pet. She is very docile
and loves every family member. When
we get her excited playing and wrestling, she starts into a strange humping
behavior. She only seems to do this
when we get her very excited playing. She
has never shown any aggression, or domineering behavior, not even towards our
cat.
Dear Sylvie,
First of all, you need to get some obedience training so that you will understand more about dogs and how to control them. Wild play is not appropriate between people and dogs but how they play with each other is up to them. Mounting is indeed dominance behavior when directed toward people and should be discouraged. Please order my handouts on Dominance behavior in dogs and Basic obedience. Second of all, get this dog spayed before her next heat. Period.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Our
family currently includes a 4 yr old female English Bulldog, Connie, and George,
a Basset hound, who is 18 months old and neutered. George likes to tease Connie
a lot but overall he has accepted her as alpha dog. We are planning to expand
our family to include an American Bulldog born to parents with an overall stable
and gentle dispositions. Should we choose a male or female? Will neutering or
spaying be recommended?
Dear Chantal & Jeff,
Neutering (male or female) is
always appropriate for a pet. As
for gender, it might be a bit easier with a female because males tend to be a
bit rowdier. It also depends on how
experienced you are with basic training, and how much exercise they all get!
I’d recommend you order my handout on Pet Selection, which goes into
more details, as well as How to Introduce New Pets, which is another important
aspect of your situation!
Hi Dr. Cookie,
I am
E-mailing you for advice on introducing a male Burmese kitten 13 wks old to
Yoko, a 5 yr old Burmese female. She is very aggressive towards other animals at first but has
proven if you are patient she will adapt to sharing with other cats and dogs.
I would like her to have a fellow feline to lick as much as it is
heartwarming to be her companion and she does like to try to clean me at every
opportunity.
Dear George Matheson,
The most important tip is to take the introduction very slowly. Your little boy should be kept in a separate room for at least 2 or 3 wks, to give the time to adjust. The step by step plan is described in detail in the handout on Introducing New Pets, but you would also benefit from reading Pet Selection, and Territorial Behavior in Cats, too. Have fun!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
4 yr-old Himalayan cat. We got her as stray
when she was about 2. She is
spayed, and mostly she stays in the house or on our screened-in patio.
She occasionally goes into the outside yard, but never goes very far.
When we first got her, she used her litter box.
However, she now uses the flower beds on the patio and leaves a mess.
We have tried red pepper (she loves it and rolls in it).
We have moved her litter box to various locations inside and out, and
have even attempted to dedicate her "favorite spot" in the garden to
the purpose. We also have mixed the
garden mulch into her litter. Nothing
seems to work. Do you have any
suggestions?
Dear Joe,
KEEP HER INDOORS!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
How can I
train my 6 month old cat to stay off of the stove top, kitchen counters and
kitchen table? She is a
"good" jumper, and she does it when I'm at home, or at night or when
I'm away - basically whenever she feels like it.
Dear Sue,
To keep cats from jumping is like trying to keep fish from swimming. It is natural for them to explore vertically and horizontally! So, you want to give her more interesting surfaces to explore. Purchase or make a ‘cat tree’ with perches, add some window perches, play more with her… You can also add some sheets of contact paper with the sticky side up on the countertops to give her an unpleasant surprise!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a beautiful Great Dane that is around 9 months old and weighs 102 lbs. We take her places to run and romp and she gets to socialize with other dogs. Obviously we are wrapped around her enormous paw. I have been off work for around 3 weeks on medical leave so I have not had to leave her alone. When we do leave her at home by herself or even with our friend's Dane, she finds our stuff... my hair brush, the telephone and other things she normally does not touch and chews them up. I have read about Separation Anxiety and I am almost positive that is the problem. I just think it's cruel to pin such a big animal up all day while I go to work. Is there hope that we won't have to build shelves to put all our possessions on via a step ladder? She is so well behaved when we are here.
Dear Karen,
It might be Separation Anxiety Syndrome, however, she might not be getting enough exercise or intellectual stimulation. If she is not completely exhausted and ready for a long nap by the time you leave, you are setting her up to get in to mischief. Puppies love to explore and destructiveness is sometimes a by-product. Puppy proofing your home is more challenging for a big puppy who can reach almost anything! Order my handout on Separation Anxiety, and consider hiring a dog walker to help her make it through the day!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
What are
the cognitive abilities and emotional capacities of dogs? Do we know? If not,
can we ever know? I've been wondering this ever since I got my dog (first time
dog owner) 3 years ago.
Dear Nancy R.,
Dogs are intelligent and
feeling creatures. Research is
ongoing into various aspects of these vast questions.
Intelligence is a controversial topic, even in people.
It is even more difficult to evaluate in nonhumans because each species
and even breed within a species may be better adapted for a specific task, and
so perform less well on standardized tests.
That’s why some dogs (e.g. Afghans) perform less well on some tests
compared to other breeds (e.g. Border Collies), so I reject many of these
results, especially when conducted by nonprofessionals.
As for their emotional capacity, how does one test this for anyone?
I can tell you that after nearly 20 yrs of practice, I see the emotional
repercussions of our lives impact our dogs directly and indirectly. And I see dogs (and cats) everyday who do not get either
their intellectual or emotional needs met, and suffer the consequences.
I try to make everyone who visits this site more aware of their pets’
basic needs; ultimately, are we so different?
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I live in
South America and have two puppies; a Rottweiler 9 months old and a 10 month old
Bull Mastiff/Ridgeback who are destroying my garden.
Seems to happen at night or when I leave them for
more than about 6 hours or so. They
are also into excavation and I was advised to drop a bit of their poop in the
area to avoid this.
Dear Ann,
Why are they alone in the
yard for so long??? This not only sets them up for mischief without
supervision, but exposes them to theft, injury, and regression to wild
behaviors. Keep these dogs safe and
sound indoors when you leave. Make
sure they are ready to nap after a long long long walk, some obedience training,
and play in the yard WITH YOU. Give
them rawhide bones and satisfy their needs.
Otherwise, they will create their own entertainment, as you have found
out
Dear Dr. Cookie;
My Pug,
Mr. Tibbs, is now 7 months old and
while we are at home I can hardly take a step without him following me.
But as soon as we got into the woods he stuck to my husband, Dick, like
glue. If I tried to get him to stay
with me (carrying him occasionally), he would get quite distressed and would be
looking all over for him and if he couldn't see him, he would start whimpering
and get really fidgety. When my dog and I go hiking ourselves, he stays very
close to me but not when Dick is around. I
am also the one who feeds him, nurtures him, plays with him, shops for him, etc.
I can't figure it out.
Dear Ramona,
Mr. Tibbs probably relates to
you as he would his own mother. He
recognizes your rank, however, during a pack territorial patrol (walks, hikes)
he follows the leadership of the ranking male.
This is normal and even desirable! Don’t
take it personally, he is not rejecting you, just bonding with Dick.
Doesn’t Dick deserve some adoration too?
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My 6 month old spayed pup walks well in her harness 95% of the time. As we near completion of our walk, she begins to nip at ankles, jump up and grab at coat sleeves to the point of nearly tearing them. I have told her to sit, and refused to continue the walk until the behavior changes, but she is VERY persistent.
Dear San-d Lynas,
Well, could be she’s trying
to tell you she’s not ready to go home (walk her until SHE’S tired); or, she
needs more obedience training (enroll in a puppy class); or, she needs to play
with other doggies (find a doggy park near you); or, she needs a little choke
collar (nylon or small rings) with a 4 ft. leash to give you more authority!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
We have a Yorkshire terrier that runs out of the house every chance he gets. He will run up and down the neighborhood and is almost impossible to catch because of his small size and incredible speed. It can be infuriating and frightening at the same time as we are worried that he will get hit by a car. It seems that he thinks it is a game.
Dear Susan,
Your little Yorkie may not be getting enough exercise or play time with other doggies. In addition, escaping is self-reinforcing; the more he can do it, the more he will. So, aside from taking him for longer walks, play with other pups, obedience class and daily practice for intellectual stimulation…put a little bell on his collar so you can hear him coming! Also, leave the leash on indoors so you have something to grab, just in case.
Dear Dr Cookie,
Henry, our German Short Haired Pointer (almost 1 yr old) is
crazy! We knew that these dogs could be "hyper" when we got him, but are completely stunned at how "looly" he really is. Apart from the fact
that he has chewed our entire home, from the walls to the couch, he just cannot calm down. He will literally "bowl" people over, runs
around the house puffing and panting and out of control. We have an acre of land, and I spend about 45 minutes each morning and again in the evening throwing the ball and playing with him. He
also plays outside with my children. He just NEVER seems tired. He is trained quite well, in that he will sit, stay, fetch, give a paw etc, but when he gets "loopy" he
doesn't listen to any of the commands!
Dear Sue Acosta,
Sounds to me like Henry is never reeled in. He is off leash, running around, doing what he pleases. It's not that he doesn't need this, but he also needs to know that you are the leader. Leashes are a good thing; keeping someone on a short leash means something! He can't get everything he needs playing with your children or you. He needs to play with other friendly dogs in a safe area other than your own yard. He shouldn't play with people the way he needs to play with other dogs. Finally, your training is not standing up to the test of more distracting situations or his own moods. If he were really well trained, nothing would break his focus or obedience. I'd suggest you order my handouts on Basic Obedience, Why it's important to walk your dog, & Play Behavior in dogs for additional tips on how to apply training to raise a more civilized doggy!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
new "shelter" kitty, Dusty, is adjusting to his new pampered lifestyle
just fine. He's happy to have a good home, lots of
room to move around, and a whole family
devoted to making him a happy kitty. He does
have a strange habit at night, though...when he comes to bed, he will
come up close to my face (or my husband's, depending on which side of the
bed he jumps up on) and then he marches. Not just kneading, which I am familiar
with, but MARCHING...with all four feet. He hooches up his back almost
like he is going to urinate or have a bowel movement, and marches, marches,
marches. Then he makes a funny squeak and starts nipping on our hand
or whatever appendage is available. If I interrupt him and put him down off the
bed, he'll leave and then come back a few minutes later and just lay down and go
to sleep.
Dear
Jeanie,
Hooching? That’s a new one for me! :-) This could be his own version of kneading, however, it sounds more like a sexual behavior. Just keep interrupting him; he’ll probably stop doing his ‘happy dance’ in time.
Dear
Dr. Cookie
My 1-1/2 year old Vizsla ‘Azlan’ has a problem of peeing when he gets too excited. He just can't seem to contain himself especially when he sees me. My husband and I never spank him and socialize him at least an hour a day without fail. He sleeps in bed with us and is treated like a prince. When left home alone he is not crated and has never destroyed a thing. He also has reacted this way when friends come over, so it’s not just me.
Dear
Amanda,
Submissive
urination is not uncommon in young dogs. I
see it mostly in female pups, but most dogs outgrow when they mature.
Keep your greetings calm, avoid eye contact, ignore him until he settles
down. Ask your friends to do the
same. Most dogs with this problem
are reacting to your excitement when you first walk in, so keep things soothing
rather than hysterical!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I
had two cats one 15 yrs old, one 8 yrs old.
I had no problems with the 8 year cat until my 15 yr old cat died.
Now the 8 year old cat is not going in the litter box.
I've tried several things
suggested by my vet; he has no medical problems. It’s been 5 months since the other cat died and nothing is
working.
Dear
ANGELAG994
Pets do form bonds with each other and can be impacted by the loss of a companion. Beyond the immediate emotional reaction, however, misbehaviors can become long term habits even when the memory of the original trigger has faded. I would urge you to set up a consult with me so that we can resolve the problems. At the very least, there are some handouts that you should order from the QuickFix page (Coping with Pet Loss is now available on its own link in the left menu; Territorial behavior in cats; Elimination problems in cats…).
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I have a 3 yr old cat (Jack) who places his teeth around my leg; he does not bite down, and he releases immediately. I am not worried about this, but we now have a 12 wk old kitten (another stray), and though they get along well, Jack will wrap his teeth around the underside of the kittens neck and hold it there for a minute or so. He has not broken the skin and he will start to groom the kitten while he is demonstrating this behavior. Is this just a sign of affection on Jack's part?
Dear Cheryl (mother of Jack & Drefan)
During grooming, cats will occasionally give each other little ‘love bites’, which are partly related to play behavior. No problem there. I think he is playing with you when he nips at you but I don’t think you should tolerate even play aggression directed toward people. The handout on Play behavior in cats would be helpful to you.
Dear Dr.,
Why does my dog eat dirt/gravel?
Dear
Margaret,
Pica, the ingestion of non-food items, may be part of normal exploration but it can be a dangerous activity. Dirt is one thing (he could still absorb bacteria or even parasite eggs in the soil) but gravel and larger stones or rocks are foreign bodies that can kill the dog. Some dogs eat dirt or other unusual objects when they have digestive troubles or other physical illness. Compulsive behavior must be distinguished from curiosity or even frustration due to lack of appropriate activity and entertainment. Please contact me if your dog continues to have problems with this.
Dear
Dr. Cookie:
My kitten Marley is about 5 months in age. The other day I was laying on the couch with my head on a pillow. Marley decided to come and pee on the pillow. She also has peed on another pillow of mine and my husband's pants. When she is in trouble she is put in a room with all of her stuff. in this room she will poop, not in her litter box but right there on the floor in front of the door! She can't go outside because we live in a small apt. complex, and I really don't want to give her away, but my son is 1 and into everything, I can't run the risk that he'll be playing with kitty poop or pee..
Dear Keelie,
You should make an appointment to have your kitten spayed. She could be coming into heat, which begins around 6 months of age, and an increase in marking behavior is normal. If she is anxious, she may also urinate or defecate, so I would discontinue punishing her by locking her in a room (especially without a box)! Please order the handouts on Elimination problems in cats and Territorial behavior in cats; these will give you much detail that I can’t fit in this column. She should not be put outside regardless of where you live.
Dear
Dr.Cookie,
I have a 3 yr old Jack Russell Terrier. Buddy shows extreme affection. If we are sitting on the sofa, he lays tight up against one of us. If I am using the computer like I am now, he lays at my feet. If I get up for a drink, he follows me. He sleeps next to me in bed. He is a well behaved dog, other than this. Please tell me what this means.
Dear Bob in Florida
It means you have little guy who wants to be near you! It could also mean that he is a bit overly dependent on you. Practice ‘sit or down and stay’ and get him used to being away from you. Or just enjoy his company! He obviously enjoys yours.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a 6 yr old neutered Maine Coon. Within the past few months he has taken to running in front of people as they walk up our stairs, hissing, and then pouncing and biting below the knee. The bites have been sufficient to leave me with bloody hole marks on my calves quite a few times. Immediately after the bite, he rolls over on his back in submission or stays in the general vicinity as he is yelled at or slapped on the side. He never runs away.
Dear
Stefan Dobiejko,
This could be a form of rough play, which is not uncommon in solitary pet cats, but it could also have territorial significance too. Play more with him so he does not have the energy or interest to ambush you. Change your routine a bit so he is ready to nap sooner. Change the route you take to the stairs so you ambush him first!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We adopted 2 cats, April and Reggi, littermates, about 10 months ago. Reggi occasionally will urinate on our bed or in a corner of the bedroom. We have been unsure why this is happening. Most of the time she will use her litter box without incident. Recently I witnessed April harassing Reggi when she tried to go to her litter box. This has led me to believe some of Reggi's urinating outside the litter box may be that April is harassing her when she needs to go.
Dear Stacy Camacho,
Territorial conflicts can lead to all sorts of problems in cats. Cats share their litter boxes; they don’t own one or the other, although some will have a preference for one box more than another. Many of your questions are answered in my handouts on Territorial behavior in cats; Litter box use; and Elimination behavior in cats. These topics are very carefully explained, and contain practical and important tips.
Dear Dr.
We have only had my puppy Sam for a couple of days but for some reason he keeps trying to mate on our legs or arms. Is this normal for the breed/age of dog as we are not sure of the best way to handle it.
Dear
Mrs. T. Hanvey,
Dominance
related mounting behavior can resemble mating.
In young pups, this behavior is most likely to be a declaration of social
status rather than sexual attraction. You
would be wise to enroll in a puppy obedience class; it sounds like you are
relatively inexperienced and would benefit from some hands on instruction.
Meanwhile, don’t be afraid to push him off and teach him to ‘sit’
instead. My handouts on Basic
obedience for dogs and Dominance behavior in dogs would be helpful.
Enjoy!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My cat Marcie is a 4 yr old domestic shorthair. Since we are in Minnesota most of the year she is an indoor cat. When it warms up she loves the outdoors. If she wants to go outside and my wife is around she will beg and beg until she lets her out. The beg starts out with just meow, meow, meow etc. but if she does not let her out she will start biting and trying to scratch her. I think she (Marcie) knows that no matter what she does I won't let her out unless I want to and if she pushes me I will hiss or put her in another room. Is my cat trying to control my wife?
Dear Andy B.
Your cat is not trying to control your wife. She IS controlling your wife. If you read this column regularly, you know that I do not recommend allowing cats outdoors. However, if you want to take that risk, it would be simple enough to let the cat out before she ‘asks’ to go out! Alternatively, keep the cat indoors, provide her with lots of play time; and keep her on a leash and harness for a while for easier control if she gets obnoxious!
Hi,
My mom
has 2 declawed cats and they are eating away the edges of her window
screens in (successful) attempts to get outdoors.
This is of course very frustrating. Last year
she smeared the screens with " apple bitter " but this year
it is providing no deterrent. The windows have been rescreened twice (now ready
for a third) and losing the cats is certainly not an option (They have also
begun to invite woodland friends into the house this morn there was a toad in my
mom’s living room). Don't laugh.
Dear Tom Helmka,
I appreciate your attempts to
keep your cats indoors! Aversive
tasting substances are usually not successful in deterring problem chewing.
Are the cats going to a particular window or are they trying all of them?
This would be important in your strategy.
If it’s just one window, make it an undesirable place to be all
together with strips of sticky tape on the counter or sill, for example.
Place breakaway collars with bells on the kitties so she can better track
them in the house. It would be
helpful to set up a consult, telephone or email, so I can get all the details
and help you more specifically. By
the way, how did the toad make out?
Dear Dr. Cookie
About a month ago we adopted a 5-6 month old mixed-breed puppy from the local animal rescue group. He's generally good and is doing well with most of his training. He is scheduled for neutering within the next month or so. We have a couple of problems: He's great at the vet's or when we go on walks, but he has become a little territorial when people come to the house. If outside, he barks and runs toward the visitor, inside he just barks. If the person tries to pat him or make friends, he startles and barks more aggressively. The other, more serious problem is that the dog is aggressive toward our 5 yr old daughter. We have 8 children and he's great with the rest of the family--even the baby and the 3 yr old who tumbles with him. Our daughter tries to make excuses for him barking at and biting her (i.e. "he thought I was going to take his toy").
Dear MariLou in Saipan, CNMI,
The problems you describe
concern me, particularly with young children in a large and busy household.
You need to get him under control. Enroll
him in a local obedience class and work with him at home every day to practice
what you learn. Please please
please order my handouts on Basic Obedience (it will also teach you how to apply
the basic commands to every day situations), Play behavior in dogs, Possessive
Aggression (Guarding Objects of Value), and Kids and Pets.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
HELP! My husband and I just moved back from Brussels, Belgium after living there for 3 years. While there we purchased an English Bulldog puppy. Our dog has always been scared and shy and STUBBORN (she was the runt of the litter and not properly socialized by the breeder), however while in Brussels she became very social and playful. We have just moved to Chicago and our dog (now 2) will not go outside (we are on a third floor walk up) and she will not go the bathroom outside. This is also the first time we have had to use a leash. After 3 days of not going to the bathroom I brought her to the vet and they gave her an enema. She has also started to exhibit aggressive behaviour when we try to take her out. We have to drag her or carry her outside. When there is no threat of leaving our apartment she will play and be affectionate. Please help, I am not sure what to do and she seems so unhappy.
Dear Amanda,
Moving to a new home can be
quite an overwhelming experience, for both dogs and their people!
Your dog is finding it difficult to adjust and has developed a set of
neurotic coping mechanisms which deserve attention. She has learned that aggression is a tool to get what she
wants (to stay home), and this can generalize to other situations in the future.
Her fear can also escalate to phobia.
Please contact me to set up a consult?
Dear Dr. Cookie:
We have a 4 month old Border Collie/Springer Spaniel cross. I went to pull something out of his mouth and he bit down on my fingers so hard that it scared me. And if we correct him (e.g. if he's in cat's dish, we say out and if that doesn't work, push him away and try to get him to do the sit/stay) he will bark and try to nip our hands. Is this the stage where he is challenging us.
Dear Jackie Hessels,
This is not a breed trait, it
is a problem seen in many dogs. Possessive
aggression is unrelated to social rank. Submissive
dogs successfully defend objects of value from ranking pack members; it is a
question of motivation. I would not
advise you to pull anything out of his mouth that he is trying to guard.
You will lose the battle; but not the war.
Order my handouts on Possessive Aggression (guarding objects of value),
Basic Obedience, and Dominance behavior. They
will serve you well as first time owners.
Dear Dr.
I have a 5 year old Lab/Dalmatian mix. She is a friendly, gregarious dog but a little on the nervous side. She and my other 2 yr old Lab mix have a new fenced area over 3/4 acre. Previously they were in a run. I am home most all the time. Maggie insists on climbing the fence and escaping. She runs, nose down, all over the countryside. She explores and returns in about 20 minutes, tail wagging after having a marvelous time. I am not concerned that she will not return, but that she will get hurt or killed on the road. How do I keep her in the fence? My next move is to place an electric fence within the perimeter of the yard. I have NEVER been able to contain her well. She will dig, climb and dart through anything. I do not punish her when she returns. I do go to get her frequently. She will not come when called. This is not an issue for the other dog.
Dear Nita,
I am glad that you do not
punish her when she returns. Especially
because you have set her up for running away!
Dogs that are left unsupervised behave, well, like dogs!
If you are home, take these dogs for leash walks, outside of your
property. She obviously is an
intelligent active dog with a need to explore the world!
Living in a yard, regardless of how large, is like living in a bubble.
Long walks, obedience practice in your home and yard (on leash if
necessary at first), interactive play…then you’ll be in business.
Satisfy her needs and she won’t need to look elsewhere!
(Handouts: Escaping and
Roaming, Why it is important to walk your dog, Basic Obedience).
And please, no electric fence
Dear Dr Cookie:
I have a 7 yr old neutered cat (Felix) who recently developed a liver infection and urinary stones. After a traumatic 2 days in the hospital Felix was somewhat better. He cried the first few times after voiding in the litter box but hasn't seemed to have any problems since with his urinary tract. He doesn't however cover up his urine waste anymore. It has taken a few weeks to build up his appetite again and his stools have gone from diarrhea to very hard. He is not a big water drinker. My bigger problem is that he suddenly stopped using the litter box for stools. Even when his litter box is freshly cleaned, he still stools elsewhere. He has always been a clean and private cat when it comes to elimination...Help!
Dear Sabine Stewart,
Burying litter is optional for
cats, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.
What you describe sounds like his physical discomfort has become
associated with the litter box. And
he may be telling you that he would like defecate in a box other than the one he
urinates in. Speak to your vet about stool softeners or increasing his
fluid intake to help him feel better. Add
another box where he is defecating. Check
out the handouts on Elimination Problems in Cats, Territorial Behavior in Cats,
and Litter Box Use in cats and kittens. Let
me know if you need more help beyond these!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
14-month old Great Dane, who appears to be having some sort of
aggression problem. He goes to Doggy Day care 2 or 3 time a week & loves it.
Gets along great with all of the other dogs
and staff. At home, people can't come to visit because he barks & tries to
go after them at the front door. If they give him a treat when they come in, he
is somewhat better, but still very suspicious acting & sometimes continues
to bark at them. When we go for walks in the neighborhood, he will try to go
after other dogs. I don't understand why he is so good with other dogs at Day
Care, but has this problem with us. He has been through 3 obedience classes. He
knows how to sit, stay, heel, etc. but when
another dogs comes on the scene, he turns off his training & does not listen
at all. He always does great in the classes, because he is not in the situations
that bring this out.
Dear Tim Shaner,
I think it’s great that you are socializing your Dane at Doggy Day care. I think it’s great that you took him to obedience classes. But how good is his training if he does not pay attention to you when it really counts? I would love to stop this before it becomes a serious problem. He is at an important age; adolescence! Part of the problem is that he is just too big and powerful a dog NOT to have complete control over. Establishing your leadership is the place to start. Please contact me so that we can set up a program to help you both get where you need to be!
Dr Cookie
We have 2 tom
cats. Our problem is that Ban (our older tom) has taken to ripping our wallpaper
when he wants to go outside. He started just after we had the front room
redecorated just over a year ago. He walks over to the door to go out. He
doesn't try to open the door to go into the porch (he can open the door) but
instead scratches the wallpaper that is now in shreds. We have tried a cat
repellant, spraying him with water and shouting. Even if the door is open and he
can get outside he still scratches the wallpaper. He tends to come in for food,
he eats a small amount and that straight away goes to scratch the wallpaper to
go out. He rarely spends any time in the house and is an aloof and independent
cat.
Dear Maxine Mulrooney,
This is an interesting example of how habits are formed! He is
scratching at a particular spot before and after he goes out or comes back in to
eat. I suspect that the spot is
near the strategic door to the outside and probably not far from his food; this
is territorial marking. Rather than
punish the behavior, understand that he is telling you his preference for
scratching location. Place a
desirable scratching surface immediately over the wallpaper he has damaged.
He might even like a piece of carpet remnant secured to the wall, a wide
sisal board, even a straw placemat or doormat.
Of course, he might just not like your decorating…!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My cat
who is 2 years old constantly licks his legs, tummy, and tail until
there is no fur left. Why is he
doing this and what can we do to stop this
behaviour? Our vet has tried a
thyroid medicine and prednisone to no avail.
He is a friendly, very loving, wonderful cat. His
sister is just fine and does not exhibit this behaviour.
They get along
fine.
Dear Katie Thornton,
Overgrooming can be related to
allergy, parasites, and stress, to name just a few reasons.
Compulsive grooming can create serious skin lesions, and if this is his
problem, deserves a specialty consult with a veterinary behaviorist (that would
be me!). Psychoactive medication
may be helpful but behavior modification might be all that he needs; we first
need a thorough history to evaluate every aspect of his lifestyle.
So get back to me soon, ok?
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I am trying to tame my two male, 6 month old cockatiels but they hiss, squawk and flap in their cage even if I stand a fare distance from them. I cannot put my hand in the cage because they go completely mental and I am worried they might injure themselves with all this flapping. I would really like them to be able to sit on my hand and not feel scared.
Dear Emma Sage,
Were these hand raised birds? It doesn’t sound like they were…but they are still just
babies. You did not say how long
you have had them, but be patient. Take
things very slowly. Keep you voice
calm and soft; avoid sudden gestures or movements when you are near the cage.
Stand at a distance that does NOT freak them out; then take a step closer
and stay there until it no longer scares them.
Approach them only to clean the cage, and give them food or a special
treat. Things should settle down in
the next few weeks. If not, give me
a call!
Dear Dr.,
We're going to move into a place that has a pool. How do we teach our pup to swim and how to get out from the shallow end and not the deep end? Do we put cotton balls in his ears before swimming?
Dear Hanif & Riely Ratansi,
First, never allow your dog in
the pool area unless you are with him. Even
dogs that know how to swim can drown. Cotton
balls can help to keep water out of the ear canal, however, it won’t protect
his skin from chlorine! Hose him
down with fresh water when he comes out (shampooing is not necessary).
Teach him to swim by carrying him into the shallow end; let him go but
remain nearby. Walk toward the
steps and call him to follow you. Never
ever let him out of your site in the water!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
have read that if 2 puppies (siblings) are raised together to adulthood, they
will bond with each other and not with their owners even when socialized
properly, because they spend more time with each other than they do
with their owner.
Dear Errol,
Raising 2 or more dogs helps to socialize them to other dogs, but they still need to interact with dogs outside their pack to generalize their social behavior. Dogs interact with their human caretakers as they would with other dogs. You are part of the pack, and hopefully act as the leader of the group. Dogs learn social behavior with people too, unless they are kept consistently isolated from the family or are not instructed on what is expected of them with applied obedience training.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I
recently brought my parent's 2 year old Golden Retriever into my home to live.
The problem is that when left outside, he barks at every single
Dear Jaime,
If you think about it,
you’ve answered your own question! Take
this doggy for leash walks, at least twice daily, for at least 45 minutes each
time. He is going stir crazy, overreacting to little things because
he has no other outlet. Dogs left
outside for extended periods will revert to undesirable behaviors.
Dogs who have no consistent positive contact with other dogs or people
will not develop social skills. It
is up to you to provide the opportunity for socializing and to be present to
reinforce desirable behavior!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
4 yr old male Himalayan mix, neutered since 4 mo., has started kneading
Dear Ruby of Urbandale,
Masturbation can
occasionally persist in males, even those who have been neutered.
It may be helpful to ask your veterinarian to measure his testosterone
level just in case any testicular tissue remains.
Most of the time, however, this just becomes a habit.
If it bothers you, remove the bed; and provide more acceptable diversions
for your little hunkaburninglove!
Dr. Cookie,
I
recently took ownership of an 18-mo-old male Shiba and decided
Dear Leo,
Why does a dog have to
be crated for car travel? I am
certain this little guy would be less of a wreck if he was able to be close to
you. Crates are not for every dog.
In your case, you barely had time to bond with your new pet and socially
isolated him when he was most insecure. Why
don’t you simply leash him to the seat next to you; or get one of those doggie
harnesses made to restrain pets in the car?
If you still want to crate train him, please order my handout on House
Training; it contains a section on crate training, too.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We
just adopted an 11 mo old abandoned black Lab mix. He
Dear Zoë,
I definitely agree that
doggies should sleep in the same room as the rest of the ‘pack’; it is
simply not natural for them to be sleeping in social isolation.
What I do with my doggies is tether them to their own doggy beds on a
short leash and away from the bed. They
get used to sleeping there and eventually, you don’t need to tether them there
at all!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We
are at our wit's end with Rocky and the water bowls. Rocky is our 6 year old Boston Terrier. He and his now neutered wife Muffi live with my wife and I.
Inside they have a one gallon bottle fed water bowl.
Outside we have the same setup but the bottle is 5 gallons.
Rocky insists on pulling all of the water out with his feet.
You never know when and certainly not why.
Any ideas? Also, Muffi who
has had two litters with Rocky will jump on him and
Dear Tony,
First of all, it sounds
like Muffi wears the pants; she is dominating Rocky, who apparently doesn’t
seem to mind it. Rocky may be
playing with the water because it’s fun.
My BT loves to swim... Do these doggies ever go for walks or are they
confined to the yard for extended periods? More exercise, more play time with you and other dogs, more
chew toys…and how about setting up a little wading pool for him if he wants to
play Jacques Cousteau?!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I
adopted a kitten about 3 months ago. I
also have an 11
Dear Linda at Novartis,
It seems that your
kitten has developed an aversion to the litter box.
It is generally recommended to provide at least one box/cat; understand,
of course, that the cats usually share use of each box.
When there is a problem, however, I often recommend to at least double
the number of boxes provided. It
would also be important to exclude the possibility of any underling urinary
tract infection, so please see your veterinarian with your kitten.
House soiling in kitties is discussed in detail in the handouts on
Elimination Problems in Cats and Training your Kitten to Litter Box Use.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
We're
adopting 2 Tonkinese cats that were abused (a 5 yr old and her 2
Dear RC in Ontario,
Canada,
You will need to be very
patient and take things slowly. Gradual introductions are best.
Keep your new cats in a ‘safe room’ of their own for at least several
weeks before attempting to integrate the household. A step by step plan is described in my handout on Introducing
New Pets; the one on Territorial Behavior in Cats would also be helpful.
Good luck!
Dear Dr.,
Just a
few weeks ago I adopted a female dog, Suzie, from the SPCA. She is probably
about 8 or 9 years old, obedient and friendly with people and other dogs (unless
they annoy her). Now, however, my neighbour has found out that in a month's time
she will have to go abroad for some weeks. I am keen to take her male neutered
dog, Larry, as she could not bear to put him into kennels for such a long time.
He is about the same age as Suzie. I was dismayed that Suzie gave the odd
snap at him when we brought him into my house. To get them better acquainted on
neutral territory, I've started taking them for walks together, and am now
bringing them into the house after the walk for a short while. I think progress
is being made, but I feel she is quite tense when he is there. I'm telling her
firmly 'no!' if she shows any aggression to him, and I reward her if she lies
quietly on her cushion. Am I doing the right thing, or should I let her
establish dominance over him? I'd hate him to be hurt or frightened by her.
Dear Kelly,
You may be rushing
things a bit. Ideally, I would have
introduced them on neutral territory to start with, and so the initial ‘bad
impression’ has now got them off on the wrong paw, so to speak.
Still, you seem to be doing okay. It
might still be too soon in their relationship to invite Larry to intrude on her
turf. You’ve set the poor guy up!
Anyway, you are also aware that part of her behavior is dominance
related; she has every right to establish rank over him, if she has the
temperament for it, and is empowered to do so on her own territory.
Take this slowly, and let them work it out.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
wife and I are about to purchase a Shiba Inu puppy. It will be 8
Dear Steve,
There’s no right or
wrong choice here. Both have
advantages and disadvantages. If
you think you can manage a young puppy during your trip, the car travel time
should not dissuade you. Young pups
sleep most of the time anyway and as long as you make frequent stops in safe
places you should be fine. Just
remember your puppy will not be used to leashes yet, so take it slow! On
the other hand, if it just one week, why not keep things simple? Your pup
will give you something to look forward to after your vacation is over...
Hi Dr. Cookie,
I
have a 4 mo old Golden Retriever. I
initially started training
Dear Engelmail,
Well, they don’t call me ‘Dr. Cookie’ for nothing. I definitely believe in the use of food tidbits (pea-sized please) as intermittent reward. The idea is that it will be a bridge to verbal praise eventually. Most dog trainers, especially male trainers, tend to use ‘brawn over brain’ to ‘control the dog’. But it is not about overpowering and muscling or even controlling the dog. It should be about LEADERSHIP, and using training to CIVILIZE your dog. I am not familiar with the halter you mention. But I do know that jerking the dog around is intimidation at least, and potentially harmful as well. Your puppy is only 4 months old, and it sounds like you were doing very well on your own. Perhaps you should like into another class in your area? And perhaps you might enjoy my handout on Basic Obedience for your dog, so that you can learn how to apply the basics to civilize your doggy and establish firm but loving leadership that your dog will want to follow, with or without treats!
Dear
Dr Cookie
About
2 mos. ago a stray kitten turned up on our doorstep.
After searching for an owner, but to no avail and as my previous cat had
died just before Christmas, we decided to keep her.
The vet said he thought she was about 6 mos. old.
Tammy settled in really well, but she has already killed three fully
grown birds (Blackbird, Finch and Robin) in our garden in front of us and
possibly more that we haven't seen.
As we love wildlife it has really upset us.
I'm now wondering whether we really want her - in fact perhaps this is
why she ended up a stray.
Dear
Kathryn,
Cats
are voracious predators; when they are good at it, nothing will stop them short
of preventing their opportunity to do it!
As you know, they can learn to move without shaking the bell that warns
their prey.
Cats that roam outdoors are extremely destructive to wildlife.
In fact, you can visit the cat link provided in my Links page to a site
dedicated to educating folks about just this problem!
My preference is to have Tammy stay indoors.
Is it fair to her to allow her to be exposed to contagious disease,
becoming the prey of other wildlife herself, getting hit by a car…I think the
cruelty to her (and those birds) lies in letting her go outside.
At the very least, walk her on a harness and leash; that might be the
safest compromise for all.
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
Our
family acquired a new puppy from a rescue shelter in
Dear
Tina
If
your veterinarian does not suspect any anal sacculitis (inflammation or
infection of the anal sacs) or internal parasites (some can make them feel
itchy), then we need to look at this as either a sing of 1) frustration –
needs to play or go for a walk; 2) a desire to chew on something (e.g. rawhide
strip) but there’s nothing better around; 3) a compulsive behavior (you need
to schedule a consult with me!).
Try the first 2 recommendations and see how things go, ok?
Hi
Dr. Cookie,
I
am a new owner of a 6 month old pregnant cat. When should we start handling our
new arrivals for best socialization? Being person who is totally blind, How can
I keep our runabouts safe from my big feet?
Dear
Joyce,
Young
kittens should be handled very briefly (if it doesn’t disturb the mother) for
the first 2 weeks.
After that, they can be gently handled for a few minutes several times a
day.
I’d advise you to place them in a playpen so they can’t wander too
far.
They will eventually be able to climb over the rails but by then you will
have found homes for them, I hope; a little collar with a bell is helpful too
but they don’t make them for young kittens!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
have 2 puppies, one is a 6 mos old Border Collie and the other is a 5 mos old
black Lab. They were angels at first; now they are horrible. They run off all
the time and chew up kids’ toys.
It is so bad now that we have to walk them outside on a leash and limit
them to certain space in the house.
I hate doing this to them.
We are putting up an
Dear
Michele,
Oh
my gosh, I wish you could ‘hear’ yourself!!! First of all, your pups are
becoming exactly what you have created.
Puppies will explore and chew whatever is available.
That is why you must pet proof your home; and why your kids should pick
up after themselves!
Untrained pups must never be allowed off leash; and even adult dogs
should be on leash unless they are PERFECTLY under verbal command and in a very
safe area.
With or without any kind of fence, your dogs need to be walked at least
twice a day (45 min. each), given toys and chews of their own, and supervised
attention.
And that doesn’t even touch on basic obedience training.
If you don’t have the time it takes to invest in civilizing a dog,
these guys are young enough to be placed in other homes that can provide for
their basic needs.
Great pets are never made accidentally.
Leaving them to do what they want to do without watching out for their
safety & teaching them appropriate alternative behavior
is simply negligent (or very naive) pet ownership.
And please, put that Tabasco sauce away!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
We
have a 7 mo old Chihuahua name Poco.
We have had him for 5 months.
We started housbreaking him with puppy pads. He was hard-headed at first
but started adjusting to the pads with few "mistakes".
However, since this past
Thursday (July 5), his urinating has become very disturbing to my husband
and I. The
first two times he peed on the carpet, and I thought he was just mad at me for
something. (I
was the only one at home with him at the time.)
However, since then, in a span of just three days, he has peed once on
the sofa, once the full length of the kitchen floor, and twice on my husband
while he was sitting in his recliner.
Dear
Mrs. Gary (rookie49),
Here are some of my thoughts: 1) Poco might have a bladder infection & should be seen by your veterinarian just in case; 2) by training him to use those “wee-wee” pads, you may have inadvertently trained him that voiding in the house is exactly what you want him to do; 3) those walks may not be long enough or often enough; 4) can’t tell whether he is voiding involuntarily or intentionally, but if it is intentional, some of it might be territorial marking (he might be better neutered in addition to training tips). Details on housetraining are described in my QuickFix handout on “House training your puppy or dog”; sounds like you need it!
Dear
Dr. Cookie,
I
have heard for some time now that dogs obey their owner's commands because the
dogs want to please their owners. I
recently read a statement made by a dog expert that contradicts the notion that
dogs want to please. His belief is
that dogs obey their owner's commands because they want praise from their owner.
Do dogs have the capacity to reason that when they choose to obey our commands,
they know we will be pleased or is their correct response to our commands is
more basic?
Dear
Errol,
Technically,
neither is true yet both are true. We don’t know for sure what a dog wants or thinks at all.
Dogs do have the capacity for insight (what people call reasoning,
a more advanced cognitive ability) to a degree, and certainly can learn to
ignore a command if it is not practiced on a daily basis, not reinforced when
given, punished when given, or if the owner’s leadership is on shaky ground.
Reward based training reinforces behavior in general.
Dogs, and people, will work for a reward that is of value to them.
So if praise, initially paired with a food treat, is of value then a dog
will ‘work’ for it by being obedient. On
the other hand, dogs are pack animals and look to their guardians for leadership
and reassurance that all is well. So,
in that sense, a dog will ‘work’ to please because they are contributing to
pack stability and function. Thanks
for the interesting question!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I was
adopted by a 6 year old, spayed female Pug who had previously lived at 2 other
homes. She was given up by her last owner due to a divorce. I do not know the
history of her first home. Anyway, she lives with a 12 year old neutered male
Shih Tzu and a 15 year old neutered male Cocker. My 2 boys get along beautifully
with any dog that is in the house. But, my little Pug is a problem. Whenever I
pick up the other 2 dogs, usually the Shih Tzu because he doesn't see well and I
carry him downstairs for our walk, the Pug will charge us and "bump"
the Shih Tzu. I have also seen her do this with strangers’ dogs when they pick
them up. What in heavens name is she doing?
Dear Muttmomma Jean,
Hard to say but sounds more
like a) she wants to play, or b) she objects to the removal of a companion.
Teach her to sit and stay when a dog is picked up and reward her for
that!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My boss has
over 100 cats and she's having a problem keeping them from
Dear Jennifer,
Good Golly!
With that many cats all I can recommend is laminating the sofa with heavy
plastic!!! Her other option would be to wrap the entire sofa in sisal fiber so
they can scratch away!!! Or perhaps
place a few tree trunks around that they can scratch, climb, and perch upon.
That’s way too many cats for any household, I’m afraid…
Dear Dr Cookie,
My
partner & I adopted a beautiful 18mo. old spayed female Chinchilla called
Bella. Since she arrived
Dear Jo, Gold Coast, Australia,
Newly adopted pets need time to adjust, particularly if they are socially isolated and not used to meeting people. Let her come to you. Give her space and time. Have her professionally groomed (dry brushing only, you needn’t have her shampooed each time) and when she trusts you, you can follow the recommendations in my handout on Grooming Tips…
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We had a
1 yr old male Chihuahua and a 7 year old male pug.
The Chihuahua would urinate on the furniture, pillows, and other objects.
Because of this, my niece offered to take him.
We didn't think she'd have any trouble--but he dog pees in her bed and on
her
Dear Lori,
Your little guy was never house trained, so why would he suddenly ‘know’ any different in a new home? Many people with toy dogs don’t raise them the way any larger dog would be raised. With regular walks, a feeding schedule, obedience training, structured play with you and other doggies… You need to order my handouts on House training your dog, Elimination problems in dogs, and Territorial behavior in dogs. And if he’s not neutered yet, it’s about time!
Dr. Cookie
I have 2
sisters female cats, 2 years old. The 2 were always very united and couldn't be
apart one from another. They always get along great. Last 13th April, both were
operated (fixed). Everything did ok.
Dear Maddie from Portugal,
This is a relatively common
problem in cats. Sometimes they
fight because of something they see outside and, in their frustration or fear,
take it out on each other. Sometimes,
it is a territorial battle between cats. Keep
them separate for at least 2 weeks at this point.
It is better to wait too long than not long enough to reintroduce them.
A step by step explanation is available, with additional explanation and
insight, in the handouts on Territorial behavior in cats, Aggression in
Multi-cat households…
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I have
recently taken in a 2 or 3 yr old female Labrador. Her previous
Dear Nickie,
Some dogs that have experienced competition at meal time (e.g. one bowl for 2 or more dogs) or serious food deprivation can be anxious at feedings and gulp it down. Try feeding her 4 smaller meals a day and scatter it on the floor instead of feeding her from a dish. This should slow her down and also reassure her that her next meal is just around the corner…
Dear Dr. Cookie:
I know
the myths and facts about rawhide, and both my dogs enjoy it very
Dear Nocturne,
I really believe that there are
far more benefits to rawhide than any proven choking/obstruction risk.
If you don’t give a dog something to chew, they will find something
unacceptable to chew on that could be far more dangerous.
And I don’t like the notion of any dog chewing on plastic anything.
Many dogs won’t bother with the artificial bones anyway.
Try the rawhide strips rather than the chunkier bones.
If they each get 2 or 3 a day, they won’t be so frantic about chewing
on them!
Dear Dr.,
Sherman
is an 11 yr old, neutered American Eskimo.
Rascal is an intact,
Dear Pamela,
With these big an age gap, you
need to protect your older dog from this young whipper snapper.
And you need to keep the puppy busy so he won’t pester the older dog.
Focus on getting the puppy tired with long walks and obedience practice.
Take him to the park to play with other dogs closer to his age and
energy. Then when he gets home
he’ll be content to say ‘hi’ to the other guy and flop down for a nap!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I stumbled on
to your site for the first time tonight and found it delightful
Dear PUGGYNME,
Older doggies can develop
separation issues even though they never had a problem being left alone in their
younger days. Sometimes, physical
changes (such as underlying illnesses) can contribute to this and she should
have a geriatric blood screen and physical examination to make sure there are no
latent conditions. Dogs can also
suffer from pathological senile changes similar to Alzheimer’s disease in
people. Canine cognitive
dysfunction syndrome should be diagnosed by a veterinary behaviorist.
It is controlled with medication. Please
order my handouts on Separation Anxiety, Behavior in Aging Pets, and Why it is
important to walk your dog, We can
always schedule a telephone consult…
Hello Dr. Cookie:
I have a
6 month old Newfie who is terrified of going for a walk.
Dear Laura Scott,
Collars and leashes need to be
introduced gradually to young puppies. Once
a negative connection is made, you really need to start from the beginning and
go even more slowly. Keep a collar
on her, practice obedience without a leash indoors, using food tidbits as reward
for ‘come’ and ‘sit’, for example.
When she is better at this, gently pretend to put on an invisible leash
for a few days before trying the real thing.
When you do, give her a yummy and take it right off.
After a few days, you should be able to take her for a little walk around
your living room, gently coaxing her along and giving her little treats along
the way. You can also place a leash
on her while she is sleeping and leave it on her, but that would not train her
to lose her fear of being leashed…
Dear Dr.C,
My 7
month old kitten, Miss Steve is a very loving, affectionate kitten. We got her
about 3 months ago from some people who didn't take good care of her. But she is
a great cat in every way except she likes to knock over the bathroom and bedroom
trash cans and take things out and carry them around the house. She doesn't tear
things apart, just carries them around the house and hides them. She usually
does this at night or when my husband and I are at work until about 5:00 at
night. We have tried shutting the
bedroom and bathroom doors, but we forget a lot in our rush to get to work in
the morning. Is this just kitten behavior, or a cry for attention? She is
perfectly healthy besides. We were
Dear Jill & Steve,
I definitely think 2 kittens is
good, if you are lucky about choosing one that is compatible and take a few
weeks to introduce them. Tips are
discussed in handouts on Pet Selection and Introducing new pets.
The bottom line is that you still need to pet proof your home as well as
provide entertaining toys for this kitten!
Keep your trash in cabinets or get trash cans she can’t get into.
Play with her more so she doesn’t have to entertain herself so often.
Also, if she is not spayed yet, make an appointment today!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Our
family has a wonderful 5 month old neutered Shiba Inu who is becoming well
trained and a true joy to us all. Until this week. He began snarling and
snapping at us if we approached him while he rested. Is this characteristic of a
dog at this age, of his desire for peace and quiet, or of this breed?
Dear tduckett,
Your adolescent boy dog is
testing your leadership. Sounds
like he has been over indulged already! Get
him into obedience school. Practice
lots of sits and downs. And order
my handouts on Basic obedience and Dominance Behavior in dogs…Please!!!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
7 month old male ferret named Smokey. Smokey
still does not like
Dear Nicole,
Ferrets often
love to play, roll, sleep in their litter boxes!
Sounds like he’s going a bit stir crazy in his cage…do you ever let
him out? He needs to play and run!!! Does he have any place to burrow
into in his crate? If not, this
would explain his silliness. Feed
him at specific meal times rather than leaving food out all the time, and
consider getting this guy a ferret friend, too!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
boyfriend recently got a 2 month old kitten. She appears to adore both of
Dear Anna
Your kitten is indeed marking you. It’s a compliment, but not from your perspective! She has a strong inborn predisposition toward marking if she is this young and doing it already. Why don’t you put her to bed in another comfy room or an enclosed ‘kitty condo’ (with perch, litter, water…) so that this does not become a problem pattern…make sure she is tired enough to sleep before putting her ‘to bed’. Try letting her sleep with you again in a couple of months and be ready to stop her before she sprays on you!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
My
8 month old cat is spayed and has all her adult teeth yet
Dear hole in one,
Some cats exhibit obsessive compulsive chewing behavior.
This is more commonly seen is cats with Siamese, Abyssinian, and Burmese
blood. The chewing is generally
directed toward a textile (individual preference varies) and usually subsides as
the gets get older. I’d advise
you to remove the bedspread, at least for now.
Play with her more and provide a wider variety of toys.
If she thinks she’s a puppy, offer her a skinny rawhide bone (the ones
shaped like pencils). If this
persists, let me know. We can set
up an email consult for more specific recommendations that should do the trick
if these don’t!
Dear Dr.
Cookie!
My
7 month old Chinese Crested has now decided to pee on the couch, pillows, etc.
when we are not looking (very sneaky). Not only does
Dear Bob,
It sounds
like your puppy has regressed in house training. Have you maintained an exercise schedule following meal times
and naps? Do you walk him for at
least 20- 30 minutes to give him time to empty himself out (this would be longer
for larger breeds folks!!!). Putting
him out in a pen may be convenient but it is not enough stimulation and you are
not there to reinforce his appropriate elimination habits!
Keep him on a leash and with you indoors until he is more reliable. Clean
his outdoor pen at least once a day. Meanwhile, order my handout on House
training your dog/pup!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
We
just got another dog from a friend and he has been in our home before we got him
all the time. Now that we have him
and he just got fixed, he has been more aggressive than before. He never was like this.
Now the vet said that it takes 30 days for there hormones to get back to
where it was before.
Dear
Clare,
Hormone
levels drop within about 24 hrs of neutering for both males and females.
You can’t blame hormones for everything!
You did not describe your dog’s behavior or give me any info about him,
so all I can say is take some obedience classes in your area.
It sounds like you never have done any with your dogs, and it’s time to
learn! Like taking driver’s ed,
once you know how to drive a car, it stays with you for life.
Learn how to communicate with your dog so you can assume leadership.
If you want details, order the handouts on Basic obedience for your dog,
Dominance behavior in dogs, and any number of interesting topics on the QuickFix
page of this web site.
Dear Dr.,
I
have a 11 month old Shepherd that someone left along side the road (with a
Dear
Hollie,
Use a
leash no longer than 4 ft for both dogs for better and easier control.
Try a head halter collar rather than a harness with the puppy (Halti
collar or Gentle Leader; both should be introduced extremely slowly over about 2
wks). Most important, practice
basic obedience with her at home, especially ‘heel’, on a leash with just
the 2 of you so you can focus on the problem.
She’ll relax in time, so don’t give up!
Keep up the walks, that ‘s great!
Dr.
Cookie:
My
3 year old Lab/Border Collie gets scared (tail between legs)
Dear Glen,
Dogs can
develop panic disorders just like people. Why
don’t you try taking him out for walks, as often as possible, but just go 50
ft. Play with him, give him an
extra special treat that he only gets during a walk, and return home.
Slowly, very slowly over several weeks or even months, build from there.
If you still need help, let me know; we can set up a telephone or email
consult.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have an 8 year old African gray parrot. He
is well cared for, gets lots of attention, but he chews like a termite every
chance he gets. I am getting
Dear Jo,
Parrots
chew for a number of reasons. First,
it helps to maintain the length of their beaks.
It is also exploratory behavior and is essential in feeding too!
Give him things that he likes to chew on.
Your local pet store should have lots of things that will be attractive,
safe, and appropriate alternatives to whatever he is chewing on now!
He may also need more toys to play with, so set up a little parrot
playground for him, with ropes, hanging chew toys, chewable snacks… Have fun!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a problem with my dog jumping on guests when they come in the door.
It is very embarrassing, I often put my dog in the bedroom when people
come in. I know that isn't helping
the problem. I was told to just
ignore her when I come in, I do that, and she doesn't jump on me.
But she still does it to other people.
She is a 60 lb. pitt bull and would not hurt anybody, but loves to jump.
If I tell people to just
Dear
Kristen,
Ignoring a
60 lb. Pitt bull is never a good idea! Shutting
her away is a solution but will not teach her appropriate behavior either.
Teach her to sit and stay to greet you and everyone entering your home. It is important to practice basic training when no one is
there so you can have better control when things get exciting.
Keep a leash on her if necessary and give her a tiny treat for good
behavior.
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have an 8 month old spayed female English Coonhound which I got from
Dear
Marjorie,
The
mounting behavior is probably dominance related. Just push her off and instruct her to ‘sit’; then praise
her for the more appropriate behavior. It
would be a good idea to take some obedience classes with her.
As for house training, take her out often and walk her until she voids.
Order the handout on House training (Dominance behavior in dogs and
Obedience training, too) for a detailed plan!
Dr.
Cookie,
I
have a 3 year old Cairn terrier named Mr. Whiskers . My problem is that when I
call him it usually takes about 3 times to get him to come. When I'm outside
walking
Dear
Michele,
Keep him
on a leash unless he is more reliable. Practice
obedience at home, on a leash if necessary, and in your yard too.
If you don’t practice without distractions, you can’t expect him to
listen to you when other things distract him!
Get back to the basics (tips on Obedience training applied to every day
life are available in the QuickFix handouts page!).
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
My
Pumpkin is an 8 year old Chow/Golden dog that I adopted at the
Dear
Door-destroyer,
Thunderstorm
phobias and excessive fear responses to other noises, are the most common phobic
responses in dogs. They usually
respond very well to a combination of psychoactive drugs and behavior
modification. The basic techniques
are described in my handout on Phobias; additional tips tailored to you and
Pumpkin could be discussed in an email consult.
Let me know what you’d like to do!
Dear Dr.
Cookie:
I
have a 6 month old Miniature Schnauzer. Sometimes
when he urinates he
Dear Nick,
Little boy
dogs, like little boys, need time to learn to control their bodily functions.
He’ll get better at it in a few months.
Both males and females urinate in squatting and leg lifting positions,
with a number of variations of each of these.
However, leg lifting is more typical of males once adolescence hits.
Enjoy!
Dr. Cookie
I
have a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (Toller),
Dear M.
Bryant,
Your puppy sounds normal to me! Keep practicing your training wherever you, but be gentle on his neck please!!! I think he would be less crazed if he got to play with other dogs on a regular basis (daily !) which is something every dog should get to do! Older dogs will discipline him if he gets obnoxious, and that is an important lesson for him too. Take him to a local park to play with other dogs, or start a play group in your area! To learn more about how to apply obedience skills to every day life, order the handout on Obedience training for your pup or dog.
Hello Dr.
Cookie,
I
love your web site, so much useful information. I have a 3 year old male
Dear
Sharon,
If these
are occasional behaviors, they are probably simply forms of solitary play.
Other remote possibilities include obsessive compulsive digging, or even
types of seizure activity. Thanks
for being such a fan!
Dear Dr.
Cookie,
I
have 3 Australian Shepherds & Chow mixes. My problem is my female dog. I
can't keep her in my fenced-in back yard. These dogs sleep in the house and are
in and out all day. The female though always digs under the fence and takes off
for a while. Then she comes home like she had the time of her life! It doesn't
seem to matter what kind of barrier I put up she just moves farther down the
fence and digs out. It's gotten to the point where anytime she is outside I have
to go out with her.
Dear
Starla,
Dogs that
are left unattended do what they want when they want. Dogs should not be left alone in the yard for more than a few
minutes without supervision because all kinds of trouble can happen!
Having a yard is a luxury. However,
it never ever ever replaces your dogs’ need to explore the world.
It is important to walk your dog! For
more information, please order these handouts: Roaming & Escaping; Why it is
important to walk your dog; Territorial behavior in dogs…
Hi, how
are you?
My
cat Peanut is going to the bathroom on my bed.
She does not do it when we are not
Dear Tara,
Cats mark with urine and feces. It is interesting that somehow you have become a trigger to her behavior. The best thing to do is to feed her on your bed for a while. Sprinkle some of her dry food over the bed’s surface. This will make a different association with the function of your bed and eventually you should be able to feed her in a bowl once more. Additional tips on available in these handouts: Elimination problems in cats, Territorial behavior in cats. Good luck!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
cat that chronically pees on the furniture.
When she first started doing it on the
couch several months ago, I took her into the vet and found out she was
healthy. Yet she continues to do
this, and recently has started peeing on the
bed too. She does it when I am away
and unable to catch her, so I leave plastic on
this furniture now and she will pee on that if it is in her way.
I tried to spend more time at home and cuddle with her more but she will
still do this.
Dear Ann,
Inappropriate urination in cats can be triggered by many things. A urine sample is always the first step. In your case, I suspect it began as a form of separation anxiety syndrome. In a recent study (the results should be published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association later this year), I have proven that cats do indeed suffer from separation anxiety syndrome. I would recommend that you visit the QuickFix Handouts page to select relevant topics; we can always set up a consult if you prefer.
Dr. Cookie
My
parents have a 4 yr old Schnauzer that barks excessively and is oblivious to any
commands. His barking is triggered by the
doorbell, knocks on the door, and any company that my parents have.
My parents say that he is very well mannered when it is just them.
He is easily excited and barking is ALWAYS associated.
Dear Kim,
You describe territorial
barking. This behavior was probably one of the reasons that dogs were
domesticated to begin with (the first home security system!), and some breeds do
bark more than others. It also
depends on how the individual dog is raised.
At the very least, he should be taught to sit or down and stay when some
one is at the door. It may help to
practice with his leash on at first. Tips
are described in detail in “Territorial behavior in dogs’ and ‘Basic
obedience for your puppy or dog’. He
should respond well to appropriate direction.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
Why on
earth, after 4 years, does our cat suddenly want to take everything he can and
put it in the water bowl, i.e.socks, coupons, tissues, absolutely everything.
It started when our new baby was born.
It is driving us nuts and we are ready to give him up.
Dear Leslie36,
I’m not sure why you would
want to give him up just for this! He
sounds like a cat with a creative mind (well, actually, he has probably learned
to do this to get your attention…). Why
don’t you remove the water bowl and put it down at regular intervals only? It
wouldn’t hurt to play more with this cat; sounds like he needs more of an
intellectual challenge than is currently available…
Dear Doctor Cookie:
My female cat is about a year and a half old. For almost 2 months she has been clawing her own tail. She flips it around like it is a game but then she claws it and shrieks and growls. She has some small scabs from doing this. One vet said she could be a little hormonal (she is spayed). I feel terrible for her, she seems a little stressed from this "game". There haven't been any changes in our house. What would cause her to do this?
Dear Shelley,
One of the things that is easily eliminated from the list of possible explanations is to do a rectal examination of her anal sacs. These can become impacted, in dogs more often than in cats, and cause great discomfort. This is absolutely unrelated to sexual hormones. Please consider a consult with me so that we can make her comfortable and stop this self-mutilation before it progresses.
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My cat is
almost a year old. We adopted him when he was 6 mos. old. When he first came into our house he wanted to be held and
petted. As time goes by, when we
try to hold him in our arms, most of time he would refuse and want to get off.
He would push my face away by using his front legs.
Is this common behavior on a young male cat?
Dear Annie,
He’s got places to go, things
to do, now that he’s a big boy! Don’t
smother him, he’ll come to you!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have 8
homeless cats that I've taken in. The last one I found I've had for about 1 1/2
years. I have numerous scratching
posts in my house. The cat I'm
having problems with "picks" at my couch only when I sit there. It’s
not like she's doing it because of her nails it seems like she’s doing it to
aggravate me. I've tried spraying her with a water bottle (and she loves that),
spray repellents, etc. I bought SOFT PAWS and managed to get them on one paw
only & that seems to be helping a little.
Dear Cheryl,
Congratulations on your rescue
work. Sounds to me like she is a
bit territorial over that couch. Why
don’t you move scratch posts right over the areas of the couch she is
scratching? Covering them with plastic should help, too. Good luck!
Dear Dr. Schwartz,
My 11
month old cat Savannah is the most wonderful cat I have had. From the moment I
picked her up she looked at me and started purring immediately.
From the very beginning she was held a great deal and has wanted to be
involved in everything going on. She is still very loving and wants you to rub
her stomach and she sleeps at the bottom of the bed every night.
However, she does not want to be held or sit in my lap anymore.
She sits under the wing chair where I am sitting in the evening but does
not want to be in my lap anymore. She
also does not purr like she used to and she bites (not hard, but she did not do
this before). I want my lap cat back again.
Dear Jan H.,
Savannah may be going through a
phase or she may simply be showing more independent behavior.
After all, she is growing up. The
mistake that most folks make is to try and ‘make’ their cat remain or become
a lap cat. Remember that she is not
a stuffed toy and has her own agenda. Give
her space, to choose to be near you, or in your lap.
Let her come to you!
Hi Dr. Cookie,
I am
trying to find a solution to my 1 yr old Dalmatian’s behavior.
I have had "Peanuts" since
he was born and bottle fed him He comes to work with me every day.
He is very smart and learns quickly but the one problem I have is with
other people and children. He will
not let any one else touch him or come too close to him. At the store (when he goes to work) he is okay unless someone
tries to pet him or reaches over the counter.
He barks and barks and barks. He
has not bit anyone yet, but I am afraid he
will if I can't change the behavior. I
have tried a blind fold, it has yet to work (still trying).
Dear
Karen,
Your boy is showing territorial
behavior, which is normal behavior at his age.
He may also be a bit fearful. If
your store is very busy, he may be getting over stimulated when he just wants to
have a nap. It may be better to
leave him at home, or in another part of the store where he can have some rest!
Blind folding him is a bizarre approach,- it will probably only make him
neurotic and fearful! Give him a break!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Our 1
year old Lhasa Apso had his hair cut rather short this past Saturday and
since then has not been himself. He
will go outside and on walks but when he's in the
house, he just lays on the sofa or bed. He doesn't want to play, barely eats,
doesn't come to the door when we come in etc. He is normally a very social,
friendly dog. Is it possible for a dog to be
"stressed" or embarrassed about a hair cut?
I'm concerned there could be some
problem that we are overlooking by associating his behavior change
to this grooming.
Dear Laurie,
It is possible that he had a
bad experience at the groomers. It
is also possible that he is, coincidentally, not feeling well.
It is unlikely that he is ‘embarrassed’ about his new coiff,
however…make an appointment to see your veterinarian to make sure all is well.
Dr. Cookie:
I have
had a cat (Chaz) for 15 years. A
few days ago he just disappeared. Is
it possible that he may have slipped out to find a place to die?
He has been an indoor cat his whole
life, going outside only when supervised for short
periods. I have turned my house
upside down trying to find him. He just disappeared.
I have been grieving the loss of him, yet I do not know what
truly happened.
Dear Linda H.,
I’m so sorry that Chaz seems
to have disappeared. But, you say
yourself that he has always gone outside for short periods.
It is springtime, after all, and he may just be feeling spunky.
I hope that he will show up. If
he was in good health before he snuck out, let’s hope he’ll find his way
back in the same condition. Try to
keep some hope alive, ok? The
hardest part is not knowing what happened to him, but spread the word around
your neighborhood, local shelters and veterinarians…best of luck.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
Our Shiba
is 7 months old and has been through 2 obedience classes.
He performs 100% of his sits, downs,
stays, etc. when motivated by food, about 33%
when no food/treat is offered. The problem that we are having with him is
that he is constantly mouthing our hands and nips us or butts us with his
nose for attention.
More nips than butts. You
rarely get to pet him without him mouthing
and biting your hands and fingers. Is
this something he will grow out of?
Our trainer doesn't have anything good to say about the breed.
Cat like, aloof, difficult to train, etc....
We have tried putting him in his crate after saying no or no bite. We
distance ourselves from him by going to another room or not paying any attention.
He has just now started getting into things and chewing and making
messes. His first 6 months there
was none of the normal puppy chewing going
on other than his sixty-million
toys and chew bones.
Dear Ginny and "Okita",
He sounds like a typical
obnoxious dominant doggie to me. This
has nothing to do with breed, just temperament.
Why don’t you try keeping his leash on, so you can’t correct his
little dominant attitude whenever he thinks he’s macho man?
Also, if you are quick, gently grasp his muzzle to close his mouth
briefly and say ‘no’.Then, put him in a down/stay after he tries to nip.
Keep those rawhides handy and stick them in his mouth instead!
Dr. Cookie,
I work in
an assisted living home for the elderly, and we received Jack from the vets
about a year ago. Jack is a
short-hair orange tabby, and can be very
lovable. The only thing is he is
not a "lap" cat. One of
the reasons for getting a pet for the home was so that the residents could
hold him for comfort, love, and affection.
Sometimes he doesn't even want to be petted!
Is there anything staff can do to start encouraging him to
get used to the lap? He does allow
certain staff to pick him up, toss him over their shoulder, and pet him (for
obvious reasons the residents aren't
able to do this).
Dear Jenni,
Not all pets are equally
social. Pet-facilitated therapy starts with the selection of the
therapeutic pets. Jack sounds like
he is sociable, however, every pet has his/her limits. It is not realistic to ask Jack to be a lap toy 100% of the
time. Hand feeding a portion of his
regular meals might help. However, it might be best to have 2 or even 3 cats
that can be rotated through the day. Residents
should also be taught to respect the limits of the residents’ mascots.
This goes for cats and dogs, ok?
Dear Dr. Schwartz,
I would very much like to be owned by 2 Scottish Fold kittens. However, my job requires travel and I'm away from home 2-3 nights per week. Of course I would have a pet-sitter to check on them and feed them. My concern is that my cats would be lonely. I certainly don't want to make them unhappy. However, I'd really like Scottish Folds (or shorthairs) because I'm hoping for an affectionate cat and I understand this breed likes attention. Would I be selfish if I got 2 Scottish Folds?
Dear Robin-Beth
Scottish Folds do not require
any more or less attention than any other cat!
They simply have a gene that affects the cartilage in their ears.
Two cats is a great idea. They
will keep each other company. So,
don’t feel guilty! Enjoy!
Dear Dr Cookie,
I recently brought a Bengal kitten for show purpose she was entered in her first show at 15 weeks. But she totally went feral; no one could even stand near her cage as she growled, hissed she went crazy. I had to withdraw her. In general she is a affectionate lovable kitten I have children she is great with them even my 19 month old, she has been socialized with people. I just don't understand why she behaves this way please help as I really wish to show her not just breed with her.
Dear Kevin & Sharon,
Your kitten sounds like she was terrified!!! This was her first show and she was overwhelmed. Pets usually need to be introduced gradually to new situations, especially scary new places with tons of people, lights, smells of other cats, sudden noises…what did you expect? Too much, too fast. Start with quick trips to the mall…every day…give her a special treat for good behavior. Good luck.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
female, 4 yr old Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Jessie.
She has this annoying habit of barking
to go outside in the middle of the night so she
can go over to our arbivitae shrub (and now my new crocus and other perennial
plants) to eat them up so she can then throw it up.
She was also eating my indoor plants
at night, so now we keep her in our bedroom with the door
shut. The vet checked her out and
says that nothing is wrong with her. As a
pre-caution he told me to get her some stomach acid reducing tablets. I
have had her on them for over two weeks. It
doesn't seem to be helping.
Do you have any product suggestions i.e. red pepper, etc. to put on the
plants as a deterrent?
Dear Terry,
Aversive tasting substances
don’t generally work. I think you
need to double check that the indoor/outdoor plants are non toxic.
Not sure what the pills are for, they are preventative for the behavior
itself and are probably just to try to protect her tummy. Try little pickets
around the shrub and don’t leave her unattended. Make her targeted indoor plants unavailable.
She obviously likes veggies, so give her more!
Celery, lettuce, carrots, all very yummy and good for her too.
Discuss the quality of her diet with your veterinarian.
And give her other stuff to chew, like strips of rawhide…
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have many cats in my not-so-big house, and would like to paint rooms colors that my cats will respond positively to (meaning, that will calm them).
Dear Jason,
To my knowledge, there is no evidence that cats respond to interior paint colors. Pick what you like. If you’re happy with the paint choice, they’ll be happy too. Make sure that the paint is lead-free and be careful of any old paint that may peel off when you work. Lead-based paint flakes can be absorbed and are toxic to kitties.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
Husky/Chow female, now 3 yrs old. She
is extremely intelligent, protective, and loyal.
I have tried to ease her into wearing a collar since she was 8 wks old
but she freaks out. She would hide
and not come to me. We love to take
her with us on walks or trips but without a collar and leash it causes trouble.
Dear Burb4,
It is not uncommon for some
pups to overreact when a collar is first placed on their necks.
Touching or reaching for a dog around the head or neck is a dominance
gesture and insecure pups can be frightened, especially if the collar is heavy
or too tight. At this point, you
could loop a leash through its own handle and slip it over her chest;
eventually, you should be able to slip it like a noose over her head. Another option is to get a harness and leave it on until she
no longer remembers it’s there. Whatever
you decide to try, stick with it and give her special treats when you introduce
the collar. You have taught her
that she can get away with it; you can also teach her that she HAS to wear a
collar.
Dear Dr. Cookie
I have a 6 yr old female cat which is very aggressive when visitors (both family & friends) come over. She makes no attempt to hide and is OK if they stay out of her way. But she always has to be near, which makes staying out of her way hard, and will hiss and growl if they get too close. She still has her claws and has lunged at their feet on several occasions. She is an inside cat and in good health. As soon as the visitors leave see turns into a suck and jumps up onto my lap. I've tried locking here up but she just whines and scratches on the door until I let her out.
Dear Dan B.,
Cats can be territorially
aggressive toward people; she may also have had limited opportunity to socialize
when she was a young kitten. Confining
her is an option but you have to stick with it and don’t let her out until
after the company is gone. Your
other option is to keep her with you but restrained on a cat leash and harness;
this can be a useful attitude adjustment when the cat realizes s/he can’t
bully visitors any more.
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We have a
5 month old Cocker Spaniel that thinks
our 9 year old is his personal play thing.
He plays more aggressive with her than the rest of the family.
He'll bite at her legs, jump up on
her, growl and bark at her. When he
does this we have her stop playing with him
and ignore him. Our trainer told us
to leave his choke collar and leash on and do
a harsh correction when he gets this way. Unfortunately
its not working. Our daughters (l3 and 9) play with him everyday.
I've watched to make sure the nine year old isn't playing too rough
or being mean with him.
Dear Diane P.,
Puppies relate toward our
children as playmates. The problem
is that the way puppies play is really only appropriate with other puppies!
Give him daily opportunity to play with other dogs, who can also put him
in his place the way we can’t. Hunter
may also be showing juvenile dominance behavior toward your daughter.
I would not be harsh with him but I would direct his attention toward
toys rather than human ‘objects’. I
also would not encourage your kids to play chase, wrestle, tug of war, or any
other unstructured games. Please
order my handouts on ‘Kids and Pets’, ‘Basic obedience’, and ‘Play
behavior in dogs’; they’ll set you on a safer path!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
My indoor cat is 4 years old and has never known outdoor life. He weighs around 15 pounds but has a large frame. He is chiefly overweight due to lack of exercise. I have reduced his food and he seems to be losing weight. This appears to be making him more active but he is constantly obsessed with feeding. He is fed at regular times, 4 times a day, but he insists on pestering for food at all times even to the point of scratching on the bathroom door when I am inside. He wakes us at early hours of the morning, which I feel is totally unnecessary as he has always been fed a few hours before. This might seem amusing to an outsider but the guilt and frustration caused by this can be unbearable.
Dear Paul and Caroline,
First, let me absolve you of
your guilt and frustration! You are
trying to keep him healthy and that is commendable.
I doubt that he is hungry. Feeding
is an activity; he may just be pushing your buttons to have something to do.
He has learned to get your attention by asking for food.
Play with him instead. Rather than feed him from his bowl, throw the
pellets one at a time for him to ‘hunt’ down!
This will be fun, interactive, and help his diet.
And if he bothers you for food, ignore him.
It may be tough at first, but don’t give in!
Dear Dr. Cookie:
We have
just purchased a Golden Retriever puppy. I
had a 13 yr old Golden who died 3 yrs ago; my heart is still breaking.
The new puppy looks like her but it seems like she doesn’t like me.
When I come in from work, she is not excited and just walks past me.
I want to love her but this upsets me.
Dear Mary,
I know you loved your other dog very much but you must not compare your new pup to her, as tempting as that is. Every dog is different. Your puppy is young and easily distracted. Just give it some time and relax. Enjoy her puppyhood and learn to know her for the dog she is, not for the memory of the one that, sadly, has left you. It is actually a good sign that she is not overly enthusiastic when you come home,- it may mean that she is not overdependent and that is a good thing! Don't feel guilty about loving a new puppy; your last dog would want you both to be happy, I'm sure...
Dear Dr.,
I have a
female Miniature Pinscher. When she gets mad about something she will go and get
a pair a my daughter’s panties out of the dirty clothes basket and eat the
crouch out of them. My daughter is ready to kill her.
Dear Sheila,
First, I would make certain
that your daughter’s laundry is secured in a closet where the dog can’t get
them! If necessary, teach your daughter to close her bedroom door
unless she is in it. Second, I
would try to figure out what sets the dog off.
She may need more exercise, obedience training, rawhide bones…Don’t
let her push you around!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
I have a
6 yr old spayed female cat who goes crazy when
I take her to the vet. As soon as they take her out of her carrier she
starts hissing, growling, and spitting at them all. She is very sweet at
home, loves to play, and she loves to sit on my lap. She only gets this
way when she goes to the vet. The
vet told me that some cats just get frightened at the vet because they're not
used to the environment and strange people. They told me that next time they can
sedate her to do her physical and shots.
Dear Tricia in Boston, MA
Many pets, dogs and cats,
develop excessive fear responses when they go to the clinic.
Fear aggression can become so extreme that it interferes with a
veterinarian’s ability to care for the pet.
In some cases, the reaction evolves into a phobia.
This is relatively common and can happen after a single visit or after
several visits over the years. I
have a handout on Phobias which includes a step by step program to desensitize
pets to their veterinary phobia. Another
handout is the one on Traveling with your Pet; part of the fear begins with car
travel, which may be consistently associated with veterinary visits!
Dear Dr.
We just got a new kitten about 3 wks ago. We also have 2 dogs and another cat, all adults. They all get along fine. But the kitten will not use either litter box to go number two. He always goes on the carpet downstairs, and not in the same spot.
Dear Stephen,
I’d suggest you add another
box downstairs at or near the areas he seems to prefer.
Some kitties can be very particular about where they defecate. Your kitten may be fussy about hygiene. He might also be intimidated by the older cat.
Many cats prefer to urinate in one place and defecate in another.
Right now it’s more important to use his location preference to
reinforce litter training, even if it’s not the spot you prefer.
Hi Dr. Cookie,
Outdoor
cats roaming through my yard are antagonizing my indoor
cat. Is there any way to keep these
cats from coming into my yard. I cannot put up a fence.
The neighborhood likes to keep the yards open.
Dear Pam,
Your problem is a common one. Unfortunately, even fences do not necessarily keep out roaming cats. I sure wish folks would keep their pets indoors! Anyway, you could place upside mouse traps on your back porch ( this will scare them but not hurt them). You could try motion detectors that blast obnoxious sounds when a cat walks through the signal. You could also place frosted plastic adhesive to obscure your cat’s view but not the sunlight on his favorite window perches. Good luck!
Dear Dr. Cookie,
We've had our female Boxer for one and a half years . we've had our male, who is almost 2, for 4 months. The female seems very jealous and starts fights occasionally for what seems like simple reasons , like when we give them treats. We will have to get rid of the male if we can’t get this under control. Please help.
Dear Cinny and Gary,
Your dogs are trying to work out their social rank in your pack. Dominance aggression is normal and common but in your case the male is new and still trying to fit in. This is no reason to ‘get rid’ of the male. It can take 6-12 mos. to work things out. As long as the dogs are not getting injured, leave them be. However, if you’d like some tips on how you can help them along, order my handout on ‘Dominance behavior in dogs’, which includes a step-by-step plan to help them sort it out!
Dear Dr. Cookie,