Is Your Dog's Mind Going to the Dogs?

A typical morning for me consists of quickly feeding the dogs, pouring a cup of coffee in my
commuter mug, hunting frantically for my keys and rushing out the door-without the coffee.
I run back inside to collect what I forgot the first time. Now I'm not only late, but I'm
convinced I am losing my mind.

If you have an older dog, you might notice similar "absent mindedness" as he gets older.
And if your mornings are anything like mine, perhaps you can relate to what your dog may
be going through. While your brain lapse is more likely induced by the three extra times that
the alarm clock's snooze button was hit, for a senior dog, it's a biochemical change that
occurs in his brain as he ages. For you and me, slowing down-and waking up earlier-should
resolve that forgetfulness. And there's help for old Madeline too.

Similar to aging people, geriatric dogs-and maybe elderly cats-can suffer from a "memory"
disorder called cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or CDS. CDS has been compared with
Alzheimer's disease in people because the changes that occur in the brain are similar and the
signs-forgetfulness, disorientation, and not recognizing family members-are comparable.

In dogs with CDS, owners notice that their older animal seems more disoriented and
confused. "Dogs may seem lost in their surroundings-get lost behind a couch, or stuck in a
corner, or stand at the hinge side of the door," says Dr. Jo Ann Eurell, a veterinarian retired from the
University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana with an interest in behavior.
"A senior pet may not recognize family members, or may sleep all day and be up pacing all
night. The most notable sign is a deterioration in house training. A dog with CDS will have a
lot of accidents."

The older a dog gets, the more likely cognitive dysfunction becomes. Because dogs, like
people, are living longer, owners have to watch for age-related medical and behavioral
disorders. "A lot of people write off signs of forgetfulness and disorientation in pets, thinking
that it's just because they are old and nothing can be done," say Dr. Eurell. "But there is
treatment available that may help dogs with CDS."

If your veterinarian suspects your senior canine is experiencing the effects of CDS, he will
perform a thorough examination to look for an underlying medical problem that could be
causing the behavior change. "As dogs age, their bodies undergo several different changes,"
says Dr. Eurell. "Aging dogs are particularly prone to problems with their hearing, smell,
sight, and joints. They are also at a higher risk for heart problems and metabolic
conditions."

Any of these problems can sometimes also cause signs similar to those in CDS, so a
veterinarian will want to make sure a disoriented dog is not suffering from another systemic
illness, hearing loss, or sight loss, before trying medication for CDS.

Annual exams, or bi-annual exams, are a very important part of keeping your best friend as
healthy as possible so he can really enjoy his golden years. So the trick for owners, advises
Dr. Eurell, is to be vigilant and to let your veterinarian know of any behavior changes,
especially if your dog is entering the golden years. Don't just dismiss senile behavior as "old
age." Your veterinarian may suggest medication that may solve the problem and have your
old dog learning new tricks in no time.

Don't Leave Dogs Unattended With Chew Treats

Chew treats made of compressed vegetable protein and fiber have become increasingly popular due to their benefits for pet dental health and enjoyment. Some of the most popular of these products are Greeniesﾮ, which have been approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council as effective for helping keep teeth clean.

Chewing the dense treats helps keep teeth clean by scraping food debris and plaque from the teeth, minimizing tartar buildup. In addition, dogs enjoy the entertainment of chewing while exercising important chewing muscles.

However, health problems associated with these chew treats have recently raised concern amongst pet owners and the veterinary community. According to Dr. Marcella Ridgway, veterinary internal medicine specialist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, these types of treats are digestible, but can potentially lodge in the pet's gastrointestinal tract.

Compressed vegetable chew treats are designed to be chewed into small bits, but Ridgway explains, "Dogs that tend to swallow these treats in just a few bites may have more gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction problems that those who chew them thoroughly. However, some of the dogs which developed GI obstruction reportedly chewed the treats in an appropriate manner, so other factors are likely involved in the development of GI obstruction."

Emergency veterinary clinics have reported cases if GI obstruction with green material obstructing the esophagus or small intestine of dogs that were fed Greeniesﾮ. This has initiated a review of data on GI obstruction cases due to compressed vegetable chew treats.

The reasons these types of treats lodge are not clear; Dr. Ridgway posits that the vegetable material may be stickier than other foods, may conform to shape of tubular organs, and/or may bind liquid and expand significantly.

Ridgway points out that any type of chew treat or chew toy can pose a risk if large amounts or large pieces are swallowed. "We see also see esophageal obstruction with rawhide chews, which tend to get gooey and soft. Pieces of softened rawhide can also become caught in back of throat." This can be a serious problem if the airway gets obstructed.

The key to preventing problems with chew treats is to make sure your dog chews the treat properly. Dogs offered a new type of chew treat for the first time should be closely monitored.

"There is always some risk if pets are left alone with chew treats and toys that can be broken into pieces, even if the pet has never had a problem with the toys before," says Ridgway. "If you want to leave the dog with something to do while you are away, toys that are strong enough to not be chewed into smaller pieces while flexible enough not to injure teeth, such as durable rubber Kongﾮ-like toys or chew ropes, should be safe for most dogs."

The Greeniesﾮ Web site similarly states, "As with any edible product, monitor your dog to ensure the treat is adequately chewed. Gulping any item can be harmful or even fatal to a dog."

Also, the Greeniesﾮ packaging and Web site (http://www.greenies.com/feedingGuidelines.cfm) list specific recommendations for choosing an appropriately-sized treat for your dog.

Signs that may indicate gastrointestinal obstruction in your pet include vomiting, regurgitation, and refusal to eat.

Weird Pets Found in Apartments (5)

Sweet sugar gliders

Have you always thought squirrels were adorable? Secretly wanted one as a pet? Long no more, as sugar gliders are what you seek. Though not actually related to squirrels, these small rodents bear a resemblance to flying squirrels and are extremely social. They require extensive attention from their human owners or the presence of another sugar glider as a companion. Since these animals need a diet high in fruits and vegetables (and the occasional insect!), sugar gliders may not be an ideal pet for those who just want to pour some pellets in a bowl and call it a day. However, if you’re looking for a sweet and strange little animal, the sugar glider just might be your thing.

There are plenty of other unusual animals you can keep in an apartment complex. Birds, frogs, hamsters, and fish are just a few. Of those, birds tend toward the noisier end of the spectrum, while fish are just as quiet as can be. Evaluate your needs and your apartment’s capacity when considering a pet. Buying an animal that needs more space than you have available does a disservice to you, your apartment, and above all the animal. Analyze your reasons for wanting a pet, ability to care for one, and do extensive research before bringing anyone home. You and your future pet will be happy you prepared well.

Weird Pets Found in Apartments (4)

Chill chinchillas

Rats are the bane of some people’s existence, but others find the critters both cuddly and clever. If you can stand the sight of those hairless tails and think twitchy noses are cute, rats just might be for you. Rodents are a little easier to care for than reptiles, and fur makes some people a little more accepting of an animal as a pet rather than a pest. Rat lovers claim to be constantly impressed by their pets’ intelligence and ability to figure out new puzzles. Make a maze and see how quickly your rat finds a piece of cheese—you too may be surprised by its wits!

Weird Pets Found in Apartments (3)

Giddy guinea pigs

The forgotten rodent, guinea pigs take a backseat to the tiny hamster when it comes to most children’s first pet. However, guinea pigs can be fun and active pets in their own right, and are not too difficult to care for. They can eat pelleted food supplemented with vegetables, and can live in large cages or be awarded their own little fenced-off portion of the apartment. If given lots of space, they can even be taught to use a litter box. Guineas make cute (or annoying, depending on your perspective) squeaking sounds and can become attached to their human companions. They can also play in tunnels or wheels, much like hamsters. Overall, guinea pigs are not a bad choice for an apartment animal.

Weird Pets Found in Apartments (2)

Slithering snakes

Snakes are fascinating, and with regular handling can be quite tame. However, snakes are obviously not the right pets for everyone. They have unique requirements and should only be kept by those with the commitment to understand and meet their needs. If you are new to pet snakes, find out what you should consider before deciding on a pet snake, and what species are the best snakes for beginners.

Choosing a Snake as a Pet - First Things First

* When choosing a snake, you are making a long term commitment - many can be expected to live longer than 20 years.
* You must be willing to feed prey animals to your snake (though frozen, pre-killed prey is the best choice), and you will probably have to devote some freezer space to frozen prey items (i.e. rodents).
* Snakes are very adept escape artists, so make sure you have an escape-proof tank, keeping in mind that snakes are persistent about finding and squeezing through any small gaps.
* Finally, as beautiful as they are, I strongly recommend against anyone keeping large constricting snakes or venomous snakes.

About Choosing Your Snake
Get a captive bred snake from a reputable breeder, if at all possible. Wild caught snakes tend to be more stressed and prone to parasites and disease, and more difficult to tame. For more about the advantages of captive bred reptiles, see Should I Get a Wild Caught or Captive Bred Reptile?

You will also want to do a cursory exam of your snake to check for any signs of illness: see Choosing a Healthy Reptile for areas and signs to look at.

It also doesn't hurt to ask for a feeding demonstration, to make sure your new snake is readily taking pre-killed prey and feeding well. Ball pythons are somewhat notorious for having feeding problems, so this is especially a good idea with ball pythons (though if you get a captive breed ball python it seems less likely that feeding problems will crop up).

Recommended Beginner Snakes
These are all reasonably sized, fairly easy to care for, and tend to be quite docile:

* Corn Snakes
* King and Milk Snakes
* Ball Pythons

Snakes to Avoid
Beginners should avoid large constricting snakes, venomous snakes, and snakes with more difficult care requirements, including such snakes as:

* Boa constrictors / red-tailed boas (not as large as some constricting snakes, but still a handful, especially for beginners)
* Burmese pythons
* Tree boas or pythons
* Water snakes
* Green snakes

Snakes Not Recommended as Pets at All Snakes that are potentially very dangerous (to their owners or others around them) are best avoided as pets, including:

* Reticulated pythons
* Anacondas
* Any venomous snakes

General Pet Snake Information for Beginners

* Feeding Snakes: Pre-Killed vs Live Prey - feeding pre-killed prey is recommended, since a live rodent can inflict some serious wounds on a snake in self defence (bonus: it is more convenient to keep a supply of frozen prey in your freezer than raising or buying live animals for feeding).
* How to Provide a Thermal Gradient - snakes need to be able to regulate their body temperature by moving between cooler and warmer areas. Providing a gradient and making sure the warm side of the tank is warm enough are essential to your snake's health and ability to digest its meals.
* Signs a Snake is About to Shed - there are some fairly common signs in a snake about to shed that might seem a bit alarming to a new snake owner.
* How Can I Tell if My Snake is a Male or Female? - the short answer: you will probably need a pro to find out for sure.
* How to Find and Escaped Pet - just in case your new snake turns out to be an escape artist, this general information on finding lost pets might help you track down your pet (keep in mind, a snake will most likely head for a warm, enclosed space).
* Constricting Snakes - some cautions about larger constricting snakes and handling guidelines, along with information specific to boas and pythons.

Whatever snake is chosen, new owners should be familiar with the proper care and feeding, the behavioral characteristics, and the commitment required to keep the snake.

Weird Pets Found in Apartments (1)

Most apartments that accept pets focus on cats and dogs—animals generally left lose to wreak unlimited havoc on apartments. But what about unusual pets that spend most of their time caged? Here’s an article on animals that may be more attractive to your landlord than dogs that like to dig or cats that like to scratch. Read on and maybe you’ll find your perfect animal match!

Funky ferrets

The third most common uncaged pet in North America today, after dogs and cats, is the ferret. Most people have heard tales of ferrets wherein they often are described either as a vicious weasel-like beast used for hunting rabbits and rats, or as some strange, smelly creature Englishmen tend to place down their trousers for wagers. Some people have seen ferrets in a pet store, were they are either sleeping angelically or rambunctiously rampaging about their cage with other ferret friends. But what are ferrets and what are they really like?
The origin of ferrets as a domestic animal is unclear. Ferrets belong to the weasel family (Mustelidae) and are related to mink, skunks, weasels, otters and badgers. Ferrets are the only domestic subspecies in this family and they should not be confused with the Blackfooted Ferret, an endangered species which is only distantly related. Ferrets are dry temperate climate creatures - they have a summer and winter coat, tolerate cold well but suffer when temperatures exceed 20C, and have a breeding cycle attuned to the length of day. Their closest wild relatives, those with which they can interbreed, are the European polecat and the Steppe polecat, found in Eastern European forests southwards into the Balkans and the Caucasus. The ferret's ancestors likely were encouraged as residents around granaries somewhere in the southern range of these animals 2500 or more years ago and gradually were tamed for vermin control and hunting. Thus ferrets have been associated with man not as long as dogs, but perhaps as long as cats.
The average life span of a ferret, barring accidents or serious illness, is 8-10 years. Full grown females weigh about two pounds while males are larger, generally about twice the weight of females. The most common colour variations are shades of brown, grey and black, with the mask, feet and tails being the darkest in colour. Some ferrets are white or pale yellow with black eyes, and "albino" ferrets are white with pink eyes.
It is especially important that ferrets should be spayed or neutered before they reach sexual maturity, and descenting is recommended. Females will succumb to aplastic anemia and die a most painful death if they are not spayed or if mating does not occur (Note: There is no money in breeding ferrets). Altering and descenting the ferret reduces the animal's odour, extends its life, and increases its suitability as a companion. Ferrets require semi-annual check-ups and yearly inoculations against canine distemper.
Ferrets must be fed a high quality, dry ferret or kitten food. They enjoy fruit or sweet vegetables as treats. Dairy products, grains and breads, nuts, or similar items must be avoided.
Ferrets as pets, as with any small animal, are not recommended for homes with very young children due to the excessive exuberance on both sides of the equation.
Ferrets have distinctive, engaging personalities and a playful, fastidious nature. They are active animals and should not be caged unless required, though a cage used as a "safe haven" is highly recommended. They are very gregarious and are usually happiest in groups of two or more. Ferrets are extremely curious creatures and will investigate anything and everything. Unfortunately, this curiosity is the leading cause of premature death amongst ferrets. Ferrets sleep eighteen to twenty hours of the day, waking up several times to eat, check their domain, and tend to other needs. Greatest activity pccurs during two periods of about two hours beginning just before sunrise and sunset, when they play virtually tirelessly.
Once settled in, ferrets quickly establish their territory and set the house rules: What's theirs is theirs, what's yours is up for grabs. They explore; find and make nests; select and hide treasures. Life's simple pleasures, like bags and boxes, socks (with or without feet), or any rubbery item, appeal to ferrets most. Anything that can be turned over, inside-out, or dragged off, no matter the size, is fair game. In pairs, they prance, dance, wrestle, and hunt down each other, dogs, cats, and people with gleeful chittering. They are there to inspect every activity and supervise every undertaking. A ferret's greatest delight is to outwit a human. When these tiny whirling dervishes tire, they enjoy a warm place to rest, a human lap will do, piling up in groups if possible, with angelic little smiles on their faces which belie the previous hours of mad mayhem. In nature, a ferret acts and reacts like a child of two to four years of age.
Is a ferret the right for pet for you? Before getting a ferret, research the animal: Talk to people who own them and read a variety of books about them. Ferrets are not "just like cats" and have many special needs which are not obvious to a first-time owner. For example, a ferret's high metabolism and frenetic energy makes him prone to sudden illnesses and accidents. You must have a knowledgeable vet and a reserve for emergency veterinary fees of at least $500 for such possibilities as, when seriously sick or injured, the ferret doesn't have the luxury of waiting a day for a vet's office to open. Ferrets also often suffer from broken fangs as a result of their intensive play and these need to be fixed or the animal will be in pain.
Consider your lifestyle - if you aren't home much, have children under the age of ten, don't enjoy chaos, or have a busy lifestyle which would prevent a ferret from roaming freely, then these little beasts are not for you.
However, if you like young children but have none, have little household in-and-out traffic, don't mind occassional accidents, and thrive on turmoil, then you will probably get along well with a ferret. Ferrets do not chew or claw furniture, mark territory, or make loud noises. Being indoor pets which use a litter box, they do not require daily walks in the park. They are ideal pets for apartment dwellers and most allergy sufferers.
Should you decide to parent a ferret, be a responsible owner - protect your pet and yourself by getting a ferret, or any other pet, only from a rescue organization or pet store that provides animals which are fixed and vaccinated, and provide him with proper home and veterinary care. Beware of "cheap" ferrets (less than $100 each) offered by "breeders" and pet stores: Altering and descenting costs range from $250 upwards and the ferrets from these sources, either breeding stock or offspring, only rarely have had proper handling or any medical care, making them untrusting of humans, and likely carriers of parasites and genetic defects.
If you can provide for a ferret's needs, you will have a wonderful, loving, furry, little companion who lives his life to its fullest and will help you enjoy your own even more.

Are You a Responsible Pet Owner?

Providing for your pets' physical needs and caring for them with love and commitment are the first requirements of responsible pet owners. But these are not the only requirements. Pet caregivers cannot reasonably or responsibly ignore the impact their animals can have on neighbors. This is especially true of those living in multifamily rental properties. Here are a few common-sense rules to keep your neighbors happy—and your pet safe.

Responsible Pet Owners:

• Clean up after their pets and dispose of the waste in a sanitary manner
• Keep their dogs on leashes at all times when outside the home
• Help their cats stay safe and live longer by keeping them indoors and away from situations where they could become nuisances
• Ensure that their dogs or cats are licensed and outfitted with visible identification at all times.
• Obey local animal nuisance laws (which generally define "excessive noise" by any animal as continuous or incessant for a period of ten minutes, or intermittently for one-half hour, to the disturbance of any person at any time of the day or night)
• Spay or neuter their dog, cat, rabbit, or ferret to improve the health and behavior of the animal and to prevent their animal from adding to the problem of pet overpopulation
• Maintain an active flea-and-tick control program so these pests won't spread to neighboring units, the common areas of a building, or public parks
• Keep pet portfolios that include proof of licensing, proof of spay or neuter, current records of vaccinations and veterinary care, dog training school diplomas, references from previous landlords, and information on pet first aid and nearby emergency veterinary clinics
• Maintain a pet emergency kit that includes an emergency plan and supplies in the event the home must be quickly evacuated because of a disaster.

Feeding pet rabbits

Hay
Timothy or other grass hay should be available at all times for your pet. The fiber in the hay promotes normal digestion and prevents hairballs. Hay also contains proteins and other essential nutrients. Loose, long strands of hay, are better than pressed cubes or chopped hay. Avoid alfalfa hay, particularly if it is being used along with pellets (which are already high in alfalfa), because it may provide too much calcium and carbohydrate.

Fresh food
A minimum of 1 heaping cup of fresh food per 5 pounds of body weight should be given daily. Fresh food provides the high amount of fiber needed for good digestive tract function, but it is low in many nutrients. Rabbits must therefore have hay and, possibly, pellets as well as greens in the diet! You may give up to 4 cups/5 lbs. daily only if your pet is eating hay in addition to the greens. Try to feed at least 3 different types of greens daily. Feeding just one type of green food may lead to nutrient imbalances. If your pet has not been getting fresh foods, start out gradually with the green leafy veggies and add a new food item every 3-5 days. If the addition of any item leads to diarrhea or unformed stools that persists for more than 48 hours, then remove it from the diet.

Fresh food items you can feed your pet are: Carrot tops, beet tops, dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides), kale, collard greens, escarole, romaine lettuce, (don't give light-colored leaf lettuce or iceberg lettuce), endive, Swiss chard, parsley, clover, cabbage, broccoli, carrot, green peppers, pea pods (the flat edible kind), Brussels sprouts, basil, peppermint leaves, raspberry leaves, raddichio, bok choy and spinach.

Rabbit pellets
Buy pellets that contain at least 18% fiber. Purchase pellets in small quantities and keep them refrigerated or cool to prevent spoilage. Old, rancid pellets can cause a rabbit to stop eating. Rabbit pellets are a good source for many nutrients, but contain high amounts of carbohydrate and calcium with relatively little fiber. If fed in unlimited amounts, serious health problems and obesity may result.

Rabbits up to 8 months of age can have access to pellets free choice, because they are still growing rapidly. However, after 8 months of age they should receive the following maintenance diet: 2-4 LB of body weight - 1/8 cup daily, 5-7 LB of body weight - 1/4 cup daily, 8-10 LB of body weight - 1/2 cup daily, 11-15 LB of body weight - 3/4 cup daily. DO NOT REFILL THE BOWL even if the pellets are eaten before the next day! Feeding unlimited amounts can lead to obesity and serious health problems resulting from the high calcium and carbohydrate and low fiber content in pelleted foods.

Treat foods
- Limit your rabbit to no more than 1 heaping tablespoon per 4 lbs. of body weight each day of treat foods. Strawberries, papaya, pineapple, apple, pear, melon, raspberries, blueberries, apple pear, mango, cactus fruit, persimmon, peach, pear, tomato, or dried fruits may be used as treats. Avoid salty or sugary snacks, nuts, chocolate, bread, breakfast cereals, and grains (including oatmeal, and fresh or dried corn) which often cause intestinal upset.

Water, vitamins and minerals
Water should always be available, in either a water bottle or heavy, tip-resistant bowl. Water containers should be washed and refilled daily to prevent bacterial contamination that could make your bunny sick. Vitamins and salt/mineral blocks are not necessary if the rabbit is getting pellets, hay and fresh foods in the diet. In fact, the indiscriminate use of vitamins may lead to overdosage and serious disease.

Night droppings
Several times a day, usually about 4-6 hours after eating, you may observe your pet licking the anal area and actually eating some of the droppings in the process. These special droppings are called "cecotropes." Cecotropes are formed, but softer, greener, and have a stronger odor than the normal hard, dry, round waste droppings. They contain vital nutrients that are not well absorbed by the large intestine. Eating the cecotropes allows the rabbit to extract the nutrients. This habit may appear distasteful, but it is normal and important for your pet. Occasionally a rabbit will drop these cecal pellets along with the waste pellets instead of eating them. This is not diarrhea, and if it only occurs occasionally, it is not considered a problem. Some overweight rabbits can't reach their anal area to eat the cecotropes, may leave a lot of them in the cage.

Expecting kittens

* Early on, there are few outward signs of pregnancy.
* The cat may adopt a more serene disposition.
* Sensible nesting activity begins.

Pregnancy in cats lasts about nine weeks, but during the first half of that time a typical expectant cat gives few clues that she is pregnant. She hunts, rests, and generally behaves normally.

Under the influence of progesterone, the hormone of pregnancy, and with an ever increasing weight in her abdomen, she soon moderates her behavior, gradually reducing her activity level and resting more.

Is my cat pregnant?
If you think your cat might be pregnant, the first check her nipples. These become more prominent and pinker by three weeks of gestation. By four to five weeks after conception, your vet will be able to feel golf-ball sized swellings in her abdomen. At this time the developing fetuses are usually quite easy to count. Shortly afterward, her belly becomes a visibly enlarged.

Multiple fathers
Unplanned breeding of pedigree females by both pedigree and non-pedigree males, producing litters of both purebred and crossbred kittens, confirmed what breeders had long expected: a litter may be sired by several males. This could have a survival potential for the offspring.

In large cats, such as the lion, when a new male takes over a pride, it is not uncommon for him to kill all cubs sired by the previous dominant male.

The frequency of infanticide in domestic cats is unknown, but at least one highly respected world authority, zoologist David MacDonald of Oxford University, England, has observed a strange male cat enter a communal nest among bales of hay and kill six kittens belonging to three mothers before the cries of the survivors brought the mothers running back.

Risks during pregnancy
The greatest risk to unborn kittens occurs during the first three weeks of development in the womb. Both drugs and infections might seriously impair healthy development. If, for example, the mother is exposed to feline infectious enteritis (FIE, or panleukopenia) at this time, the surviving kittens will be born with severe brain damage. Even exposure to live panleukopenia vaccine is dangerous. Cats should be vaccinated before they are pregnant, to increase the amount of passive protection they pass in the first milk to their kittens.

Never vaccinate pregnant cats to increase the level of inherited protection. Never vaccinate other cats in the household of a pregnant cat. Live vaccine virus can be shed by vaccinated cats and affect the pregnant cat’s fetuses.

Pregnancy and hormones
During pregnancy, the production of progesterone rapidly increases, peaking at around the 35th day after conception. This induces the more serene disposition of pregnancy. At the same time, the belly starts becoming visibly more rotund.

Pregnancy can be as short as 57 days or as long as 70 days, but a few days before birth the female becomes restless and searches out her chosen shelter.

She rearranges her bedding material and spends increasing amounts of time in her chosen nest. This impregnates the region with her own scent, something that will eventually help her kittens orient themselves toward home.

As birth approaches, the mother loses her appetite and restlessly paces in the nest until contractions begin.

Pregnancy checklist
1. Do not even think of breeding from your cat unless you know you can find homes for the resulting litter.
2. Do not breed from your cat until she is emotionally as well as physically mature.
3. Ensure that your cat is well nourished during pregnancy, and especially after, during her period of milk production.
4. Test your cat and the proposed father, to ensure they are not carriers of viral diseases such as FIV or FeLV.
5. Do not let your cat "follow nature’s course" and breed with a feral tom. Feral toms are excellent breeders. They are also the most likely source of life-threatening infections such as FIV, FeLV, and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)

Cats do not become visibly pregnant until after about five weeks. Shortly before this time, your vet will be able to tell you how large the litter will be.

A few days before birth, a pregnant cat will begin looking for a good nest, which she will scent-mark. This will help her newborns recognize home.

Why Your Cat Sucks on Wool

Sucking, and wool sucking in particular, is a common behaviour in cats. While the causes are unknown, it is most often seen in Siamese or Burmese cats, suggesting that there may be a genetic basis to this behaviour.

A possible cause may be suckling deprivation as a kitten. Most cats in the wild will normally suckle for six months or more, unlike domesticated cats that are weaned from their mothers by two months of age. It is thought that some cats will suck on inanimate objects such as wool, blankets, or other objects in order to compensate for this reduced amount of suckling.

Punishment is ineffective. The only effective treatment so far for stopping suckling of inanimate objects is to apply noxious-tasting substances such as cologne, pepper sauce or a commercial repellant (e.g. Variton spray, available from your veterinarian) to these objects. Initially, only a few "treated" objects should be made available to your cat. Once your cat has learned that these objects have an unpleasant taste to them, other "untreated" objects can be sprayed with a noxious substance and left lying accessible to your cat. Eventually, your cat will learn to stop this behaviour. If the behaviour persists, you should consult your veterinarian for further advice

Thinking of getting a cat?

Why do people choose cats over other pets?

Cats are the most prevalent domesticated animal, 63 million of them are kept as pets around the world! Cats are wonderful pets if you get to know them, spend time with them, and treat them right. In actuality there is a multitude of reasons for choosing a cat as your primary pet including (but not limited to):


Cats are fairly quiet pets in comparison to dogs

Cats are smaller animals

Cats bury their own waste and thus don't 'need' to be walked or let outside

Cats require less grooming than dogs

Cats are fairly independent animals, although they welcome and thrive on your attention and will grow and blossom in a home where they are cuddled and talked to often

Cats are fairly non-aggressive

Cats are less costly than dogs
Cats can live in smaller, inside places like apartments or condos

Cats require little exercise when compared to dogs

Cats require minimal training

Why should I get a cat/kitten?

Now that we know why cats are good pets let's talk about if you should get a cat. There are a few questions that you need to ask yourself before adopting a cat or kitten. If you answer no to any of them please think long and hard about adopting. Don't adopt if you can not properly take care of your pet, as it is very cruel to that animal!


Is there enough room in my home? - Although cats require less room than dogs they still need ample room to roam, run, jump and play. Any home smaller than about 700 sq. feet is too small for one cat to live in (and 900 sq feet is about the minimum for two).


Can I deal with a litterbox and potential accidents? - Although cats are very clean animals and instinctually bury their waste, you still need to clean out their litterbox. And as your cat is adjusting to his/her box, if your cat is stressed, if something changes about his/her box (placement or litter type) or if your cat gets ill; he/she may have an accident or two. You must ask yourself, are you willing to clean out the litterbox at least once a day (more often for larger and multiple cats) and deal with potential accidents that are bound to occur at some point in your pet's life?


Can you afford a cat? - Cats are cheaper pets than dogs but you will still need to afford the following: food, treats, bowls, litter, litterbox, scooper, scratching post, cat bed, toys, cat carriers, brushes and grooming tools, collar, identification tag, and medical care. Your cat needs, at minimum, all of the above. Many people get cats and at the first sign of medical expense dump the cat off at the shelter. Be prepared for medical expenses (you can even purchase pet health insurance), you never know when a cat will get ill. And if you can't afford or aren't willing to pay for medical expenses, if and when it happens, don't get a cat. Too many people wait until the last possible second before taking a cat to the vet. This denial of proper medical attention to save a few bucks is cruel to the animal and usually end up costing more as by the time the cat is at the vet the cat is very, very ill.


Do you have time to spend at least 2 hours a day with your pet? - Cats need quality time with you and need to play, be nurtured and be exercised. Plan on spending at minimum 2 hours/day with your cat. If you are the type that will never be home or will be gone every weekend, don't get a cat (get a hamster instead).


Can you deal with training your cat and possibly a few bad behaviors? - Don't get us wrong, cats are very low maintenance. Cats are fairly easily trained and many cats come to us already knowledgeable about how to act, use a litterbox, use a scratching post etc.; however, you may need to spend some time training your pet and/or dealing with the consequences of bad behaviors if you don't train your pet. If your personality can't deal with this and will get angry at the cat rather than disliking the behavior and fixing that then you need to think long and hard about getting any pet.


Can you deal with pet hair? - Cats are hairy and they shed. Are you ready to deal with cat hair on the couch and such? As with any pet the idea of keeping your house immaculate, although possible, will take a little more work.


Can you keep your cat indoors? - Of course you can take your cat out on walks, or create a fenced in area in your backyard for your cat to play in, but for the safety and longevity of your pet it is best to keep him/her as in indoor animal. For the most part indoor cats live much longer lives than outdoor-only cats, this is due to the high risk of disease (many of which there are no vaccines for), poor eating habits, assault from other animals and humans, and other unknowns that outdoor cats face. Some studies report that indoor-only cats live on average 12 years while outdoor-only cats only live on average 3 years.


Can you deal with your furniture potentially getting clawed or damaged? - You can and should train your cat to not claw furniture (rather than getting your cat declawed which is considered cruel by many veterinarians and cat lovers), however, if you don't train your cat properly this can happen.


Can you deal with illness or death? - At some time point your pet may get ill and unfortunately will eventually die. Are you willing to deal with such an illness or death emotionally and financially?

Cats can bring so much in to your life. They are wonderful, intelligent, expressive creatures who can bring you vast amounts of joy and happiness. It is shown that people (especially seniors) with pets have lower blood pressure, are happier, and live longer. However, if you answered no to any of the above questions we recommend NOT getting a cat. As with any new roommate in your home there are compromises that will need to be made. If you are not willing to deal with some of the compromises with a cat then you should not get one.

Cat Breeds

Purebred dogs are very popular. They are carefully bred for personality and appearance. Many people are devotees of specific breeds, and it is not uncommon to see purebred dogs. What most people don’t realize is that cats have also been selectively bred. Sure, we’ve all heard of Siamese and Persians, but pet cats, unlike dogs, are not often chosen based on breed. This article will give you a short introduction to some common cat breeds, and to the unique personalities and appearances that they have been specifically bred for.

The Persian lives the envious life of a couch potato. They are quiet cats with limited activity needs. However, the long, silky coat that they are renowned for requires a fair bit of maintenance, to avoid matting. They come in lots of colours, and have a flat face and large heads. The flattened nose, also found in dogs such as the Boxer and Pug, may predispose these cats to respiratory problems later in life. This cat is ideal for an owner who cannot be home a lot and wants an absolutely beautiful couch companion.

The Himalayan Persian, commonly simply called the Himalayan, mixes the long coat of the Persian with the colour of the Siamese. This gives you a cat that looks like a Persian but has pointed colouring. Pointed colouring is a heat-sensitive reaction where the fur of the face, ears, tail, and feet are a darker colour than the rest of the body. This cat is outgoing but still fairly quiet, like the Persian.

The Ragdoll has an interesting history. It has been bred intensively to produce a very relaxed disposition; the initial claim was that these animals were so gentle and placid that they went limp (like a Ragdoll) when you picked them up. They have a medium-long coat that requires less maintenance than the Persian or Himalayan. They also have a rounder face, and have pointed colouring. Reaching weights ranging from ten to twenty pounds, these cats are the gentle giants of the cat breeds.

The Maine Coon is also widely known for its luxurious coat. The coat has a texture that is unique to this breed, and is heavy, low maintenance, and water repellent, which reflects its farm-cat background. This breed also has a unique ‘trill’, in addition to the other forms of vocalization. They are big cats, rivalling the Ragdoll in size. These cats tend to be the favorite breed of men, as they are good companions but not overly demanding of affection.

Munchkins are a very interesting breed. To look at them, they are reminiscent of Daschund dogs. They have a normal-sized body with extremely short legs. This defect is inherited. They were also bred for their playfulness and eternal kitten appearance. Munchkins are prone to spinal problems, such as lordosis. Lordosis is excessive downward curve of the spine that can be very painful and incompatible with motion. This breed is coveted by people who want a ‘cute’ cat, but any potential owner should be aware of the health problems that may be associated with this defect.

Manx are another unusual-looking breed. They have no (or very little) tail, and their hind legs are longer than their front legs. Therefore, these cats tend to ‘bunny-hop’ when they run. Everything about them is round: their bodies, eyes, rump, head, and paws. They are also found as a long-haired cat, called the ‘Cymric’. Like with the Munchkins, this defect comes at a price. Manx are prone to spinal, gait, bowl, and bladder problems. In some circumstances, in both breeds, these problems can be so bad that the kittens need to be euthanized. These cats are prized for their appearance and playful, even-tempered personality.

The Abyssinian is the most affectionate cat that we have discussed so far. It needs, and demands, play time and attention. They are a distinctive glorious rich rust colour, termed ‘ticked’. They have little tufts of hair on the tips of their ears and are built like an average cat in size and shape. This breed is recommended for people who are looking for a very interactive and social cat.

The Siamese is a cat of legends! It is known for its pointed colouring and slanting eyes. Over the past century, the Siamese has been increasingly bred for long, fine features, especially in the legs and head. These cats are a handful! They are the most gregarious and talkative breed out there. The Siamese is a cat for someone who is willing to put extra time and attention into a pet cat.

Sphinx cats still exist; they are not merely myth! These ‘hairless’ cats are still somewhat of a rarity. They are not actually hairless, but are in fact covered by fuzz that gives them a suede-like feel. They are mischievous and playful, but the real effort comes in maintaining the health of these cats. Because they have no fur, their skin needs special daily maintenance, and they are very prone to heat and cold. Therefore, these are strictly indoor cats. The large eyes and ears add to the exotic look of these cats. They are only for true devotees of the breed, as they require extra care.

Perhaps, next time you consider getting a cat, you will think about getting a purebred. Purebred cats have a fairly predictable personality and appearance. There are many breeds out there and this was just a short introduction. You can find more information about cat breeds through your local veterinarian or on breed websites. You can also adopt a purebred cat through the many rescue groups in Canada and the USA that specialize in specific cat breeds.

Dog Urinating in the House

One of pet owners’ greatest frustrations is inappropriate elimination in the house. When the beloved family dog starts to use the living room as his own personal restroom, owners are understandably distraught. Aside from the monetary and time costs of cleaning up the mess left by their dog, the most serious cost can be to the relationship between pet and master. Unable to understand, and therefore cope with, the reasons underlying a pet’s continued housesoiling, some owners choose to give up their animal altogether. This scenario is unfortunate, and often unnecessary, considering that the behaviour is one that is easier to manage than most owners think.

The first thing that dog owners must understand is that there are many causes of inappropriate urination in the dog. Pinning down the cause is often half the battle, since identifying the problem helps us to select the appropriate treatment and greatly increase the odds of its success.

What would cause a mature dog to urinate in the home despite being given ample opportunity to do so outside? There are medical reasons and behavioural ones, and any vet will tell you that distinguishing between the two is crucial and often dictates the type and success of treatment.


Medical Causes

There are many diseases, especially in older animals, that may manifest themselves as housesoiling. Many geriatric dogs drink and urinate significantly more than usual – something your vet may refer to as “PU/PD”, or “polyuria/polydipsia” – as a result of kidney disease, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, and others. This is why it is important to mention significant increases in your pet’s water consumption to your vet. Dogs needing to relieve themselves more frequently than usual may in fact be suffering from bladder infections, prostate problems, or even tumours of the urinary tract. Incontinence is another culprit. Incontinence can result from neurological dysfunction or decreased urinary sphincter function. Also, geriatric pets may urinate in the home as their cognitive function and awareness of their surroundings declines.

A thorough history, including details about the volume, frequency, and colour of urination can help point your vet in the right direction. In addition, a laboratory analysis of your pet’s urine sample – or urinalysis – with or without simple bloodwork, can be invaluable. Often times, what appeared to be a behavioural problem turns out to have a medical basis, and can then be treated accordingly. Lab tests available through your vet not only rule out behavioural causes, but can help to narrow down the possible medical causes.

Treatment for medical causes of inappropriate elimination very much depends on the cause and the individual patient. Talk to your veterinarian.

Behavioural Causes

In puppies and young dogs, peeing in the house most often stems from insufficient housebreaking training. Urination in response to excitement or as a show of submission to other dogs or people is also common.

Separation anxiety can be an underlying cause of inappropriate elimination. Dogs that are highly bonded with their owners may become distressed by their absence, particularly if the owner has recently had longer periods away from home than usual. Older dogs are especially prone to experience this. Dogs with separation anxiety often show behavioural changes in response to cues of their masters’ impending exit, such as jingling keys or putting on a coat. During and after this time, they will express their upset with signs of overt agitation and restlessness (vocalization, pacing) or with depression (decreased willingness to get up or eat).

The cornerstones of managing separation anxiety include increasing daily exercise (to tire your pet out in advance), desensitizing your pet to your exit routine, and slowly letting pets get used to your absence in small, rather than large or sudden, increments. Leaving dogs with chew toys, other pets, or simply leaving the TV on for them, will help to divert attention away from your absence. In severe cases, a vet may prescribe dog-specific sedatives.

Marking, or urinating small amounts on upright objects, is a behaviour that is likely familiar to the owners of unneutered male dogs. Everyone has seen a male dog lift its leg on a fire hydrant outside, but problems arise when your good loveseat becomes the stand-in. Marking indoors is often the result of territorial instincts being triggered. Watching through the living room window as a strange dog or person approaches or even walks past the house can lead a motivate a male dog to mark his home turf – literally.

Neutering intact males stops marking in over half of these dogs. Another option is to minimize the stimuli leading to marking by keeping pets away from windows, so passersby stay out of their line of sight. Redirecting the marking behaviour toward an upright stake outdoors, and rewarding urination at this appropriate site with food or praise, is also a strategy that some owners find helpful.

The Bottom Line

In summary, owners don’t need to wring their hands when faced with urination in the house. A thorough history, physical exam, and urine tests performed by your vet will help distinguish medical from behavioural roots of the problem, and help tailor a treatment to your pet accordingly. Armed with an understanding of the cause of the problem, a treatment strategy, and a little patience, the family living room no longer has to double as your dog’s restroom.

Canine Rivalry - Dog Fighting

What is Canine Rivalry?

Canine rivalry refers to repeated conflicts between dogs living in the same household. Animals that live in social groups establish a social structure within that group. This social structure is hierarchical and dogs determine their place in the hierarchy through control of and access to various resources, such as food, toys and attention from people. A stable hierarchy in which each individual knows and accepts his rank provides dogs with a sense of comfort and belonging. Conflicts arise between household dogs when there is instability in the social structure; that is, when the ranking of each dog is not clear or is in contention. Dogs may warn each other initially by snarling, growling or snapping, but not causing injury. However, the conflict may sometimes intensify into prolonged bouts of dangerous fighting, which may result in one or both dogs being becoming injured.

Getting Professional Help
Ongoing canine rivalry is potentially dangerous. Dogs or human family members could be severely injured as a result of fighting. Because resolving rivalry problems requires managing the dogs’ somewhat complex social behaviors, it’s often necessary for owners to obtain assistance from a professional animal behaviorist. Certified animal behaviorists are trained to observe, interpret and modify animal behavior.

Why Conflict Occurs
Conflicts between household dogs develop for a wide variety of reasons. Conflicts may occur if:

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A new animal has been introduced to the household.
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A resident animal has died or no longer lives in the house.
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A resident animal is re-introduced after an absence.
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A young dog reaches social maturity, which is usually between 10 months and 2 years of age, and challenges the established higher-ranking dog.
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A high-ranking dog ages or becomes ill and cannot maintain his higher status.

Understanding Status Seeking Behavior and Social Structure
The dogs’ positions in the hierarchy are determined by the outcome of their interactions. The results of this complex and dynamic process will depend on the dogs themselves, without regard to your preferences. Any attempt on your part to interfere may result in increased conflict.

How dominance is established:
Dogs usually determine their social ranking through a series of behaviors, which include body postures and vocalizations that don’t result in injury. Examples of these behaviors are one dog “standing over” another by placing his paws or neck on the shoulders of the other, mounting, lip licking or rolling over onto the back. Some dogs may take toys away from other dogs, insist on being petted first or exercise control over other resources. However, because of past experiences, inadequate socialization or genetic tendencies, some dogs may escalate these displays into aggression with very little warning.

The Social Structure:
Do not attempt to influence or define the dogs’ rankings by treating them equally or by preventing a higher-ranking dog from asserting his position over another dog. The social hierarchy of the dogs is dynamic and complex, so even attempts to “support the dominant dog” may be counter productive. The dogs should be allowed to determine control of resources, such as toys and favorite sleeping places, amongst themselves. As much as possible, refrain from interfering in the dogs’ interactions with each other. But most importantly, establish yourself at the top of the hierarchy. Practicing “Nothing in Life is Free” is an easy and non-confrontational way to establish leadership by taking ultimate control of all resources the dogs find valuable. If your position as leader is clear, it will help the dogs sort out their lower places in the social structure more peacefully.

Breaking up a fight:
If you need to break up a fight, do so by squirting the dogs with water or making a loud noise to try and interrupt them. Never attempt to break up a dog fight by grabbing the dogs by their collars or getting any part of yourself in between them. Touching dogs while they are fighting can result in what is called “redirected aggression,” where a dog may bite you because he thinks you are part of the conflict. If you’ve had a dog fight, contact your veterinarian for a referral to a professional animal behaviorist.

What You Can Do To Help

If the dogs involved are intact males or females, spay or neuter both dogs.

Make sure that all of the humans in your household are at the top of the hierarchy by practicing “Nothing in Life is Free.”

Establish fair rules and enforce them consistently. This helps all the dogs feel more secure and also reinforces your role as leader. With the help of a professional animal behaviorist, elicit and reinforce non-aggressive behaviors using counter-conditioning and desensitization techniques. These procedures must be designed and tailored to specifically meet the needs of each individual case and require professional in-home help. Punishment will not resolve the issue and can actually make it worse. You should be aware that if you respond to this type of problem inappropriately, you run the risk of intensifying the problem and potentially causing injury to yourself and/or your dogs.

Dog owner responsibility

Man’s best friend can become his visitor’s enemy. So, if you are a dog owner take steps to avoid a very preventable injury to your visitor and very expensive injury lawsuit. If you are a visitor injured by the dog’s behavior, then you have the right to compensation for damages.

Recently, in the U.S., a New Jersey Superior Court in Mercer County awarded $100,000 in damages to a UPS driver for injuries he suffered while trying to deliver a package. The homeowners’ dog was roaming alone loose on the property, had a history of viciousness, went at the driver, and the driver severely and permanently injured his knee trying to escape.

Also recently, an unrestrained dog jumped out of its owner’s car window and viciously attacked a woman and her dog. The attacking dog was reported to be a repeat offender.


Depending on the which province or state you live in, in both Canada and the U.S., dog owners can be held liable, or financially responsible, for injuries caused by their dog’s behavior in three possible and very common scenarios.

First, in New Jersey for example, the law says dog owners, and only the owners, are strictly liable for injuries caused by their dog’s bite, so long as the victim was lawfully on the property and regardless of the dog’s history. However, if the dog has a vicious propensity that the owner knew or should have known, then the dog’s owner or even the dog’s keeper are responsible for any injuries caused by the dog – even if not caused by biting and biting was not involved in the incident. Vicious propensity can be proven simply by the dog’s history of biting, jumping, chasing, scratching, or even being overly affectionate or playful. “Down boy!” And, third, even if the dog did not bite and did not have a vicious propensity, then the owner or keeper may be liable for injuries because they failed to exercise a reasonable degree of care for the safety of others.

Owners have a duty to provide safe premises for those invited onto its property and a duty to control their dogs. It is considered dangerous to allow a dog on your property unleashed, unrestrained or unfenced, or to roam free, unsupervised or in an area where it is likely to encounter strangers. At least a clear warning of the dog’s presence should be posted. People visit for a variety of legitimate reasons every day: Mail carriers, newspaper carriers, package deliverers, utility & maintenance workers, fundraisers, friends and family. Knowing this, owners must anticipate their dog’s behavior. Dogs protect their turf. They investigate strangers. They approach and greet anyone who enters their turf. Unless the dog is responsibly controlled, preventable injuries are likely to happen.

Even friendly dogs can cause serious injury – unintentionally. A big, friendly dog that gets excited when visitors arrive can knock the visitor down, wrench their back, twist their ankle, or otherwise “kill” them with kindness and curiosity. Just the sight of a large dog on the loose and coming toward a visitor can frighten them into hasty escape and injury. Not everyone shares enthusiasm for dogs, especially a 100-pound German Shepard rushing to say “Hello” … or “Get lost”. And that’s their right.

When dog owners fail to exercise care and visitors are injured, people’s lives can be ruined and courts will impose substantial money damages to compensate victims. Compensation has been recovered for injuries when someone was running from a dog, when someone fell after being chased by a dog, or when someone was knocked to the ground by a dog.

Owning a dog carries special responsibility to ensure others’ safety. If you are a delivery person, newspaper carrier, utility worker, or any visitor to another’s property where a dog is present, and are injured by the dog, you have a right to recover money damages under the law.

What to do when your dog eats poop

Poop-eating (coprophagia) is generally a natural behaviour in dogs but unfortunately one that can be more than a little disgusting. Let’s face it, dogs are renowned for their flexible palates, and to them, poop is just another taste sensation. Frozen feces, or poopsicles, are an especially alluring snack. Puppies are the most frequent culprits, and owners take heart, they will usually grow out of this habit with a few precautionary measures. Dogs over one year old that have developed this habit can be a little harder to discourage.

Why do they do it?

Dogs are hard-wired to explore any and all potential food resources in their environment. This is especially true of puppies. Feces is very similar in texture to the regurgitated food they got from mom. Breeding females, as well, are naturally inclined to do their own "scooping" as they would normally clean up after their pups in the den. In addition, most dogs feel some urge to keep their territory or den clean, especially if they have been scolded for leaving a mess before. For some dogs, it is also a way to garner attention from an owner or to alleviate stress.

A poor quality diet or one that a dog is unable to digest easily might encourage your dog to give his poop a second round. In households where both dogs and cats are present, dogs may eat cat feces. Cat feces is more nutritious than dog feces, since cats are less efficient at digesting their food. Cat food is also higher in protein than dog food and so cat poop contains many extra nutrients. That being said, there are some cases when coprophagia indicates a greater health problem, such as pancreatic insufficiency, specific nutrient deficiencies, or plain old starvation. A dog that is eating a lot of food can still starve if the food is missing important nutrients. In these cases the dog will lose weight or develop other symptoms over time.

Is it harmful?

On the whole, the biggest consequence of coprophagia is that we humans find it revolting. A dog eating its own poop is unlikely to have any harmful effects. Many owners worry about infectious diseases, but most healthy, vaccinated dogs are at a low risk for picking up illnesses this way. Snacking indiscriminately on neighbourhood poop does increase a dog’s chances of picking up worms (especially if there are cats that hunt in the area), but a standard preventative and treatment program will keep this from affecting your dog’s health. For example, many heartworm medications will also kill some types of intestinal worms, and fecal screening for intestinal parasites should be done twice a year at your vet’s office. Keep in mind that your dog will probably be exposed to most parasites in your community whether he is actually taste-testing or just sniffing around.

Something that is of concern when dogs eat cat poop is that they might end up regularly swallowing a side of kitty litter, which is serious in large quantities, especially if the absorbent (clumping) litter expands in the gut. A dog with a belly full of kitty litter can sometimes become severely ill and might end up at the vet with vomiting or diarrhea. The consumed cat litter can be difficult to remove even with surgery, as it can scatter throughout the digestive tract.

How do I stop it?

In all cases, reducing temptation is the quickest solution. Scoop your yard frequently, keep Fido on a short leash in that poop-riddled park, and put the cat box out of reach. The kitty litter may need to be moved onto a higher surface or put in a room with a baby gate. A covered cat box might be all that is needed if the dog is much larger than the cat.

Quite often, a change to a high quality, high protein, low carbohydrate and low fat diet will do the trick. Commercially available additives are sold in pet stores that claim to make poop less palatable. Many owners find that a teaspoon of canned spinach, pineapple, or a little meat tenderizer works equally well.

Some owners will sprinkle hot sauce or pepper onto the poop in the yard (not on the food!). Keep in mind that Fido can easily sniff out which poops are booby-trapped, so this method might not work as well for dogs that prefer to "eat out" while on walks. Of course it makes sense to get advice from your veterinarian or trainer for help in solving this issue if you cannot.

Although you may wish to train your dog not to use some areas of your house or yard as a toilet, never scold your dog for defecating. Promptly remove him to an appropriate location and praise him when he gets it right. Don’t scold him for poop-eating, either, as even negative attention can be seen as a reward. If stress is the reason for your dog’s new habit, hopefully an end to the stress will result in an end to the habit.

Above all, remember that your dog is performing a behaviour that is natural, and even rewarding to him: to a dog, potentially delicious. Punishment is not always enough to counteract his instincts, and can sometimes reinforce them. Removal of temptation and reward for preferred behaviours are always your best training tools.

Clicker Training of Dogs

A clicker is a small handheld noisemaker that makes a distinct “click” when it is pressed. Clicker training is a subset or restricted application of OPERANT CONDITIONING.

Clicker training is merely a tool that is used in operant conditioning. A clicker has also been called a bridge or a marker. Clicker training has been successfully used in animal training over the last couple of decades. Over 140 different species have been successfully “clicker trained”. Many of the animals you have seen in movies/theatrical appearances or commercials have been clicker trained.

To put it very basically, whenever an animal performs a desired action, the handler should immediately click with a hand held clicker, then deliver a reward the animal desires (such as a tasty treat). The animal will associate the click as a marker that clues the animal when it does a specific action, they will get a reward.

What is Operant Conditioning (O C) ?

OC states that much of behavior is under control of it’s consequences. (OC forms an association between doing a particular behavior and a consequence). There are four possible consequences to any behavior. They are:

1.Something Good can start or be presented (positive reinforcement)
2.Something Good can end or be taken away (negative punishment)
3.Something Bad can start or be presented (positive punishment) 4.Something Bad can end or be taken away (negative reinforcement)

Consequences have to be immediate or clearly linked to the behavior. With verbal humans, we can explain the connection between the consequence and the behavior, even if they are separated by a long length of time. For example, you might tell a friend that you'll buy dinner for them since they helped you work on your car last week or a parent might explain that the child can't go to the movies because of his bad grades. With very young children, other humans who don't have verbal skills, and animals, you can't explain the connection between the consequence and the behavior. For the animal, the consequence has to be immediate. The way to work around this need for immediacy is to use a bridge (a clicker) to “mark” a behavior and then deliver the consequence.

What is positive reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement is the use of rewards (whatever an animal desires, such as food or a favorite toy) to get an animal to continually perform a desired behavior, such as sitting, laying down or shaking a paw. Rewards have to
be relevant (valuable) to the particular animal. Some dogs may love a particular brand of treat while others may turn their noses up at it.

What is negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement is when you take away something bad to get a desired behavior to increase. When you get into a car, and the seatbelt warning alarm makes a continued high pitch ring until you fasten your seat belt, the car
manufacturers are using negative reinforcement. The alarm stops once you fasten your seat belt, which will increase the likely hood of you fastening the seatbelt in the future. Negative reinforcement can lead to fear responses in an animal and can actually “shut” the animal down. It is NOT an appropriate tool to use in training anything new to your animal.

What is positive punishment?

Positive punishment is the use of verbal scolding or physical ‘punishment’ to get an animal to stop doing an undesirable behavior. Positive punishment can lead to aggression, as it promotes a fear-based response in an animal. Animals learn quicker by being rewarded for a particular action rather than being punished.

What is negative punishment?

Negative Punishment is taking away an anticipated reward. An example would be picking up the dog’s leash to go for a walk but putting it down the second the dog jumps or barks at you. Negative punishment can be used to teach self
control in animals as it usually only results in some frustration at first until the animal understands he can make the “good” thing come back by acting
appropriately.

My dog is afraid of the clicker

If you notice the animal is shying away from the click (the sound is unfamiliar and may frighten a stressed out dog), you can either muffle the sound so that it is not as loud, or discontinue the clicker session (if the animal seems to be very stressed, tail tucked, fearful body language, avoiding). Some ways of muffling the ‘click’ are as follows:
• Hide the clicker behind your back
• Place the clicker in your pocket. Click from
inside your pocket.
• Wrap the clicker in a small towel

Do I have to click and treat every time?

Yes!!! You are conditioning your dog to respond to the clicker and then you will be using the clicker to mark behaviors. Remember to click and immediately reward after each successful behavior that you are trying to teach. Do NOT click and then fudge on the reward. You MUST deliver a reward to the animal every time you click. Do NOT click multiple times in a row and then offer one single reward. The ratio is one click = one reward. Do
NOT point the clicker at your dog like a remote control. Hold your hand casually at your side and click when your dog does something you want to reinforce (don’t forget to immediately reward the dog as well!)

Why Can't I use my voice instead of the clicker?

The “click” from a clicker is a very distinguishable sound. The click is non-emotional, has the same pitch and tone and is different than other sounds
in the environment. Voices vary widely from person to person. The click will stay the same no matter who uses the clicker.

Dog poops in the house

Ask any pet owner – there are few surprises as unpleasant as finding a pile of Rover’s doggie-doo on the living room carpet. The resultant mess and odours are off-putting enough, but the most important potential consequence of housesoiling is the havoc it wreaks on the relationship between dog and master. Understandably, defecation in the house is poorly tolerated by owners – much more so than urination – and may lead them to seriously consider relinquishing the pet. This is an unfortunate scenario that owners and veterinarians must strive to avoid, especially since the prognosis for resolution of the behaviour is often quite good, depending on the underlying cause.

Elimination is defined as ‘inappropriate’ whenever a pet has had ample opportunity to relieve itself in a designated area, yet continues to do so indoors.

Although the net result is the same – poo on your new beige carpet – the causes are numerous, and diverse. Furthermore, the nature of the problem, be it medical or behavioural, has a direct bearing on the likelihood of successful treatment. For this reason, the first task in working up any dog that has started to defecate indoors is differentiating between medical versus behavioural causes.

Medical Causes

When an otherwise housebroken and well-behaved mature dog is found to be leaving ‘number two’s’ around the home, it may be the result of an increased urgency and / or frequency of needing to relieve itself. Conditions such as colitis (inflammation and irritation of the large intestine) may manifest in this way. Organisms causing diarrhea, such as parasitic worms, bacteria, and viruses, may also be responsible for increasing the fluid volume of stool and the urgency to defecate in between walking times. Puppies, as well as immunocompromised and debilitated dogs, are particularly vulnerable to some of these diarrhea-causing pathogens. This last point underscores the importance of regular preventative deworming and timely vaccination of puppies (and adults), according to your veterinarian’s advice.

Your vet is able to easily check stool samples for microscopic evidence of parasites and their eggs, or ‘ova’. Multiple samples may be needed though, since many parasites’ ova are shed in feces inconsistently, and as such, may not appear in every successive sample even though they are cause of the infection. Feces may also be tested to rule out other infectious causes of diarrhea. Treatment usually consists of supportive care (such as fluids for dehydration associated with diarrhea) and antibiotics or antiparasitic medications. Colitis is managed according to its cause, be it allergic, infectious, or otherwise.

Dogs suffering from constipation or otherwise difficult or painful defecation (“dyschezia”) for a variety of causes may not make full use of their bathroom time outside, and may therefore find themselves having to defecate at inappropriate times and locations. Conditions affecting the hind end are often to blame, ranging from inflammation or infection of the anal sacs to orthopedic problems such as arthritis and hip dysplasia, which make it uncomfortable to squat down to defecate. A thorough history, including questions about the appearance and consistency of your dog’s stool, physical exam, and fecal testing by your vet will aid in sorting out gastrointestinal from orthopedic causes. Again, treatment will be determined by the underlying cause of the difficulty in defecating.

Another medical cause for inappropriate elimination in dogs is incontinence, a condition in which the dog simply cannot control its bowel movements, and may not even be aware that it is defecating at all. Incontinence is a neurological problem, and as such can be more complex and carry a less favourable prognosis for cure, especially in older pets with a chronic history or in spinal injury patients. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough neurological exam of your dog to rule in or out nervous system involvement. Another neurological basis for housesoiling is cognitive dysfunction (CD), akin to dementia in people. This is often seen in the geriatric dog population, as mental function declines and awareness of their surroundings decreases, such that the dog loses any concept of the inappropriateness of its behaviour. Cognitive dysfunction is the result of a degenerative process occurring in the brain, so it is slowly progressive. However, your vet is still able to offer some therapeutic options that may slow these often inevitable changes. Ask your vet about the latest medications available to manage CD.

Behavioural Causes

When the results of your dog’s physical exam, lab tests, and fecal analysis yield no evidence of physiological causes of inappropriate defecation, the root of the problem is often times found to be a behavioural one. A common cause of housesoiling is inadequate housebreaking training. This topic is discussed in more detail in the Pets.ca bulletin board here.

Changes in feeding or walking schedule can sometimes account for a recent onset of indoor defecation by a usually well-behaved dog. Dogs, like people, will often relieve themselves at more or less predictable intervals following meals. Take some time to observe these intervals and ensure that your dog is afforded the opportunity to relieve himself outside at the times he is most likely to have to go. Feeding two or three small meals a day is more likely to allow owners to predict, and therefore accommodate, their dogs’ defecation habits than leaving out a bowl of food all day long for occasional, unpredictable grazing.

If changes in your shifts at work mean you will be away from the house for longer periods of time than usual, ensure that any feces that will inevitably be passed over that time will end up in a location of your choice. Laying newspapers or ‘pee-pads’ down in a tiled room in the house makes clean-up of the unavoidable accidents easier, and provides an appropriate outlet for your pet’s bathroom urges. Crating your dog may also be a good option, as it takes advantage of dogs’ natural aversion to soiling where they sleep. Leaving any dog in a crate for too long, however, will eventually lead to it soiling its living quarters, which is upsetting for the dog. It should therefore be emphasized that crates are in no way a replacement for conscientious care and walking of a dog.

The Bottom Line

While nobody wants to return home from a long day to find their home ‘redecorated’ by their dog’s poo, owners should take heart that housesoiling can often be a treatable, transient problem. Working with your vet to pin the cause down as either medical or behavioural is key. Only then can treatments can be devised accordingly and a reasonable prognosis given for success. The problem can initially be a frustrating one but remember…with some patience and dedication, a dog leaving number two’s in the house may well return to being your number one pet.

Stop Dog Barking

To a dog, loud short words like “no!”, “shut up!”, “don’t bark!” sound just like barks. Think of it this way. The dog barks to signal a potential problem. Now you (who are suppose it to be the leader of the pack) come over and bark too. This clearly indicates that you agree that this is the right time to sound the alarm….

The procedure worked out by wild canines to stop barking is really quite simple. The pack leader, the puppy's mother, or any pack member who is obviously higher in dominance ranking can give the signal for silence. To quiet barking, the dominant animal places its mouth over the offender's muzzle, without actually biting, and then gives a short, low, and breathy growl. The low growl will not be heard very far, and is short in duration. The mouth over the muzzle is not actually inflicting pain, so there is no yelping or attempt to escape. Silence usually follows immediately.

Humans can mimic this behavior as a simple way to tell a dog to stop barking when it is near you. With your dog sitting at your left side, slip the fingers of your left hand under the collar at the back of the dog's neck. Pull up on the collar with your left hand, while your right hand folds over the top of the dog's muzzle and presses down. In a quiet, businesslike and unemotional tone, you simply say, "a Quiet." You repeat this silencing maneuver whenever it is necessary. Depending upon the breed, it may take anywhere from two to a couple of dozen repetitions to associate the calmly stated command " “Quiet" with an end to barking.

What you have done in this instance is to effectively copy the way in which the pack leader will silence a noisy puppy or other pack member. Your left hand on the collar is simply immobilizes the head. Your right hand serves the same function and communicates the same message as the leader's mouth over the noisy animal's muzzle. The softly spoken, "Quiet" mimics the short, low, breathy growl.

Be sure, however, that you use this procedure to stop a dog from barking only when barking is unnecessary, as in an obedience class or a public place. Remember that we specifically bred dogs to bark, so if your dog sounds the alarm at the approach of a stranger, or even at the sight of the cat outside your window, don't correct him. If there is no cause for any action, just call him to your side and give him a quick pet or rub. By barking, your dog is only doing the job we designed him to do thousands of years ago….

Train a Cat to Use a Toilet

Cats are adorable creatures - all cat lovers will agree with that. They make excellent human companions and, like dogs, are also considered by many as man's best friend. Cute, cuddly, and companionable, these domesticated felines can easily melt anybody's heart. They can entertain you with their sweet little tricks and make you laugh out loud with their crazy antics. Yes, cats are absolutely charming, but not all the time. You have to admit, endearing as they are, cats also do things that can annoy you out of your wits such as scratching you wood furniture, biting your curtain tassels, and, at worst, pooping on your brand new carpet.

The good news is that cats are smart and curious animals. For this reason, they can be trained to do several things that could make your life easier. Just one of the things you can teach your little feline friend to do is to use the toilet. If you want your cat to be like Jack Byrnes' Himalayan cat in "Meet the Parents" then you should start thinking about training your kitty to use the toilet now. As opposed to what some people think, potty training cats is not hard to do. All you need is plenty of patience and a strong determination. And oh, you will also need a litter box and a roll of wax paper.

If your cat already knows how to use the litter box, then that makes the task of getting them to use the toilet 50% easier. Since cats are clean creatures by nature, chances are that they will find pooping in the toilet more desirable than what they were initially accustomed to. The trick in potty training a cat is to do it gradually. Depending on your cat's personality, the process of toilet training can take several days to a few weeks. There's no point in hastening the training because cats take time to learn and get used to the new pooping system.

Start the potty training by moving your cat's litter box near a toilet. After you do this, make sure your cat knows where to find its litter box. Let your cat become familiar with the new location of its litter box. After you have done this, the next thing to do is to move the litter box inch by inch towards the toilet bowl for the subsequent days until it ends up right next to the bowl. While inching the litter box towards the toilet bowl, you should also reduce the amount of litter used bit by bit.

The next goal is to get the cat to sit on the toilet bowl. You can do this by progressively adding a book under a litter box until it's already elevated to the same height as the toilet bowl. When you've already done this, raise the toilet seat and tape a sheet of wax paper over it. The wax paper should be big enough to cover the hole. Then, lower the seat and gradually move the litter box an inch towards the seat over the following days. Do this until the litter box is right over the toilet seat. Don't forget to reduce the amount of litter every time you move the litter box towards the seat until there's already none left. When you've done this, discard the box and cut an inch-wide hole in the middle of the wax paper. In the succeeding days, gradually widen the wax paper's hole until it becomes as big as that of the toilet seat. By the time you are done with this last step, congratulations, you now have a toilet-trained cat.