Animal Talk has teamed up with the Detroit Free Press to give you a chance to ask Donna, Jamie and Dr. Trish your pet questions. Every Sunday we have a column in the paper. Find us in all 11 versions of the local “Community Pages” and in the online paper. The column is limited to about 250 words so here is an archive of the unedited versions of our responses. If you would like to have your question and name appear in the Detroit Free Press email your pet concern to jamie@animaltalkradio.com

7-13-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We have a husky that will not follow on a lead. He is eager for affection and will come if you are kneeling, but as soon as you stand up the dog sits and will not budge. How do we fix this?

Mary – Utica 

Dear Mary,
This can be a common fear from a dog that may have never been on a leash before. When a dog hasn’t been socialized and desensitized to something, the dog becomes fearful of those things. We can assume that this dog was never leashed or trained to walk on a leash.

You want to desensitize the dog to the leash. Put the leash on him and walk away. When he puts on the breaks do not coax him, pull him, or otherwise encourage him to come to you. Make sure there is no slack in the lead, and wait for him to decide to come to you. This can take several minutes. When he finally gets up and walks toward you it’s a party!  He gets a lot of praise and possibly a treat. Repeat this process; walk until he puts on the breaks, then making sure there’s no slack and wait him out. 

Praise is the most important part of this training, so be sure that the whole time he is moving with you he is being told what a good dog he is. This will boost his confidence, and he will see that good things happen when he is with you, and bad things (no attention) happen away from you.

7-6-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I'm worried how my dog, Sprocket. She gets really scared or fireworks and thunderstorms. Can I do anything to help her? Is there any medication my vet can give her?

Shannon in Rochester

Dear Shannon,
Thunderstorm and firework phobia is relatively common. While there are mild sedatives that a veterinarian can prescribe, they will only mask the fear-not change it. That might be the answer for the short term.

The best way is to eradicate the fear all together by desensitizing Sprocket to those noises. Go to your local bookstore and look for CD's that are of the loud storms or fireworks.  These CD's should not contain any music in the background.

Each day you will play the CD at a low volume as something positive is happening to Sprocket; like eating a meal or playing with a favorite toy. Every day you turn the volume up a little louder, again always be sure something positive is happening.  By the end of a week, the volume should be as loud as it can go, and Sprocket shouldn't be reacting to the sounds any longer. Your neighbors might think the Addams Family moved in next door, but your problem should be solved.

What you are doing is making Sprocket see that storms and fireworks mean something positive and are actually fun!

6-28-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I have a miniature pinscher puppy that is jumping all the time. Seriously all the time, and when I try to get him to stop and listen he gets more excited. What am I doing wrong?

Cassie from Allen Park

Dear Cassie,
The jumping is a normal behavior to gain attention. Correcting this comes down to teaching your dog how to effectively communicate his needs to you. Instead of jumping for attention, teaching him to sit usually works best. One way to do this is: no attention is given until he has all four feet on the floor.  Do not look at him, do not talk to him, just wait until he gets down and then praise him. This is the ‘ignore’ technique. You ignore the unwanted behavior (jumping), and praise the good behavior (all four on the floor). This can be a test of wills and a difficult battle, but you can win with patients and persistence.

6-8-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We are trying to train our 10 week old Yorkie-poo. We are feeding her at regular times, leaving the food down for only 10 minutes, and putting it away until next feeding time. Our concern is that many times she doesn’t eat. Is that a problem at her young age?

Ivone – Romulus

Dear Ivone
It is important for a small breed of dog to eat, as they can get low blood sugar.  Feeding three times a day is standard for your puppy’s age.  When you have a puppy that doesn’t eat the all the food, still pick it up.  Between meals you can use a supplement like NutraStat or Puppy Aid (works like Pedialyte for people) to help the electrolyte balance.  When using those products, always follow the directions.

Picky eaters are not born, they are created; if you doctor up the food, your puppy will learn to hold out for the alternative. One thing you can try to make the food more appealing is to wet it down with warm water giving it a stronger smell and making it more appealing.

For a small breed dog with a small stomach a few bites of food can be filling. As long as your dog is eating, eliminating, and active she is ok. If you notice lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, or anything out of the ordinary, see your vet.

6-1-08

Last week we helped Sheryl with a rescued male cat making adjustments to a new home with two female cats. He has been fixed, but is still marking and urinating in a few spots around the house.

Old habits die hard. To help modify this behavior it is necessary to change his association with these spots as potty spots to something else.

First step is to deep clean all the previous messes. Use a black light to find where the messes are located. Turn out the lights and have your very own home game of CSI; biological waste and residue will glow. Use an enzymatic cleaner made for pet messes following their directions or an oxygenated cleaner that you can mix 4X regular strength and use very hot water (always test a sample first).

Second step would be to take a small amount of food (just a few kibbles) and place them on a paper plate at the spot of the previous messes. This will associate this location with food and not potty. Would you put a toilet in your kitchen? Ok bad question for some.

An additional step to take if the cat is simply not litter box trained would be to sequester the cat in a room like a spare bathroom, with just his box, when your eyes could not literally be on him. Any mistakes would be easier to clean and it should get him in the habit of using the box.

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5-25-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I have rescued a 3 year old male cat from my yard. I had him neutered and shots updated at the vet. I am slowly introducing him into my house with my 2 spayed females. I have let him in about four times and each time he sprays on something. I leave a small opening in a door between the cats, and they hiss and he cries then sprays. I am about to let him back outside in frustration. What can be done?

Sheryl St. Jean – Livonia

Dear Sheryl,
A slow introduction may be a good idea, but I think you may have prolonged this meeting too long. The cats are crying and hissing because they are stressed. At this point they know the other exists, and it’s time to allow them to find their own way. Make sure each has an escape route and plenty of room to move away from the other cat. Forcing them together at this point could cause a problem too. There will be noise, hissing, and perhaps even some slapping when they find each other, but as long as they are not drawing blood and biting, they are simply expressing their voices and organizing the colony. Do not reach into a cat fight. A loud noise, hand claps slamming a book on the floor, should disturb any brawl and allow escape if they are truly hurting each other. We will follow up next time with what to do about the spraying.

5-18-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I have a 6 yr old female Jack Russell mix and a 2 yr old female Shih Tzu. We go for frequent walks, and when we encounter another dog my Shih Tzu attacks the Jack Russell.

Most of the time my Jack isn't even paying attention to the other dog, so the Shih Tzu shouldn't be jealous. Other than this the two dogs get along very well.  Why do the attacks happen, and how can I stop them?

Valerie Miller - Sterling Heights, MI

Valerie,
What your Shih Tzu is exhibiting is called “misplaced aggression”.  Your dog is frustrated and angry to see the other dog, so she is taking her frustration out on your Jack.  You may have noticed that your Shih Tzu is more dominant than your Jack naturally.

In every Pack there is an Alpha or Leader of the Pack, the middle pack members, and the Omega-the bottom; that one is the stress reliever and play instigator. It sounds as if your Jack is an Omega personality, while your Shih Tzu is the more dominant; possibly thinking she is the Pack Leader.

When you have dynamics such as this, it is time to work with a professional.  The first step is to make sure your Shih Tzu will handle a correction at the time of excitement in a proper manner.  

5-11-08

Dear Animal Talk.
Help!  My dog won’t come when we call him.  I’m tired of chasing him through the neighborhood when the kids leave the gate open.  Short of training the kids, what can I do?

Stephanie in Canton

Dear Stephanie,
Dogs love chase games, and the more we chase them the more they run away.  What you need to do first is teach your dog what the “Come” command means.  Start by having you dog on a long leash or rope; let him wander to the end of it and be distracted by smells or people.  Once you notice his attention isn’t on you any longer, give the command “Come!”  Say it one time and then immediately reel in the leash while praising him.  Make sure you reel him all the way to you, then make him sit; don’t give the command just gently put him in the sit position.  After he has sat for a few moments, release him with the release command “Enough”.  Do this a few times, and repeat every day until he understands what the word “Come” means.

5-4-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I have a 19 year old 5 pound cat.  She is completely spoiled, especially since I had to have my other cat put down about 3 years ago.  The other cat was the dominate one, so this cat was always the quiet, hiding cat.  Now she has become a great talker, "demands" lots of attention, and is slowly becoming a lap cat.

My problem is I am planning a month in a warm climate next winter and will have to take her along.  Do you have any suggestions on making the car travel easier, the adjustment to a new home, and back again after vacation?  When I moved over 7 years ago, she did not move well.

Thanks, Deanna – Sterling Heights
 
Deanna,
The first step to take with this cat would be blood work (including a thyroid level) to rule out a medical problem for the increased vocalization.  

Safe things to use to calm the cat in the car would be "Rescue Remedy" (a Bach Flower remedy that can be found at health food stores) or Feliway spray.  These could also be used to ease the transition into the new home.

For the most part I do not recommend sedation in animals for traveling.  Most cats will stop meowing in less than an hour.

4-27-08

Puppy Mills and Pet Stores

In a previous column we advised a reader looking for a new dog to check a pet store as one option. We also suggested that saving one of the thousands of dogs in a shelter, looking for their forever home, would be a good thing to do.

Many readers were aghast, to say the very least, that we even mentioned a pet store as an option.

Puppy mills are a prolific problem in the pet industry today. Reports in the media put the number of puppies sold in pet stores, which come from puppy mills, at 99%.

We agree that, whatever the number is, even if it were 1% that would be too many dogs suffering in extraordinarily inhumane conditions. If you are purchasing, rescuing, or adopting a puppy you must ask questions, lots of questions. Are the breeders supplying the pet store licensed and in good standing with the USDA? Has the puppy been seen by a vet? Can they confirm the health of the pup with documentation? What happens to puppies they don’t sell? To name just a few.

There are many irresponsible pet stores that are more concerned with profit than the health of animals, but for us to condemn all pet stores would be an inaccurate depiction as well.
 
Again thousands and thousands of dogs are looking for homes in rescues and that is a great place to find your new best friend. The Michigan Humane Society and other rescues are great places to get pets, and many have the animals available listed on Petfinder.com. When adopting a pet ask a lot of questions, and good breeder or rescue will ask you a lot of questions too.

And designer dogs; if you want to pay thousands of dollars for a mutt; go right ahead.

4-20-08

Dear Animal Talk,
My son, who is away on a school trip, has a pet leopard gecko named Joanna. We have a menagerie of pets, and it seems like I end up caring for most of them. Last night, our cat snuck into my son’s room and tried to break into Joanna’s habitat!  When I heard the noise, I rushed in to find Joanna has lost her tail!  I don’t think the cat was able to get into the enclosure, but none the less the tail was on the bottom of the cage and off the gecko. Did my cat hurt Joanna? What can I do for the gecko? Will her tail grow back?

Paula in Garden City

Dear Paula,
Geckos have a great defense mechanism, when they are threatened they will intentionally drop their tail.  This allows the predator to be distracted by the tail, and the lizard to get away.  Joanna was doing what nature intended; she dropped her tail when your cat made an attempt to catch her, and most likely ran to safety and is fine.  Just check Joanna to be sure she is still eating and drinking normally. Here’s the bonus; not to worry, her tail will grow back with time. There may be slight kink where the tail re-grows but that is normal.

4-13-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We are thinking about a dog for our family. We are not sure where to go to buy or adopt a pet. We don’t need anything fancy or purebred.  When I was young we had a mutt, and he was great. What would you suggest?

Amy – St. Clair Shores

Dear Amy,
You are so right, mixed breed dogs can be some of the best dogs ever. You can always visit the local pet store and find a great puppy in various styles and models of purebreds and mixes. They will be fine dogs.

You can also consider a shelter or rescue group. Right now there are hundreds of dogs looking for their forever homes in shelters and foster homes around the area. The Michigan Humane Society has the pets available for adoption listed on the Petfinder.com website. You can shop for your new buddy with the family from the comfort of your home, then go and see your prospective pet in person. Many shelters in the area have their pets listed on that site.

4-6-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We have a 1 year old cat that has recently become destructive to our furniture.  Until now he would use his scratching post, but now prefers our recliner.  We have had several heated discussions about whether or not this would be a cruel thing to do to the cat. We have decided to declaw Toby since we can’t always catch him at it, and the other option is to give him up. Is this a good idea at his age, or is he too old now?

Sue -  Garden City

Sue,
The decision to declaw or not is a hotly debated question.  It is a fact that a majority of cats that end up in shelters (and ultimately put down) are there because of behavior problems.  It seems that the decision to declaw would be the more humane choice. Of course, the younger the better when it comes to recovery time for this procedure.  However, if you find a clinic that offers the CO2 laser for the declaw, Toby should recover in half the time.  The CO2 laser is a faster surgery, there is little to no bleeding, and most cats are up and playing like usual right after surgery.  With all the advances in surgical technology and pain management, your year old boy should do just fine!

3-30-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I have an 8 month old horse, and during our training sessions he seems to get bored easily.  He'll bite and play with the rope, me and anything else he can find!  Help!

Josh- Commerce Twp.

Dear Josh,
The keys to training any animal are; respect, proper motivation, short training sessions, and making the training fun.  As with any animal, they must respect you and believe that you are the higher up in pecking order. So be strong, but not harsh and don't back down when he tests you. An 8 month old horse will have the attention span of a gnat, so keep your training sessions short-about 3 minutes per exercise; then move on to a new exercise. The total training session should be 30 minutes, and be sure to end with a positive.  Longer sessions will ware on you and your horse, and you'll see a drop in his response time.  Use a play time as a reward; since you have a young, energetic horse this type of reward will help motivate him to work for you to get that payout.

3-23-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We have a puppy that is going on 8 months now. He has started to bark a lot whenever we sit down for the evening and when we go to bed at night. Another strange thing (we think) is, he has a growl in between the barking.  We get after him, and that seems to stir him up even more. So we are ignoring him, and he eventually stops.  Will he out grow this behavior?

Trevor and Kara - Farmington

Dear Trevor and Kara,
The barking issue that your puppy is having is very simple; he is barking to get your attention.  The little growls in-between signifies an urge to play and to demand your attention. This is much like a young child (or husband) stamping their feet. You have already noticed that when you ‘get after him’ the behavior heightens; this is because you gave in, and in his mind you were returning the play.  The best course of action is what you have been doing; ignoring him. Add this step, once he gives up and lays down praise him, because now he is doing what you like.  Keep repeating this process until he understands that demanding attention won’t work. A dog will not ‘grow’ out of this behavior, but with consistency and patients you can train it out of him at any age. As for the husband or child; that’s another story.

3-16-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We have a lovely 9 month old Lhasa Poo puppy. Sammie is a male and he is golden blonde in color with brown ears. He has what appears to be a staining of his fur in the corner of his eyes. We've been told by the groomers that the red on him is seeping from his eyes because of the red dye in the dog food.  We were giving him Purina Puppy, and for the last 2 months have switched to a natural kind.  What kind of dog food and treats do you recommend?

Brenda & Mike - Rochester Hills

The staining around the eyes that you are seeing is not due to food containing dye.  This is caused by your dog’s natural tears.  Tear staining is most common in small breeds, Brachycephalic (pushed in faces) and breeds with more prominent eyes.  Due to excessive watering of the eyes that overflows to the cheek region, when the tear meets the normal bacteria on the skin and hair of the dog, the stain occurs.  However, excessive tearing can be due to a blocked tear duct; in which case a trip to your vet will be required.  There are great products available at your local pet stores that are safe to use for keeping the area stain free.

3-9-08

Dear Animal Talk,
Our 11-year-old female 100-pound dog, Bear, is a mix, and has been a wonderful dog. However, for the past two years, Bear has been constantly incontinent. Each night I put down 'pee-pads' in her crate, and they are saturated on a daily basis. In addition, Bear has arthritis in her hind legs making her gait very slow and deliberate.

I believe it's time to end Bear's daily problems and introduce her to Doggy Heaven.  My husband is fighting it, saying that as long as she is breathing and not in any apparent discomfort, we should keep her.  We're at a crossroad and it's further complicated by the fact that Bear is our son's (22) dog.  I have been the one to clean her, feed her, vet her, and attend to her.  I believe that leaves the child out of the loop in the decision-making process.

Karen Bulbuk - Novi

Dear Karen,
This is not an uncommon scenario. There is often disagreement within a family, and in the veterinary community as a whole, as when it is appropriate to euthanize. I generally tell my clients that if the pet is still eating and is mobile enough to keep from laying in and being soiled by its own excrement then there is still some quality of life.

With that being said - we need to address why Bear is urinary incontinent. Is she arthritic and has difficulty getting up? Does she have an infection, bladder stones, or does she have age-related incontinence. Many dogs with Bear’s conditions can be helped with prescription arthritis medication and drugs for urethral incontinence. I think it is worth another trip to the vet to see if medication can help. I have had several cases of geriatric dogs respond very well to medications and go on to live several more months or even years of quality life.

FYI her response after we answered her:
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the time you took to reply to my email. You have given me - and my family - some good food for thought.  I have printed off your reply and I'm sure it will stimulate a quality conversation amongst my family!

Thanks again;  I really appreciate it!
Karen Bulbuk

3-2-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I have a nearly 5 year old Chihuahua who is very temperamental and will bite. He also will urinate along the couch or other furniture when left for a brief spell, because he gets angry. My husband is ready to get rid of my dog. What can we do?

Jennifer - Waterford, MI

Jennifer,
The first order of business is a behavior evaluation. Whenever someone tells us their dog bites, we first need to know that any training can take place. With some behavior problems, unfortunately not all dogs can be trained out of it; this is why we recommend the evaluation first. If your dog evaluates as trainable, the biting issue can be worked on.

As to the potty behavior, the first question is; is he neutered? If so, at what age was he neutered? An unneutered male dog has the hormones telling him to mark his territory. If he was neutered before he was 6 months, then this comes down to him not truly knowing the house rules and having too much freedom to make his own decisions.

It can seem like they are being spiteful, dogs actually don’t have the capacity to be ‘mad’ at or ‘get back’ at us. When a dog truly knows the house rules, he will perform the task each and every day. If he is having accidents, regardless of his age he must be treated as a new member of the household until he is trained. That means he is crated or otherwise contained in an area that he will not soil when your eyes are not literally on him.

Dogs learn through Immediate Association; if you came in and found a mess on the floor, but didn’t actually catch him in the act then you cannot correct for a potty mistake.

2-24-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I recently brought a puppy into my home, and I heard that, like people, dogs and puppies have baby teeth that fall out and will be replaced with adult teeth. Is that true, and when can I expect my puppy’s teeth to start falling out?

Melanie – Berkley, Michigan

Dear Melanie,
Yes, puppies do have baby teeth and they will fall out. A puppy will begin losing their deciduous (baby) teeth around 16 weeks of age.  The front teeth will come in first, and the last to arrive will be the Canine’s, or fangs.  You may find a baby tooth in a chew toy, or simply notice blood on the toy, but never find the tooth.  By the time of the last vet visit, which is usually around 16 weeks, you can have your vet check to ensure that your pup is on schedule.

2-17-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We got a ferret for the kids at Christmas.  Herman is a loving little guy, but he seems to be bored.  What are good, safe ferret toys?

Joanne and Rich in Milford, Michigan

Dear Joanne and Rich,
A bored ferret can be a recipe for disaster. They can get into very small spaces, and into places you may rather they did not. You will want to ferret proof the places you don’t want Herman to get into. Blocking access to behind and under things like your refrigerator will help keep your pet safe from the dangers of wires, fans, insulation, and other hazards found in these tempting small spots.

Because ferrets are very clever, toys that stimulate the brain will be the best.  Most cat size balls with bells in them will hold Herman’s attention for hours.  Also food dispensing toys like the Talk to Me Treat Ball, or the Orbee Fruit and Veggie Toys found at www.sitstay.com in the dog toy section, will make great ferret toys.  Be sure to stay away from anything that has string on it, as a ferret might be tempted to eat this, and that can cause a serious situation.

2-10-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We have a 15-year-old cat. She has been great about using the litter box until now. We just adopted a 2-year-old neutered male. Our first cat will not use the box to urinate, we think, because of his smell in the box. Her "corner" stinks. We are spreading newspapers, plastic sheets, and aluminum foil, to no avail. We are using a citrus deodorizer. None of these work, nor does constant cleaning. Is there anything to be done?

Will & Mary in Troy, Michigan

Will & Mary,
When any cat stops using the litter box it can be for several reasons, and it could be coincidence that she began this behavior once the new cat entered the house.  Being that your cat is 15, a trip to the vet would be a good idea to rule out any medical issues.  Once you have a clear bill of health you should look at and address behavior.

The general rule for cats and litter boxes is one litter box per cat, plus one; so two cats equals three boxes.  The boxes can be in the same room, even next to each other.  You may also want to try different types of boxes; covered, uncovered, or top entry.

The next step is the cleaning process. Using a black light you will be able to find and clean all the areas where your kitty has urinated. Any spot that glows green under the black light is biological waste and needs to be cleaned. Cleaners that use Enzymes or Oxygen are you best bet for eliminating the waste completely.

Once you’ve cleaned the areas with a good cleaner, the last step is to change your kitty’s association to “her corner”. To do that, place a small plate of food over the areas that she has gone potty. It doesn’t have to be a lot of food, just a couple kibbles on a plate. This helps your cat view those areas as a place for eating, not pottying.

2-3-08

Dear Animal Talk,
We have a pet bunny; his name is Galaxy because he is black with little white spots or specks. You can almost see the constellations in his patterns, or at least that's what the kids think. So we went with it.

Galaxy has been with us for a little over 2 months and is a good bunny, but his nails are getting long. If he tries to jump off your lap, and you're not paying attention, you will get a good scratch. I've found out the hard way bunny scratches can be a bit painful. How do I trim Galaxy's nails safely? Is it a trip to the vet or groomer, or can I do it here at home?

Thanks for the help,
Franklin & Beth
Ferndale, Mich.

Dear Bunny Owners,
Just like dogs and cats, rabbits will need to have their nails trimmed regularly.  Trimming at home is pretty easy to do; you’ll need to have small animal nail clippers, styptic powder, a nail file, and a towel on hand for this process.   Rabbits do have a “quick”; or blood supply, that you will need to be careful not to cut into.  When cutting nails for the first time, you’ll want to cut small amounts off at a time.  If Galaxy’s nails are all white/clear, you will be able to see the quick; it is the dark pink area inside the nail.

Wrapping Galaxy in the towel will keep him calm and secure.  Once he’s wrapped up, take out one foot at a time, and begin the trimming process.  If you cut too much off, the styptic powder can be applied to stop any bleeding.  Don’t panic if you get one or two nails to bleed, the styptic powder will stop it.

Once you’ve trimmed all the nails on each foot, you can file them down a bit to take off the sharp edges that were caused by the clippers. 

1-27-08

Dear Animal Talk,
I recently purchased a puppy and I am having some trouble with him going to the bathroom in the house. He does great when he is in his kennel but when he is out playing he will mess (both kinds) on the floor. I understand he is a puppy and will have accidents, but if I am not looking at him for like micro seconds he will go to the bathroom on the floor, anything I can do to help him learn he needs to tell me when he needs to potty so he can go outside.

Thanks,
Sara – Auburn Hills

Sara,
As you’ve already noticed, you cannot turn your back on a puppy.  If you cannot have your eyes literally on your puppy, even for 2 seconds, then your puppy must be in the kennel.  Canines learn by Immediate Association; meaning what ever they are doing at the time of a correction, is what they are being corrected for.  Therefore, you cannot bring your puppy back to the scene of the crime and punish the potty mistake.  Puppies also have about a half second memory, so once the potty has happened, they forgot it even took place.

The correction that you can use is a rapid clapping of your hands while saying “No, no, no, no” urgently, but not too harshly.  Our goal is to startle the puppy and stop the behavior.  Once you’ve stopped the potty, you will have to get him to a good potty location to finish up.

A general rule to help you get an idea of when potty will need to occur is: puppies can hold it roughly 1 hour per month old; provided he hasn’t eaten or drank anything.  So during play time, if your little guy stops to drink, then you will need to be more vigilant in watching; he will need to go potty shortly after.

Teaching him to tell you is fairly simple; all you have to do is show him what you would like him to do.  For example, you can teach him to ring a bell.  Hang a bell at his level, pick up his paw and make him ring the bell, and then open the door and take him outside to the potty location.  Repeat this each time before he goes outside for the next 7 days.  On day 8, wait at the door and see if he’ll ring the bell.  If after several minutes he doesn’t ring, repeat the process for another 7 days and try again. This training can be done with an older dog too, but may take longer to reinforce the bell ringing behavior.

1-20-08

Dear Animal Talk,
My Tyler is 5-month-old Dalmatian. With the warm weather he has a new hobby of chewing on and digging up the plants outside! I've heard about putting either black or red pepper around the plants to keep him away. Is this a good idea? Or, do you have any other tips?

Melissa – Redford, Mich.

Dear Melissa,
It’s not uncommon for a puppy to chew up plants, the danger here is if these plants are considered ‘poisonous’ or not. To look for that info, check out this site on poisonous plants:
http://www.purina.com/dogs/safety/PoisonousPlants.aspx
Now, to train him away from those areas, you’ll need to convince him that the plants bite back. The best way to do this is called the Loud, Quick and Invisible exercise. For this exercise you’ll need a noisemaker like a shaker can (pop can with a few nickels or pennies in it, duct taped shut), each time Tyler goes for the plant, throw the can to startle him. If you cannot be there to make the correction every time, then Tyler cannot have access to the area that the plants are. It is through consistency and repetition that dogs learn; so if he’s allowed to eat the plants just one time, then he believes that it is ok to do.

1-13-08

Dear Animal Talk,
Help!!! How do I get my 20 pound two-year-old dog to stop jumping up on people when they come over to visit me at my home?  It is really embarrassing, and I wouldn't blame my friends if their visits stopped. Problem is worse if they are carrying food.  Other than that, she is a really good dog.

Carol Reno
Grosse Pointe, MI

Carol,
Jumping is a natural way for dogs to get attention they are seeking.  The best way to deter that is to train the “Place” command.  Place is a spot that your dog will understand as the ‘attention location’, and remain at Place until she is released from it.

Using a spot near the door, like a rug or piece of furniture that you will use as your dog’s “Place”.  This should be far enough away from the door that your company can come in safely.

Have a friend or family member outside and your dog on a leash with correction collar (this can be a Snap Lead, choke collar, or pinch
collar).

The person outside will knock or ring the doorbell.  You will tell your dog “Place” and walk him over to the chosen spot, and put the dog in a sit position. Do NOT tell him to sit, make him do the action.  If the dog stands or otherwise moves before you release him, pop lightly up on the correction leash saying “nope” and put the dog back into the sit position.

After several moments of your dog remaining seated patiently, you will release him from Place with “That’s it” and walk away.  The person outside will repeat the knock, and you repeat the command.

Once the dog knows to go to “Place” when a knock happens, the next step is to have the person come inside.  If your dog moves from the seated position, give a light correction with the leash, and put the dog back into position. As long as your dog remains seated, the person may approach and give attention to your dog.

12-30-07

Dear Animal Talk,
We have adopted a stray (feral) neutered male cat. We named him Clouseau. He has been with us for a year, and has come a long way. At first we could not even close the door when he came into the house because he would go into a panic mode. He is now in and out of the house throughout the day, and at night he sleeps inside. He meows if he needs or wants to go out during the night. To the best of our knowledge he has never used a litter box, and he has never had an accident in our house.

However, we never leave him in the house when we are not home. Is there a way to teach him to use the litter box so we can leave him in the house when we are away? We have never had a cat before, and we are clueless as how to train him to use the litter box.  We could really use some advice. No one seems to be able to help us.

Thanks,
Sue and Gene Allen, Northville

Sue & Gene,
First we don’t advocate for a cat to be indoor/outdoor pet; there are too many dangers that face a cat outdoors (Feline AIDS, Feline Leukemia, cars, and neighbor kids just to name a few). Keep your cat indoors if you can.

That being said; cats are rather easy to litter train, as they have a natural desire to bury their waste. If you are trying to make Clouseau an indoor only kitty, to be sure he understands what the box is. Begin by closing him in a room with the litter box, food and water whenever you cannot have your eyes literally on him. The brand of litter must remain constant-don’t just buy what’s on sale this week. Also, you will want to clean the box daily, with a complete litter change at least once a week. He has become accustomed to always having a clean area for his potty, so you’ll want to maintain that for him. The box must also be in a quiet, out of the way area that he can get to easily, and affords him privacy. 

The general rule for indoor cats is this: one litter box per cat, plus one.  So Clouseau should have two boxes available for him. These boxes can be in the same room, even right next to each other. Some cats are so particular that they want one area for urine, and one area for BM’s.

If you are consistent, this retraining should take roughly 1-3 weeks.

12-23-07

Dear Animal Talk,
Is there any deterrent for a puppy taking out and chewing on the Spanish moss that is on top of the dirt in my potted plants?  I tried the sour apple gel around the lip of the pot but no luck.  I’ve heard things about cayenne pepper being sprinkled on it to help keep them away.  Any ideas?

Thanks,
Patty in Wixom

Dear Patty,
There are several things you can do to deter the pup from the plants.

First, if your eyes are not literally on the puppy, the puppy must be in the kennel.  Puppies learn through immediate association, so if you cannot see the puppy as he is going for it you cannot correct the behavior.  A correction for a puppy is usually noise; make a shaker can, take a pop can and put nickels or pennies in it and duct tape it closed.  Each time the pups mouth heads toward the plant, throw the can so that it lands nearby, startling the puppy.  Once the puppy has been startled, you come in and play the hero, “Oh poor baby, what just happened?” type baby talk.  Repeat this process each and every time your pup goes near the plant.  Through repetition and consistency, he will learn to avoid the plants altogether.

12-16-07

Dear Animal Talk,
I have two issues currently with my pups;

1) One pup is house broken (both are 3 months old & female) the other is still having problems with peeing as soon as I get her out of the crate and just before I get her outside. Or if she's eaten, before I know it, she's squatting and poops.  Is this because this one still is too young to get control? She's not dumb. I've got both her and her sister sitting.

2) Barking in the crate. They don't really bark for too long. The worst thing is first thing in the morning if they hear anyone moving around they start up and don't stop until I either let them out or make them sit down.

Any suggestions for this?

Thanks,
Colleen in Fraser

Dear Colleen,
First the question about the house breaking; if she is going right as you take her out of the crate, be aware of your body language.  If you reach down for her and that’s when she is urinating, it could be a form of Submission.  So try opening the crate, and walk to the door right away having her follow you.

As for the eating; try feeding her in the crate, she gets 15 minutes, if she doesn’t eat all of it, it disappears until the next meal time-a dog will never starve themselves, so if she misses a few meals, don’t worry.  This helps with a few things; 1. It makes the crate a pleasant place to be, which can help with the crying you’ve been seeing.  2. She cannot go off anywhere and potty, because she is contained until you get her out.

For the crying; that must be ignored.  If you let her out of the crate while she’s making all that noise, you’ve taught her that noise is how she gets out.  Wait at the crate without saying anything to her, once she’s quiet open the crate door and take her outside.  She needs to understand that quiet, not noise, opens doors for her.  If you say anything; good, bad or indifferent, then she is getting the attention she is seeking.

12-9-07

Animal Talk is America’s pet show, since 1996, bringing to the airwaves the best in animal advice, products, solutions, trends, and the biggest names in the pet industry.

The radio show is produced here in Metro Detroit, and is syndicated around the country. Jamie Flanagan, Donna Fournier, and Dr. Trish Madsen, the Animal Talk crew, have teamed up with the Free Press to bring some sanity to your and your pet’s lives.

Donna is an animal behaviorist with 15 years experience. She is a certified pet dog trainer (CPDT) and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). It’s not just cats and dogs; Donna is Mother Nature’s second cousin. She can handle behavior and training with any type of pet.

Dr. Trish, a graduate of MSU and in practice for 15 years, has all your medical concerns covered. She is a member of American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Michigan American Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Trish, also certified in veterinary acupuncture, is currently in residence at the East Detroit Animal Hospital in Eastpointe.

Jamie is here to make sure everybody has a good time. We have all the bases covered dog, cat, fish, reptile, and everything in between. Find them on line and listen in live www.animaltalkradio.com. Get your pet questions answered every weekend on the show and here by emailing
jamie@animaltalkradio.com.

Like Susan in Royal Oak writes:

Dear Animal Talk,
My 4-year-old Lab is terrified of tile/hardwood floors. He had a traumatic experience on the hard floor as a pup, and now we have difficulties taking him to the vet, etc. How should we go about correcting this?

Dear Susan,
Forget about his bad experience from when he was a pup, he already has. If you have babied him using phrases like “It’s ok honey” when he acts fearful at the vet office or on tile, then you have rewarded the fear and told your dog you want him to continue that behavior.

Using food is the easiest way to combat this situation. Start by feeding him all meals at the edge of the carpet near the hardwood floor, each meal the food bowl moves further onto the hardwood. Do not coax or encourage, just put the food down and wait 15 minutes. If he does not eat, the food disappears until next meal time, and don’t worry, he won’t starve himself.

Also utilize special treats that will be given only when he approached and enters a room with tile or hardwood flooring. Practice desensitizing by visiting your vet office; give the special treat, stay for a few minutes and leave. Your dog will view the clinic as a place to get wonderful treats, and not just a place for getting shots.