There are ‘degrees of crazy’. All dogs can get excited and do ‘crazy’ stuff. Mine grabs my socks and flies through the house with a wild look in her eyes. This will go on for ten minutes if I encourage it and once she is finished, she calms down and relaxes. Is it a necessary way to release tension for dogs? Probably as she will also do it after an intense one-on-one agility class where she has been required to use her brain to problem solve.
Our family dog used to do this same behavior after having a bath – something she tolerated only just and always caused the entire house a certain amount of tension.
Tearing toys apart is similar as well when they do it in front of you or when you are home. Whether it is pent up energy that is needing to be released or a protest to boredom depends on the dog but usually it can be stopped with a play session or walk.
Tearing toys or worse, furniture, apart when you are away is separation anxiety based and different again. Usually this is a dog that is stressed and the destructive behavior is a way of releasing the tension or belaying the anxiety or fear of being alone. This is different then the temporary crazies some dogs get now and again.
Play nipping or aggressive play behavior is normal in dogs when they play with each other. Watch dogs interact at the dog park and you will see biting, grabbing, pushing and bullying going on. The dogs understand that this is all play behavior and it upsets no one for the most part. When dogs play with humans like this, however, it is not always a good thing. In dominant dogs, this behavior means they are trying to flex their alpha dog thoughts – not a good idea, especially if you have kids in the house or have spent time working with him so he knows his place in the pack. It can also hurt! Instead, play tuggies with a toy or towel but always make sure you ‘win’ the game and get the toy otherwise he may become too big for his britches again.
Tail chasing is an interesting phenomenon in dogs. In young puppies, it is part of them discovering their own bodies much like human babies playing with their toes. The pup sees his tail out of the corner of his eye and when he moves to grab it, it slips away from him. Suddenly a chase is on. Eventually he grabs it and the fun is over. That may be the one and only time he ever chases his tail if left to his own devices. However, humans tend to encourage the behavior because we think it is cute so he may learn to do it as a way to get attention. For some dogs, even negative attention is better then no attention so getting upset or frustrated at him will not make him stop. The best way to control the behavior is to ignore it – turn and walk away as soon as he starts. He will learn that it is not a good attention getting behavior and will stop in time. The same goes for dogs that bark to get attention, ignore them and it will stop eventually.
‘Spinning’ and compulsive licking are both signs of neurological issues. Spinning is like tail chasing but if you look, the prize is not the catching of the tail, it is instead a mindless behavior that the dogs does in times of boredom, stress or to attract attention. They do it much like humans that chew their nails when stressed or anxious – a behavior that often the person does not even realize they are doing. Compulsive licking is another similar behavior but with worse consequences as a lick granuloma can develop and become infected. If your dog is exhibiting these behaviors, talk to your vet and meet with an animal behaviorist for advice.
All dogs have their crazy moments and most of the time they are just a matter of the dog wanting to release a little anxiety or energy. Let them enjoy themselves and in some cases, encouraging the behavior is fine but watch that you are not making the situation worse. There is play ‘crazies’ and ‘crazies’ to discourage – learn to recognize the difference and you will both be happier!
]]>The only work is teaching your cat to use the litter box. The good news is that, most of the time, this is a relatively simple task that most cats pick up very quickly. Cats have a natural tendency to go to the bathroom on dirt or sand, so Mother Nature has taken care of some of the training for you.
Many pet owners will report that all they did was toss their kitten or cat into the litter box a couple of times and they were trained. While many lucky cat owners will have it just that easy, others will need a few more tricks in order to teach their feline friend the proper place to go.
Remember, cats are finicky. If things are not just the way they want them to be concerning the litter box, they will find a place to go that they like better. As silly as it may sound, you’ve got to sort of set the stage, so to speak, in a way that is pleasing to your cat.
Again, most cats will begin to use the box after being shown where it is just once or twice. If you cat isn’t cooperating, here are a few possible reasons for the rebellion.
There are several styles of litter boxes available from the most basic to covered versions to fancy models that clean themselves. If you are having trouble getting your cat to use the box it may be that he doesn’t care for the type of box you have chosen. For example, if you chose an uncovered box, your cat may want more privacy so a covered box would be worth a try. Or, if you bought one of the models that are self-cleaning, the cat may have been startled by the sound of the mechanisms and is now skittish around the box. Luckily, if this is the problem, the fix is as easy as trying different types of litter boxes until you find the one that your picky cat likes.
There are even more choices for litter than there are for litter boxes. There are crystals, shavings, sand, clumping, non-clumping, even shredded newspaper has become popular in the last few years. While you may have your preference based on what is least expensive or easiest to clean, your cat – if he is picky – will have his own ideas about which litter is best. If your cat isn’t using the box, try experimenting with different types of litter.
Some cats prefer more privacy. Some cats don’t like a lot of noise. Other cats may not want a long walk from their food bowl. Yes, sometimes location really is everything. If you have noted that your cat always goes in the same place (a certain corner) try moving the litter box to that location. It may be that he just prefers that spot for some reason.
Hopefully, the above tricks will solve the problem. If not, you may need to consult a vet or animal behaviorist for advice specific to your cat.
Sometimes, a cat that has used the litter box for years will suddenly stop. In order to solve this problem, you’ll need to find the underlying cause. Cats will not just stop using the litter box for no reason.
Contrary to what some pet owners may think, cats will not stop using their litter box because they are angry with their owners. Nor will they “hold out” in the hopes of getting a special treat for agreeing to turn again to their litter box. For these reasons, punishing your cat is not going to help the situation and, in fact, could make the behavior worse as she will become nervous.
Here a few possible reasons for your cat having stopped using the litter box.
If your cat has been using the litter box faithfully and suddenly stops, you should first be sure that a medical problem is not to blame. Cats often don’t act sick or like they are in pain until the problem has progressed sometimes beyond repair. That’s why it is important to note behavior changes, such as not using the litter box, and to consult with your vet quickly. One medical problem that is commonly associated with discontinuing litter box use is a urinary tract infection. Since urinating with this type of infection can be quite painful, your cat may start to associate the litter box with pain and therefore not want to use it. The best thing to do is visit the vet to be sure a medical problem is not the reason for the behavior.
If your cat, or another cat in the house, has soiled the floor in your home, the smell can linger even after a thorough cleaning. If your cat tends to go in the same spot, try cleaning that area with a cleaner that is specially formulated to remove the smell of urine and feces. Household cleaners will not be effective. Even if you can’t smell anything, remember that animals have a much stronger sense of smell.
Would you want to use the bathroom if it were filthy? No, and neither do cats. In fact, cats are more particular than some humans! For this reason it is very important to keep the litter box clean. Scoop out waste each day, and thoroughly clean the box at least once a week.
Hopefully, your cat will be of the “very-easy-to-train” variety. But if she requires a little more training, just remember that she is worth every moment!
]]>The purchase of a scratching post that your cat likes will save you from having to replace furniture and flooring. Scratching posts are available in many shapes, styles and textures. Prices start at just a few dollars and go up from there. There may be some trial and error involved in finding the scratching post that your cat really likes.
The best scratching posts will be tall enough that the cat will be able to fully extend her body while using it. You can make other options available, but try to include at least one post that is tall enough for this purpose.
Another point to consider is that the scratching post should be secure. There are some varieties that can be hung from a door. These are ok to use as secondary scratching areas, but remember the door on which they hang is likely to suffer some collateral damage. It’s important to avoid standing scratching posts that can topple easily. If your cat is scratching away and the post falls it is going to startle your pet. Good luck ever getting him to use that scratching post again!
The exact shape probably matters very little to the cat, but the material does. Sisal is considered a favorite choice for scratching post material as it shreds easily. Yes, the post should shred. Your cat WANTS to shred something. It’s either going to be the scratching post or the couch.
Once the material is shredded, you may be inclined to throw it away. Don’t do that, because you cat will still enjoy it and he likes seeing his handiwork once the item is nicely shredded.
If you are working with a kitten, you have an advantage as it is easier to teach kitten appropriate behaviors than it is a full grown cat that is already set in his ways. But no matter your cat’s age, with proper encouragement, you can teach your cat to prefer using a scratching post. Here are some tricks you can try if your cat doesn’t naturally gravitate toward the scratching post.
Placement
Some pet owners buy a nice tall scratching post and then tuck it into a rarely used corner of the house. The cat is going to feel less of a need to mark that area of the house than she will in an area that is used by everyone in the house. Place the post in the living room, or another well used area, until the cat has used it for a while. Then, you can try moving it to a more discreet location.
You should also place a scratching post near where your cat sleeps as many cats like to scratch when they first wake up.
Temptation
If your cat doesn’t seem interested in using the newly purchased scratching post, try laying next to the post and rubbing his belly or offering him treats near the scratching post. Make sure that he views the area around it as full of pleasant memories and thoughts.
Remember, it’s a good idea to place scratching posts in different rooms throughout the house. Experiment with different textures, shapes and placement until you find what works best for your cat.
While some scratching posts are a little pricey, it’s an investment that is worth it when you take into account the satisfaction of your cat – and the longevity of your sofa!
Happy scratching!
You know that you have a little while to go before he is completely housebroken, but you don’t have time to keep cleaning the floor three or four times a day. Consider paper training your puppy. Not only will it make clean up a lot easier, but paper training can also help to simplify the process of housebreaking your new pet.
Puppy training pads can be purchased at most pet supply stores. These pads are great because they absorb the mess along with much of the unpleasant odor. Messes cannot soak through the pads, so your floors or carpets are completely protected. The only downside is that the pads are not reusable, so you will need to continue to purchase pads until the puppy is housebroken.
There are premium pads that come at a premium price, but the store brand pads are much cheaper and work just as well as the more expensive ones. Still, if puppy pads are not in your budget, you can accomplish pretty much the same thing by using plain old newspaper.
While newspaper will be better for your budget, there is a downside. It is possible for messes to soak through the paper and get on your floor or carpet. Also, clean up is going to be a bit more challenging if you use newspaper instead of puppy pads.
Other than the differences noted above, paper training is the same no matter if you use newspaper or puppy pads. Below is a quick course in how to paper train your puppy.
1. Placement of the Paper/Pads
You should place the pad in one place (until you begin moving it as described in step 3). This will help the puppy to know exactly where to go to find the paper/pad when he needs to use it.
2. Show Him What The Paper/Pads Are For
Some puppy pads are already scented so that your dog will be attracted to them as a spot on which to eliminate. If you are using unscented pads or newspaper, you can achieve the same effect by placing feces from the puppy on the paper or pad. When he eliminates in other parts of the house, gently pick him up and place him on the paper/pad.
3. Give Frequent Potty Breaks
Ideally, you should let your puppy outside every 2-3 hours. This isn’t always possible, but you should let the puppy outside as often as possible. As he get older, he will be able to “hold it” longer, but puppies are not yet able to do this.
4. Confine Puppy While You are Away
Do not let your puppy have free run of the house while you are away. Instead, he should be confined in a crate that is big enough for him to stand up and turn around in, but not much bigger. The reason that you don’t want to use a bigger crate is that puppies generally do not like to eliminate in the place where they sleep. If you give them too big of a crate, they will sleep at one end and eliminate at the other end. By putting the puppy in a smaller crate, he is more likely to wait to be let outside to go to the bathroom. If you choose not to crate train your puppy, then use baby gates to confine him to the one room where the paper/pads are located. That way, he will at least have the option of going on the paper while you are away. As soon as you come home, the first thing you should do is let the puppy outside.
5. Begin to Move the Paper/Pad
Once you see that your puppy is using the paper/pads on a consistent basis, you can begin to move the pad closer to the door that you use when you let dog outside. Every few days you can move the pad a little closer to the door. Finally, you can move the pad outside.
6. Dealing with Mistakes
Do not expect perfection, and don’t be surprised if your puppy makes a few mistakes – even after several days of doing great. Don’t yell at, hit or otherwise punish your puppy when he makes a mistake. Instead, say “no” in a firm voice and move the puppy to the paper/pad. This is only effective if you catch the dog in the act. If you find the waste after the puppy has moved on, just clean it up and keep on with the training.
7. Rewards
While you are training, you shouldn’t just let your puppy outside by himself. Instead, you should always go outside with him and make a very big deal out of it anytime he goes to the bathroom outside. Lots of verbal praise and some treats should do the trick. Also, when you let the puppy outside, use a verbal cue such as “Go potty”. Be consistent with whatever phrase you choose and the puppy will begin to associate that cue with going potty.
Before long, your new puppy will be completely housebroken. But there is another use for paper training. For dogs that must be alone at home for long periods of time, paper training provides a way for them to eliminate in an area designated by you. Properly trained to use the paper or pads, they will not eliminate on the floor, so when you are home simply do not leave a pad or paper on the floor and they will wait for you to let them outside to do their business.
Paper training and housebreaking your puppy is not the most pleasant aspect of dog ownership. But with consistency and lots of praise, you and your puppy can master it in no time!
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