Pets enrich our lives in an almost infinite number of ways. Whether greeting us at the door, keeping us company when we are down or simply entertaining us, having a pet in your life is a great way to improve the quality of your life. One of the ways to ensure your pet enjoys a long, happy life is to understand the common problems pet owners face.
Inappropriate Elimination
Dogs do not naturally soil their dens, so why the home? Dogs do not naturally soil their denses, so why the home?
Young Pets
Puppies and kittens less than nine weeks old are too young to know any better, but for adult dogs there 's often no excuse. Some offenders were never properly housebroken in the first place and that' Others were housebroken but, for some reason, have suddenly started having accidents inside the house again after years of suitable behavior.
Medical Conditions
It is important to have your veterinarian perform a thorough physical examination to rule out under medical conditions as a ___ ___ ___ 0 cause of inappropriate elimination behavior. This is particularly relevant if your dog has had a sudden breakdown of its house training.
Territory Marking
Marking normally involves the spraying of small amounts of urine in strategic locations around the house. Unneutered male are regular urine marks, but some neutered males and even spayed females mark their territory with urine, too. Neutering and spaying your pet corrects this problem in about many cases, but many pets persist in marking for months or years after the surgery. It is cruel to spay and neuter while they are still young and have not picked up the habit.
If the slightest trace of odor remains, your pet is likely to go back to the same area back to that same area ___ ___ ___ 0 to eliminate again. If this measure, treatment with medication may be the only solution.
Separation Anxiety
Dogs with separation an dogs with separation of dysfunctional history, follow their owners around the home, look distracted when about be be alone, whine or bark directly after their owner leaves, fail to eat in their owners' absence, and greet them exuberantly when they return home.
Drugs like buspirone (Buspar®) and fluoxetine (Prozac®) have revolutionized the treatment of anxiety-based inappropriate elimination problems.
Litter Box Problems
Affected cats simply avoid shun the litter box and select a quiet, carpeted behind a chair or in the closet.
There are many reasons why your cat may dislike his litter box:
o Too few boxes
o Inappropriately positioned boxes (high traffic area)
o Inconvenient location
o Hooded box (most cats do not like hoods)
o Box too dirty (rarely scooped)
o Box cleaned with harsh smelling chemicals (such as bleach)
o plastic liners
o Plastic underlay (not always appreciated by the cat)
o Wrong type of litter
o Litter not deep enough
o Animosity between cats in the house (guarding of litter boxes)
o Difficulty getting into / out of the box, especially in older
Destructive Behavior
As most of us know, our pets can wreak havoc. While dogs use their teeth, cats use their claws. Before attempting punish you pet for their behavior, consider the signs or symptom of the matter.
Scratching is Good for Cats
While he is scratching, his claws are getting practicing extending and retracting. The front legs and shoulders are getting some stretching and strengthening exercise, too.
By gentle and consistent correction and by providing alternative scratching areas, you can persuade your cat to scratch where you want him to.
There are several Deterrents things that discourage your cat from scratching where he is not supposed to scratch.
o Covering a piece of furniture with heavy plastic may alter the texture so your cat does not enjoy scratching there.
o You can spray moth repellent that contain naphthol. You & # 39; l l have to spray periodically because the odor fades.
o Feliway may work. The spray contains a pheromone that deters your cat from scratching.
o Soft Paws (or Soft Claws) are plastic nail caps that can be super-glued to a cat 's claws following a preliminary nail trim. as it falls off. They usually keep the furniture from being damaged.
o Keep your cat & # 39; s nails well trimmed will ensure that you cats do not inflict injury on other and themselves. You must use a sharp pair of nail trimmers made specifically cats - do not use human trimmers.
o Having a Scratching Post prepare near scratching sites that your cat has selected for himself. Gradually you can move it to another place that you like.
Dogs Love to Chew
Whether it is a bone or you dress shoes, a canine with a pinchant for chewing can transformed into a matter of chewing can into the diver, it should be considered a sign or symptom of the motivation Before trying to change your dog 's chewing behavior, it' s first important to understand just why she & # 39; s laying into your stuff.
Curiosity Propelled Chewing
Typically the targets are random, and may include shoes, books or bedposts. Investigational or "play-related" destructiveness of this kind is a normal behavior for a growing dog.
Also helpful for house-training, Puppies seem to escalate such chewing behavior around teeth. Ideally, your puppy should be acclimated to a bed from the first day in her new home. I have a small area to limits your pup & # 39; s access to valuable items while to rest and chew at her leisure on appropriate items provided by you.
When your puppy must be left alone for another long things, may force your pup to stand or lie in her own urine or feces. Instead, when you have to leave your pup for a Even then, introduce freedom only slowly and just for short periods. Well-designed "food-for-work" toys, which can be filled with trips, can keep your dog busy for hours.
Anxiety-Related Chewing
The dog gets severely upset when "abandoned" by their owners each morning. In frenzied efforts to escape The dog of this persuasion will dig and chew at doorways, windowsills and curtains. The dog may also search for shoes, pillows, purses and other personal items to chew on to alleviate the anxiety. If your dog suffers from anxiety, it can cause dramatic damage to your house. Your dog may also develop fears of thunder, fireworks, wind, and a variety of other noises.
Mostly, a temporary anti-anxiety medication will be, it is difficult to understand how to chew the medicine. prescribed - along with a behavior - modification program - to help your dog feel less stressed and react more calmly when left alone or when exposed to storms.
Training my Out-of-Control dog
Dogs like humans have a mind of their own and sometimes it feels like they get too out-of control. Here are some tips to take control back:
o Use a head collar. Out-of-control dogs almost all universally respond to a head collar, or head halter, a humane and simple tool for training.
He is quickly learn to behave appropriately if his good behavior is rewarded while his "bad" behavior is ignored or corrected each and every time.
Some dogs, however, require special vigorous exercise, such as running, swimming or regular and extended games of fetch. Whatever your dog & # 39; s exercise regime , consider increasing both its duration and quality.
o Consider professional help. Ask your veterinarian for assistance or for a referral to a behavioral specialist. , physiological hyperactivity, which may require medication in addition to a training program.
Reward good behavior
A love our pets that is surprising is that one of the big mistakes people make is focusing on punishment their pets for bad behavior rather than focusing on rewarding them for what we consider good behavior. They are probably think you do not like to see them eliminate the so they learn to hide By rewarding your pet with trips or praises for going to They may end up being pleased that they are being affected only in the area. They may end up fearing you make them more they to eliminate when they see you enter the Room. Instead, focus on managing them (using supervision and confinement, such as keeping them on a leash or in a pet-proofed room or crate) to set them up for success and rewarding for good behavior.
Spaying or Neutering pets
Some people still think that spay or neuter their pets is like mentally destroy them. There is a serious pet overpopulation problem, Spaying and neutering your pet means it is less likely to wander away to look for a mate and in doing so potentially get lost, hurt, hurt others, or contract diseases. Overall, spaying and neutering will greatly increase the length and quality of your pet & # 39; s life.
For males, neutering eliminating the chance of developing testicular cancer, may also be challenged urination issues. For females, spaying decreases the chance of developing breast cancer if done before the first heat cycle. (a potentially fatal infection of the uterus), decreases or eliminates mood swings associated with heat cycles and eliminates spotting.
