One of the most common cause for euthanasia now is due to some type of behavior problem. That’s terrible – we should be able to help you before you consider giving up on your pet. From time to time, we’ll add new mini-topics in this section – don’t hesitate to give us your suggestions.

Cat Behavior

Make Time for Play and Prevent Behavior

Problems with your Cat

It’s hard to believe that cats lounging around the house feel stressed. However, cat behaviorists have proven that they do and that it can lead to aggressive play. “We put cats in abnormal situations when we keep them inside and confine them with multiple cats” says Valarie Tynes, DVM, diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. “We further change their natural nocturnal behavior and feed them fish instead of their preferred red meat diet. It’s no wonder they become confused and predatory at times”.

To keep cats happy, veterinary behavior specialists suggest that owners play for at least 5 minutes each day with cats individually or in a group. To decide whether you should separate cats for play, watch to see if they sleep side by side and groom each other. Playtime provides mental stimulation and exercise.

To help teach cats appropriate play:

• Follow the rules. Cats that attack moving feet or jump on owners without warning do not understand the rules. Kittens learn if they hurt another kitten, play ends. People need to stop all play when the rules are broken. Start with correct toys (not hands or feet) and games that involve chasing and pouncing. Kitty fishing lines, balls and furry mice are good tools to use.

• Use distraction. Play aggression normally occurs when cats misinterpret owner actions as games (such as kids screaming or chasing each other enticing the cat to join in the chaos). Close the cat in a room when the family is particularly vocal or active. Throw a toy across a cat’s line of vision so he will chase it instead of your feet.

• Recognize body language and the limits of your cat. Some cats are finicky about what types of toys they like and are specific about the type of attention they want. Most cats do not like to be held upside down or scratched on the belly. A crouched position, ears thrust backward, twitching tails and low growling noises are warning signs and you should heed them!

Positive daily playtime will keep your cat happy, stimulated and fit.

Besides, it’s just plain fun to play with your best friend!

Kitties on the Couch

Behavior problems are the number 1 reason for feline relinquishment and euthanasia. Sadly, many of the common behavior problems actually are normal cat behaviors - they just don’t coincide with living in our homes and with our routines! The best things that you can do for your cats are environmental enrichment i.e., providing personal playtime and toys, decreasing stress, and distinguishing a medical from a behavior problem.

The Big Five

Feline Marking.Underlying social issues within your home can lead to urine marking (spraying). Marking often happens on an owner’s possessions, on the other cats’ toys, along the walls of the door or windows. Factors that contribute to this marking are arousing situations, disruptions (remodeling or visiting company) within the home, changes in the smell (new cleaning products) of the house, changes in routines and the presence of outdoor cats. First, make sure this is a medical problem (intact males frequently mark) instead of a behavioral problem. Try to correct the disruption. Do not allow access to the area that has been marked (cover with a litter box or aluminum foil). Calm the cat and area with a pheromone spray or diffuser.

Inappropriate urination.This is most often caused from a medical problem, such as bladder stones, urinary tract infection, arthritis or problems associated with the litter, location or number of litter boxes. Try to determine if anything has changed in your household – new routine, addition of a pet, different litter box or litter? Do you have enough litter boxes (one per cat plus one) and do you clean it every day?

Inter-cat Aggression.Introducing a new cat to an existing cat in the home, an existing cat’s illness, fear, anxiety and territorial responses all contribute to inter-cat aggression. In general, kittens and younger cats are easier to introduce than adult cats. Introduce two cats slowly and make sure there are several food and water bowls, scratching posts and litter boxes throughout the house. Utilize vertical surfaces so that a cat can climb to different height levels for safety. Place a collar with a bell on the bully cat to warn the one that is being bullied.

Play Aggression. Usually during play aggression, cats inhibit their bites, swat with retracted claws and there is no vocalization. Cats need to play; this is normal behavior! Owners should not engage in rough play or “tug-of war” games. Most cats enjoy wand and teaser toys or things they can chase around the room. A favorite window to see the outside world, scratching posts, enrichment toys (puzzle toys with hidden food) and scented toys make it an enjoyable play-time for both owner and cat.

Redirected Aggression. Redirected aggression occurs when a cat is stimulated to a heightened state of arousal and directs that aggression to a person or animal that was not the cause. This is very dangerous. Male cats are more likely to show this type of aggression. Triggers that can cause this arousal include the sight or sound of another cat, unusual noises, odors of other animals, and unfamiliar people or environments. Remove the cat’s access to the stimuli. Isolate the cat immediately and try to learn what triggers this behavior.

Let’s first determine if the behavior is caused by a medical problem. There are times when behavior can be altered with pheromone sprays or diffusers, desensitization, counter conditioning and, in some cases, behavior drugs. When all else fails, visit www.veterinarybehaviorists.org to find a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Don’t give up.

Dog Behavior (back to top)

America's 5 Most Wanted

The American Kennel Club recently released the names of the most popular breeds in the United States.  Check out the pooches' personality pug-shots to see their winning characteristics.

#3 - German Shepherd Direct and dependable, these hardworking hounds are loving and loyal.

You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

You’ve just inherited your Mom’s badly behaved 10 year-old Poodle, and you think there’s not much hope that Gigi can learn something new. Not so fast! With a little ingenuity and perseverance, just about any old dog (this doesn’t include your husband!) can learn new tricks.

• Figure out what motivates him. Some dogs like balls, others are very focused on food and most love attention. Don’t assume that whatever works for your neighbor’s pooch will work for yours. Once you know the motivating force, you will be using this “key” to motivate and reward your canine for a new behavior.
  
  
• Ration the motivator. If you have a ball-centric dog, play fetch as a reward or to cement your bond with your dog. Play when YOU want to, not when your dog demands it. Get him excited about the motivator at the start of a training session – “show him the ball, do some work, play, then do some more work, reward”.

• Become the CEO. Manage the relationship between you and your dog. He may need to see you as the “dog god”, particularly if you have an animal with behavior issues. Remember, the CEO is often reserved with employees and sparing with rewards when in training – unlike the secretary who is more accessible!

• Use “behavior shaping”. Break the desired outcome down into smaller steps. For example, if you want your dog to roll over, first reinforce having the dog lie down. Next, have him lie down and roll onto his side. Finally, encourage him to roll completely over.
• Manage the environment. Find a place with few or no distractions. Begin the teaching process for a food-centric dog before you feed dinner. If your dog is distracted by squirrels or noises, don’t try to train outside!

Lastly, remember that not only age but also the breed of dog influences the behavior and learning processes. In his book “The Intelligence of Dogs”, psychologist Stanley Coren examined 141 breeds. He used “understanding of new commands” and “obeying first command” as criteria in judging the responsiveness of dogs to commands. The following breeds performed the requested behavior (giving a command 5 or fewer times), 95% of the time or better:  Border collie, Poodle, German shepherd, Golden retriever and Doberman pinscher. Although the breeds who follow have many fine qualities, they took 80-100 trials to learn a new command and then obeyed the command 25% of the time or less: Borzoi, Chow chow, Bulldog, Basenji, Afghan hound.

Not all of us are blessed with brains – beauty is important also! However, just as with motivating our children to do well, we must learn to motivate our four-legged children as well!

Tips For Storm Stressed Pets

     Thunderstorms, hurricanes, windstorms and tornados are not always predictable, making storm phobia a particularly difficult fear to treat in pets, and for owners whose pets exhibit these fears, it can be equally distressing.  Not only do the pets show signs of nervousness (pacing, panting, chewing and drooling), they will also display behavioral signs (hiding, owner seeking, trembling, vocalizing, trying to escape and destruction), which can be even more upsetting, and even dangerous, as phobic dogs have been known to break through screen doors or windows in an attempt to escape, causing serious injury to themselves.

Here are are a few tips to keep your pet calm and safe during storms:

          1.  Leave your pets at home and indoors.  Most pets are afraid of storms and may try to run away.

          2.  Close all doors and windows and put on background music to muffle the sound.

          3.  Close curtains and blinds to block the lightening.

          4.  Be sure that your pets are wearing identifications tags or have microchips in case they do run away

5.  Try to distract your pet with toys and games, or play with another pet that does not share the fear

6.  If you have time, desensitization techniques with appropriate sounds CD's, such as thunder, fireworks, train, sirens, etc. may help pets get used to the sounds at a lower volume, then they become more conformable, gradually increase the volume.

7.  If these suggestions do not help, give us a call and we'll help you decide upon behavior drugs for sedation or decreasing anxiety.

Training Your Dog to be an Athlete

You want your dog to be your companion – next to your side when you sleep, eat, work and play. We love to see dogs running with their humans, alongside a horse or even working in a search and rescue situation.

The following are tips to turn any dog into your athletic sidekick as you run, cycle, ride or even inline skate:

1. Ask us to check if your dog is healthy enough to participate in vigorous outdoor sports. Make sure that lungs, heart and limbs are sound. Does your dog test negative for heartworms?
2. Train your dog to heel beside you without pulling on the leash while walking. Once he’s trained, increase the pace.
3. Teach him to sit, stay, down and come. These commands reinforce the learning process.
4. Use a six-foot leather leash. You’ll have more control than if you use a retractable leash.
5. Give your dog a small food treat every few steps. If your dog thinks you’re an automatic food dispenser, he’ll stay glued to your side!
6. Carry water with you for your dog or outfit him with a pack so he can carry his own water.
7. Condition gradually. Don’t expect your dog to complete a marathon the first time out.
8. Examine the bottom of his feet for any signs of torn or bleeding pads. Make sure they heal completely before taking him out again.

Good luck and have fun!!

The Most Misunderstood Dogs in America

       Every Christmas we have lots of fun starting relationships with new puppies or kittens. We can tell from our first visit with you whether you’ve gotten a “lemon” or not, and we will immediately begin coaching you in things to say or do (or sometimes NOT to say or do!). The following is a look at five breeds that are often left abandoned or euthanized. Their worst offense? Their human owners never should have bought them. Ideally, people should choose the right dog to match their lifestyles.

Rottweilers (and Rottweiler Mixes)

These large dogs can exceed 130 pounds. This dog is not for everyone because they’re big, strong and can be headstrong. If they don’t have good training as puppies then they will have behavioral problems as adults. This breed (along with the Pit Bull) suffers from bad press and sometimes people feel they have no choice but to give up.

Pit Bulls (and Pit Bull Mixes)

       This includes any dog that resembles the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier or Bull Terrier. This is easily the most vilified, even hated, dog. Ledy VanKavage, senior director at the ASPCA, calls it a “witch hunt” and even equates it to “canine racism”. If a Pit Bull runs up to a child to say “hi”, authorities are called in. If that dog is a Golden Retriever, nothing would happen. Remember, though, this is also a large, headstrong dog and some come with difficult-to-deal-with behavioral baggage.

Labradors (and Lab Mixes)

      People expect Labs to be perfectly trained, like service Labs who work with the physically or visually impaired. However, they have great drive and a very high work ethic – sometimes it’s hard to settle them down. They are certainly great dogs for a fairly active family but not for old Grandma. Sometimes peoples’ expectations are too high, and this dog finds it difficult to live up to them.

Terriers (and Terrier mixes)

     Many are less than 30 pounds but don’t let their size fool you. It’s a whole lot of dog in a little package! They’re dynamic, fast, tough and actively tell you all about it. There’s a reason they’re sometimes called terrors instead of terriers!

Border Collies (Border Collie Mixes)

      These dogs are the smartest of all dog breeds and their exercise requirements are measured in hours, not minutes. What does a bored Border collie do – anything it wants and most of it isn’t good in an apartment or small house! An outlet for their intensity is important or they can develop problems.

Gnawing 101

   Dogs don’t discriminate when it comes to gnawing on household items. Gnawing or chewing is an innate behavior that helps dogs relieve stress, expend energy and satisfy the need for play.

Here are a few tips to help humans cope with their pets’ need to gnaw:

• Keep off-limits items out of reach and sight.

• Do NOT give dogs items that are similar to items you don’t want them to chew, for example, old shoes!

• Set aside time for play every day so the dog gets exercise and relieves boredom

• Change toys regularly to keep playtime fun and interesting.

• Use toys that stimulate active play, for example hollow toys that biscuits can  be placed in or weighed balls that roll in unpredictable directions

• Give the dog a safe, long-lasting chew treat once or twice a week

• Arrange for a friend, neighbor or pet sitter to play with the dog to reduce anxiousness or loneliness

• Redirect unwanted gnawing to acceptable behavior and then praise with a treat!  When dogs like what happens as a result of a certain behavior, they will repeat the behavior.

Barking, Chewing, Escaping

Fix those Annoying Behaviors

10 Easy Steps to Housetrain Your Puppy