Weekly article archive

The following questions and answers have appeared in my weekly column in the Albuquerque Journal since July, 1996. Each week a new one is added. You'll find information on the physical and behavioral maladies of dogs and cats and a few other species too. I invite you to use the search feature to find the specific answer that you and your pet need.

Crate your Dog: OK or Cruel & Unusual?

Dogs need a place of their own. That makes crate training valuable. And you don’t want your stuff damaged. Can they stay in there for a few hours? All day?

Fighting between well-loved dogs

First in a series The brain is considered the most complex organ in the body. No one is perfect because, with 86 billion active neurons in the human mind (only…

Jumping Up – Get Down!

Does your dog fling himself at you? At visitors? Is he all over you like a cheap suit when you’re trying to relax? Establish boundaries with kindness – and get…

Highly anxious dog needs choices

Question I have a 2 year old intact female Weimaraner with severe anxiety and reactive behavior. She chews bark, material, paper, nuts, plastics, and her crate. She barks in her…

Peeing when scared or? Or medical disorder?

Most dogs would never pee inside the house – but some just can’t help it. There may be a physical problem or it could be behavioral. We can help them…

A better cat, with an asterisk

Last in a series PJ’s aggression started at about the same time he began rubbing his ears. Jenny and Phil also reported that some evenings he would suddenly bolt from…

Hiding Scaredy Cats – Fear of Life?

Some kitties live under the bed; others may run for the hills when you sneeze. Dogs, noises, or just daily life can trigger a bunker mentality.

Cat gone wild

Third in a series Behavior medicine is all about improved quality of life for everybody but there can be limits; our genetics are the cards we are dealt. PJ was…

Training a Dog for Better Behavior

Does your dog need to stop a bad behavior? She doesn’t do what you want either, does she?