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Bad behavior has to stop ASAP. Punishment can work fast but reward-based training delivers happy, well-behaved dogs. I’ll get you started.
[alsointhisseries series-slug=”faith”] Without warning our homeless cat went crashing, mouth wide open, into the cage door. She clamped her freshly operated jaws around the bars and howled. It was horrible. In the blink of an eye, she had not only completely undone the surgery; she had created yet one more jaw fracture. Veterinary hospitals are staffed by good people with generous hearts. But tragedy can be frightening. I untangled our painful, agitated, and delirious patient from the cage door. Doing my best to comfort her, I looked up at what seemed like a hundred glares. Our attempts at helping this injured homeless cat had gone badly. I championed her cause and I was being held responsible for the failure. Later that afternoon, aided by more pain medicine and sedation, our kitty slept-but she looked worse than ever. Among the young and passionate members of our nursing staff was Bruce. A…
Has a new dog stirred the political pot at your house? Or maybe you’re thinking of adding to your pet family. Wanna avoid the brawls?
For help with behavior problems, you can sign-up for a Zoom Group Conference on my website, drjeffnichol.com. [alsointhisseries series-slug=”faith”] Faith was important not just because we loved her but because she taught valuable lessons. She has long since passed but the memory of what she did for us has never faded. Martha had been in the office only ten minutes when she heard banging on the front door. Holding a cardboard box and shifting her weight from one foot to the other, a nervous young woman waited as Martha unlocked the door. Then things happened fast. Only half way through her well-practiced “Can I help you?” the box was pushed into Martha’s arms. Inside was a shorthaired brown tabby cat with a mangled and bleeding lower jaw. Somehow this sad kitty managed a weak cry. When Martha looked up, the woman was gone. I’ve always believed that those who anonymously…
Helping dogs who freak-out when home alone is complicated. Improvement requires lots of changes but do you have to completely ignore as you leave and return?
Their Shared Blanket Question: My Honey, who passed Christmas Eve 2019, found a litter of puppies in the dumpster. We kept the big boy. She named him DD (Dumpster Dog). Being a widowed man, I put her stuff in storage (threw it in the closet). DD found a blanket I used to cover her with. I would cover her and put DD in bed with her when she was ill. Now he drags the blanket around the yard wherever he goes. DD snuggles with it almost like he is praying! Can he still smell her or is it the blanket itself he associates with her? Dr. Nichol: I am so sad for the loss of your wife. She had to have been a special person to rescue DD and his littermates. By being a source of comfort to her, this special dog repaid Honey’s kindness with his loyalty and devotion.…
Some dogs won’t put up with it. They squirm, struggle, and might even bite. Nobody is having fun. We can get this right without the tears and misery.
Itching & Anxiety Question: I adopted an anxious 3 year old cat 3 years ago. Recently I’ve noticed Bella appears more anxious when I’m away from our home. She has been overgrooming to the point of slight bleeding. Dr. Nichol: Cats who lick their skin excessively are not happy campers. Denuding one’s body leads to issues with body image, an affliction many prefer to keep private. When you’re home with Bella she’s focused on enjoying your company. But, when she’s alone with her skin, it’s driving her @#%&* crazy! Anxiety can cause a lonesome cat to self-mutilate but allergies, skin parasites and smoldering infections are a lot more common. A feline nervous wreck will get even more agitated by continual itching – everywhere on her body. Skin scrapings, impression smears, and allergy testing will be helpful. Suspected, but undocumented mange, can be ruled-out by treatment with a safe, topical medication…
A whole lot of pets are unhappy going to the doctor. Veterinarians don’t mean to scare anybody but we can work with loving pet parents to reduce the angst. White coat syndrome is real.