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Submissive Urination

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 23:10:49 GMT

What to do when your dog pees out of fear

Some dogs will submissively urinate when they are approached by people. This is often seen in puppies, young females, insecure dogs, or dogs who have been repeatedly corrected. The cause of this behavior is that the urinary sphincter relaxes during stress.

If your puppy or dog urinates when you approach her try the following:

Keep all greetings and departures calm and brief.
During greetings your body posture should be non-threatening. Squat down and turn sideways.
Let the dog come to you instead of you approaching her.
Avoid prolonged eye contact when greeting (this is threatening to dog).
Do not pet the dog on her head or back during greeting. Pet her under her chin, behind her ears, or on her chest.
DO NOT PUNISH THE DOG UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE !
Eliminate odor where dog has urinated using an enzymatic cleaner.
Confidence Building – Use clicker training to teach the dog all the basic commands (sit, down, stay, come, watch me, etc.) and maybe even some tricks. Then have the dog perform a behavior to earn not only special treats, but also every resource that you provide to him (food, access to the outside, tossing a ball, belly rub, etc.). When dogs learn that performing a behavior ears what they need and want in this world it builds their confidence that they have control to get these things.
Train an alternative behavior – Training your dog to “sit” when they greet someone is very effective for this behavior because they can not squat and pee if they are concentrating on sitting.

Puppy Socialization

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 23:06:02 GMT

How to socialize your new puppy

Socialization

Socializing a new puppy is the most important thing you can do to create a wonderful dog. Many behavior problems in older dogs stem from the simple fact that the dog was not socialized as a puppy. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s important!

Dogs have a natural period between 3-12 weeks of age when they are open to learning about their environment. This is an adaptive process that allows puppies to habituate to all the things they will normally encounter in their world. After this period is over they will often avoid novel things. Using their natural flight or fight response, they will try to increase the distance between themselves and anything they were not socialized to.

It is extremely important to introduce the puppy to as many different things (people, animals, sights, sounds, textures, etc) as possible during this socialization period. Because dogs do not generalize well, you should socialize your pup to as many things as possible.

People: women, men, teenagers, children, toddlers, babies, all races, peculiar gaits, handicapped, uniforms, bearded men, people with hats, people acting weird.

All the experiences with these people should be positive, using play or treats. A good suggestion is to have a “stranger goodie bag” that you carry. Every time you meet someone new, ask that person to give your puppy a treat.

The puppy should also be exposed to being petted and handled by as many different people as possible.

Situations: crowds, kids on bikes, traffic, car rides, soccer games, different sounds, floor textures, etc. Again, make positive associations with all of these situations using food treats or play.

Other animals: especially other dogs, but also cats, squirrels, livestock, etc.

Exposing puppies to tons of different people, situations, and things in their environment will enable them to cope better with new experiences later in life.

Puppy classes are very helpful for socialization, but it’s not enough to just go to class once a week for 5 weeks, you need to do more. An active approach of exposing the puppy to tons of things and making a positive association with them will reduce the risk of fearfulness and aggression in adulthood.

Play with other dogs

It is important to allow puppies to play with other puppies and non-aggressive adult dogs. This is the only way they learn proper canine social skills. Dogs that do not learn “dog language” are tense and antisocial and cannot read other dogs well. They are consequently, at higher risk for dog-dog aggression or fearful reactions to other dogs.

Bite Inhibition

It is normal for puppies to mouth you. They do it because they are teething and because they are exploring their world. But puppies are genetically programmed to learn that it is not okay. Mother nature set dogs up with a system to learn “bite inhibition” by giving puppies needle sharp teeth that hurt even with a small amount of pressure. Mom is the first to start teaching the puppy bite inhibition when she corrects her pups for biting her too hard. A mother’s correction is timed perfectly, just the right amount of correction to make her point, and over very quickly. Littermates are next in line to continue the lesson of bite inhibition. During play, if one pup bites another too hard, the one who was bitten will scream and stop playing. So the biting puppy learns that all the fun stops if they bite too hard. With all of this great canine feedback, puppies start to learn bite inhibition. The problem is that we take them away from their mom and litter before they are done learning this important skill. So it is up to us to continue the lessons.

When your puppy puts his mouth on you, scream “OUCH” in a high pitched tone as though it hurt way more than it did and give him the cold shoulder for a few seconds. This is simulating the feedback the puppy would get from his littermates - “When you bite too hard, I scream, and stop playing”. After a few seconds start playing again but try to direct your puppy’s biting onto a toy instead of your hand. Repeat this procedure over and over until you notice he is biting less often. You will be teaching your puppy mouth self-control – or bite inhibition. After a few weeks of this your puppy should stop biting. At that point, if he does bite – he should hear the “ouch” and then be put in a time out. A time out is 30 seconds in social isolation (either put him in a bathroom or tether him to a doorknob and walk away). After 30 seconds are up, if he is quiet, let him out of the bathroom or un-tether him from the doorknob and continue your interactions with him. This should happen every time he bites so that there is a consequence for the inappropriate behavior. Consistency is key!

Alone time

Dogs are social animals and genetically are not very well prepared to be alone. It is therefore very important to get your puppy used to being alone. Leave him alone for brief periods of time, over and over. Put him in his crate and leave the room, at first for a short amount of time, and then for longer and longer periods. Give him a chew toy to focus on while he is alone. When you leave do not say “goodbye” or anything else to the puppy – just leave. When you come back, do not say “hello”, just come back in the room. If the puppy starts to cry or bark when you leave the room – DO NOT go back in. This will reinforce that behavior and he learns that crying brings you back. Wait for a lull in the crying or barking and then go back.

Physical handling

It is important to handle your puppy as much as possible. The puppy should be handled everyday, preferably by many people. They should stroke the entire body, look inside the ears and mouth, pick up the feet, etc.

In addition to normal handling it is essential to prepare the puppy to be handled in ways that they might find frightening or painful. Most people (and all children) act inappropriately around dogs because they do not understand the things that upset them. The most common bite provokers include some variation on a behavior that humans consider friendly – approach and reaching toward the dog or hugging the dog. Owners need to take the time to teach the puppy that human proximity and actions are not threats. Gently and gradually accustom the puppy to accept inappropriate human actions. If done properly, the puppy will quickly come to enjoy these exercises and look forward to being suddenly grabbed, restrained, and stared at.

Proximity – have many people approach the puppy and hand him a food treat.

Staring – start by holding a food treat by your eye and when the puppy looks up, give the treat. Slowly increase the time he must look into your eyes before he gets the treat. Then have visitors and strangers do the exercise.

Reaching down – repeatedly offer a food treat with one hand and slowly reach down with the other. After a few trials, make contact, first one scratch behind the ear, then two, then several, before each treat.

Grabbing – As the above exercise proceeds, gradually increase the speed with which you reach for him. Similarly, increase the vigor of the petting, patting, and scratching with each trial. The aim is for the puppy to associate a rapidly approaching hand with profuse praise and wonderful treats.

Hugging – Many children will go up to a strange dog and give it a hug. This is often considered unwanted restraint to the dog so we must teach puppies that being hugged is not a threat. Hug the puppy and then give a treat. Do it many times before letting a child do it.

Feeding time

Some dogs aggressively guard their food, a behavior that is unacceptable and dangerous in the human household. You must teach your puppy that humans and food go together. Hang around with him when he is eating. Sit on the floor next to him and pet him and put your hands in his bowl. Hand feed him part of his meal so that he makes an association between your hand and receiving food, not having it taken away. Occasionally take the bowl away while he is eating and add a special treat. Walk up to the puppy while he is eating and drop in a special treat. Walk by the puppy while he is eating and “accidentally” bump into him. This work is very important to teach your puppy that he doesn’t have to guard his food.

Other items

Dogs often guard other things like toys, bones, or tissues. The puppy must be taught that you can take anything away from him. To teach this, give your puppy a toy but hold onto the other end. Show him a treat and when he lets go of the item say “drop it” and give him the treat. Then let the puppy take possession of the item and do the same thing. Offer the treat, when he drops the item to get the treat, say “drop it” and give him the treat. Then pick the item up and give it back to him. By giving the toy back you let him know that it’s not a bad thing to let go of his toy, he gets a treat and then gets the toy back. Repeat this exercise several times in a row with that item. Eventually you will be able to use the “drop it” as a command for the puppy to release the item. At this point you can start to fade out the treats and replace them with verbal praise. Repeat this over and over with as many items as you can.

Training

This is the best time to start training a puppy. Puppies learn so quickly. Using positive reinforcement, start teaching him to sit, down, and come. It is untrue that puppies can’t learn these things until they are 6 months old.

Punishment

NEVER physically punish your puppy. The only thing this teaches the puppy is to be afraid of you. In addition, you should NEVER even verbally punish the puppy unless you catch him in the act of doing the inappropriate behavior. Unless punishment comes at the time of the behavior or within a half of a second, the dog has no idea why he is being yelled at.

The key to a good dog is to praise the good things and ignore the bad. Don’t let it be that the only time he gets your attention is when he does something bad. Teach your puppy what you want through positive reinforcement. Doing this will create a great dog and a wonderful bond.

C ongratulations and good luck with your new puppy! If you have any questions concerning his behavior or training, don’t hesitate to call us.

Pulling on the Leash

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:51:34 GMT

How to get your dog to stop pulling on their leash

Does your dog practically pull your arm off when you take him for a walk? Has it become so unpleasant that you no longer want to walk him? Well, you’re not alone. Many dogs that have never been taught to walk on a loose leash pull their owners down the street. This is because dogs have what we call “opposition reflex”, which means they pull against pressure. When a dog feels pressure on the front of his throat from his collar, he actually pulls against it. This is why choke collars only make the problem worse. The tighter the collar gets, the more he will pull - it’s a vicious cycle. In addition, choke chain collars and prong or pinch collars are painful and can actually damage your dog’s trachea. There is no need to hurt your dog because he is doing what comes naturally.

The best method to teach your dog to stop pulling is to “become a tree” when he pulls. Start walking, and whenever the leash becomes tight, you simply stop, plant yourself like a tree, and don’t say a word. Your dog will eventually look back at you as if to say, “hey, why aren’t we moving?”. When he does this he will most likely move slightly toward you, loosening the leash. When there is slack in the leash, start walking again. He will eventually learn that when he feels tension on the leash, he doesn’t go anywhere, but when the leash is slack he is allowed to walk.

In addition to stopping when your dog pulls on the leash, you need to reward him when he DOESN’T pull. This is a perfect place to use your clicker. When he is walking with a slack leash – randomly “click” the clicker – marking the loose leash walking. When he hears the click he will most likely come back to you for the reward. Between these two things – stopping when he pulls and only moving forward again when he slackens the leash and then rewarding the loose leash with a click and treat your dog will learn how to walk properly.

Some dogs need a little extra help learning not to pull on the leash. Perhaps he is particularly strong or he has spent years pulling so it has become a bad habit. For these dogs, a head halter can help. There are several different kinds of canine head halters (Gentle Leader, Halti, Snoot Loop, Comfort Trainer) and they work on the same basic principle - if you control the head of an animal, you control the entire body. The canine head halters were designed after the horse halters – sort of like power steering for the animal. When a dog is wearing a head halter he is discouraged from pulling because as he does, his head is brought around towards you, making it difficult for him to pull you down the street. Head halters usually require some desensitization to help your dog get used to the feel of something on his face. This process usually involves a few days of putting it on and off several times – increasing the amount of time it stays on each time. To help the process along, offering extra special treats every time its put on will help.

Another wonderful tool to help the pulling dog are the front-clasping body harnesses (the Easy Walker and the Sensible or Sensation Harnesses). These harnesses are designed so that the leash comes out from the chest instead of the back. So when the dog pulls forward – his entire front half moves around to the side, making it difficult to continue any forward movement

Jumping Up

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:44:50 GMT

How to stop your dog from jumping up

Dogs naturally greet people by jumping up on them but this is an unacceptable, and often times, dangerous behavior. You must teach your dog to sit whenever he greets you or other people. One thing to remember is that jumping up persists because the dog is usually reinforced for doing it. When you give your dog any kind of attention for jumping on you, even negative attention (yelling at him, pushing him off, or even kneeing him in the chest), the behavior will continue. So the best way to stop a dog from jumping up is to remove the reinforcement - your attention.

Any time your dog jumps on you - turn and walk away without saying a word. If you are sitting, simply stand up, shrugging him off in the process, and walk away. Your dog will learn that jumping on you chases you away regardless of the situation.

Jumping up on people entering the house

When you enter the house and your dog jumps up on you, turn right around and go back outside. Wait a moment and then re-enter. If the dog jumps up again, leave again. Repeat this process until the dog chooses another strategy, like sitting, when you enter. The dog will learn that when he jumps up on you as you enter, you leave, but if he sits, you give him the attention he wants (and a yummy food treat). Repeat the exercise often until your dog learns to sit every time you enter the house. Practice at each door. Have every member of the family and then some visiting friends practice as well. We want the dog to learn that he must sit to greet all people entering the house.

Jumping up on approaching people

One person should have the dog on lead while another approaches. If the dog starts to jump up on the approaching person, he/she should turn around and walk away. Repeat this over and over until the dog remains standing or sits, at which time the approaching person will praise the dog and give him a treat. Repeat this with as many different people approaching as you can, so that the dog learns that he must sit to greet all people.

I f you are using a marker signal like a clicker – CLICK when the dog chooses the correct behavior (not jumping) as you enter the house or approach the dog.

Introducing Your New Dog to Your Resident Dog

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 22:40:51 GMT

How to make sure your new dog gets along with the dog you already have

Introduce the dogs in a neutral location (at the shelter, at a park, etc). If you have more than one resident dog, introduce them one at a time.
Take the dogs for a side-by-side walk first. Starting with them 10 feet apart or so and let them get closer slowly during your walk.
When the dogs greet and sniff each other, talk to them in a happy friendly tone of voice.
Introduce the dogs only for brief amounts of time, but do it repeatedly.
Try to keep the leashes loose at all times. A tight leash transmits your anxiety about the situation to the dogs and increases their tension.
Watch for any body postures that tell you that the dogs are getting tense (raised hackles, baring teeth, growls, stiff-legged gait, prolonged stare). If you see these behaviors, interrupt them by calling the dogs away from each other and have them do something else like sit.
Next move the dogs to your yard for a while and then finally into the house. It may be useful to keep the dogs on leashes at first when inside the house until you know that your resident dog will be okay with this new housemate inside his/her home.
Until the dogs are comfortable with each other do not let them together in a small space like a car or hallway.
Until the dogs are comfortable with each other do not leave them alone unsupervised.
Allow a natural dominance hierarchy to develop.
Whenever the dogs are together, speak in a happy encouraging voice. If they are behaving well together, give treats so they associate good things with each other’s presence.
Go slowly, if they don’t do well at first, separate them except during managed interactions. Make sure all interactions are positive using happy voice and treats.
DO NOT USE PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT if fighting breaks out. Try a loud noise like a whistle, a scream or an air horn or a squirt of water to interrupt the interaction. Then call the dogs to you and have them sit.

House Training

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:28:51 GMT

How to housetrain your new dog

The key to housetraining your puppy is to prevent accidents inside and to reward successful elimination outside. Crate training is a wonderful aid to housetraining because dogs will typically not soil their sleeping area. To properly crate train your puppy, refer to the crate training write-up.

When housetraining a puppy it is important that you take her outside at the times she is most likely to eliminate. These times include:

first thing in the morning
after each meal
a fter play time
when coming out of her crate
once an hour when you are home

Go out with your puppy each time so that you can provide feedback when she eliminates.

Choose an area outside where you will take the puppy each time. Pace back and forth for a maximum of 5 minutes. Do not interact with the puppy. If she eliminates, provide huge praise and a food treat when she finishes. Then, if you have time, have a play session or go for a walk. If she doesn’t eliminate, go back into the house and either put her in her crate or supervise her by keeping her leash on. Try again in 15 minutes. When she finally eliminates, pour on the praise and goodies. Only when you know she is “empty”, can you allow her more freedom when you go back inside the house (but you must ALWAYS supervise).

When inside the house your puppy should be supervised at all times. Learn the signals that indicate she needs to eliminate (circling, restlessness, sniffing). Whenever you see these behaviors, say “want to go out” and take her outside.

If you catch your puppy starting to eliminate in the house, interrupt her with a sharp sound (clap your hands). Then urgently say “outside” and take the puppy out. Stay outside for 5 minutes and praise and treat her if she finishes eliminating.

If the puppy has an accident in the house and you did not see it happen, you must not punish her for it because she will not connect the accident with the punishment. This will only cause your puppy to be afraid of you. Simply clean it up (with an enzymatic neutralizer) and pay better attention next time.

Destructive Chewing

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:23:58 GMT

How to stop your dog from chewing your shoes and your furniture

Chewing is a natural behavior in dogs. They use their mouths to explore and investigate their environment. If the dog is not provided with appropriate chew toys and encouraged to use them, this natural behavior often results in damage to valued household items. Puppies that are teething can be especially destructive. Providing your puppy with plenty of chew toys and properly supervising him will help save your furniture, shoes, and other precious possessions.

Purchase a dozen or so chew toys for your dog and rotate them so he doesn’t get bored. Encourage toy usage by incorporating his toys into play sessions or by smearing food in or on the item to increase it’s appeal. Praise your dog for chewing on his own toys. If you catch him chewing on an inappropriate item, ask him to “give” in exchange for a food treat and then replace the item with one of his toys. Do not expect your dog to know the difference between his toys and other items you have left on the floor. Having a dog forces us to be a little neater.

Do not provide your dog with chew toys that look like items he is not allowed to chew on. Giving your dog an old pair of sneakers or socks only muddies the water. His chew toys should clearly be chew toys!

Often times, dogs learn that getting a hold of a forbidden object brings attention from their owner. In order to get rid of this attention seeking destructive behavior you must learn not to respond to it. DO NOT get into a game of chase with your dog even if it means sacrificing the item. This is exactly what he wants, and oh how fun it is! Be sure to give your dog plenty of attention when he is being good. It’s also advisable to teach your puppy a “drop it” command so that you can retrieve items he has gotten a hold of without engaging in a chase.

Never punish “after the fact”. If you do not catch your dog in the act of chewing you CAN NOT punish him. The dog will not connect the two events and he will just learn to be afraid of you.

If your dog destroys things in the house only when you are away, he may be suffering from separation anxiety. There is a behavior modification program available for this problem should you think your dog is suffering from it.

Crate Training Your Puppy

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:20:23 GMT

How to crate train your new dog

The key to housetraining your puppy is to reduce the possibility of accidents in the house. Crate training can help you with the process because dogs naturally do not soil their sleeping area. If you properly crate train your puppy he will be happy to spend time in his crate. A crate is a safe place for your puppy to go when you can’t watch him closely.

Ideally you should gradually accustom your puppy to his crate. To do this, follow the steps listed below:

Put the crate in a busy location in your house such as the living room or kitchen where your family spends a lot of time. Put a blanket and toys inside and leave the door open. Occasionally toss a treat in the back of the crate for your puppy to find on his own.
Bring your puppy over to the crate and encourage him to go into the crate by throwing a treat just inside the door. When he puts his head in the crate to get the treat, praise him “good boy”. Continue this procedure but throw the treat farther and farther into the crate until the puppy is going all the way in. Praise him every time he goes in to get the treat.
N ext, try asking him to go into the crate - “Buster, get in your crate” as you motion with your hand. If he goes in, praise him and give him the treat. Then call him out (no treat for coming out) and do it again. Repeat this many times until he is reliably going in and out of the crate on command.
When your puppy is reliably going in and out of the crate you can start to close the door for short periods of time. Practice a couple of in and outs, but one time when he is inside, close the door. Praise him and give him food treats while he is inside, and then open the door and walk away (no treats for coming out). Repeat this over and over, slowly increasing the time the door is closed. Eventually, take a few steps away from the crate and then return and praise him while he is still inside. Slowly increase the distance you go away from the crate. Remember treats are only given when the puppy is inside. When letting him out of the crate, simply open the door and walk away.
You are now ready to teach your puppy to stay quietly in his crate for a prolonged period of time. Put the crate next to your chair in the living room and prepare a chew toy stuffed with peanut butter. Ask your puppy to go into his crate, give him the chew toy, close the door and turn on the T.V. If he begins to cry you should ignore him. If you let him out when he is crying he learns that this is how to get out of the crate. After an hour or so, if he is quiet and settled in the crate, open the door. Remember, when letting him out of the crate, do not say anything, just open the door.
At night, move the crate to your bedroom, ask the puppy to go inside, turn off the lights, and ignore any crying. Remember however that a young puppy may not be able to go all night without eliminating. So if you hear him crying, he may need to go out. Use common sense!
For the next few days lock him in the crate when you are at home going about your normal business of making dinner, doing the laundry, etc. Be sure to give him a fun crate toy each time. Ignore any crying, whining, or barking. When he is going in the crate without fuss and does not cry, you can start leaving him in the crate when you leave the house. Puppies under six months of age should not be expected to stay in a crate and not eliminate for longer than 3-4 hours at a time. You will be able to increase the time he is expected to “hold it” as he gets older.
A good ‘rule of thumb’ is that your puppy can only “hold it” for the number of hours he is in age plus one. So if your pup is 3 months old, he can only be expected to hold it for 4 hours.

Bringing Your New Dog Home

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:15:50 GMT

How to potty train my new dog and establish routines

Congratulations, you have made a wonderful decision to adopt a dog from the shelter. We hope that you and your new dog will bond and have a long lasting relationship. To insure that you get started on the right foot we have a few suggestions. It’s important to give your new dog structure and guidance in the first few weeks. Dogs feel better when they know their place in the family.

Dogs like routine and your new dog will adjust better if you have routine feeding times, play times, and exercise times.
Let your dog know which behaviors please you by offering praise and perhaps a treat for behaviors that you like.

Your new dog may have a few accidents in the house the first few days, even if he/she is housetrained. To help prevent this and retrain your new dog after time in a shelter, do the following:

Keep the dog on a leash when you first let him/her explore the house. This way you can interrupt any signs of elimination and quickly take him/her outside.
Accompany your new dog outside to eliminate. This will allow you to reward him/her with a food treat and plenty of praise for outdoor elimination.
Never punish a dog for eliminating inside if you did not catch him/her in the act. Simply clean the area well with an enzymatic odor neutralizer and pay more attention next time.
If you do catch your dog in the act of eliminating inside, interrupt the behavior by making a loud noise (clap your hands) and then urgently say “outside” and take the dog out. Don’t forget to praise and give a treat for finishing outside.

Dogs that are adopted from a shelter often bond very rapidly, closely, and deeply with their new owners. This can cause a problem when you have to leave him/her alone. You must teach your new dog that you are not going to abandon him/her when you leave the house.

The very first day you should depart frequently. Just go in and out of the house numerous times for a few seconds and then a few minutes.
Do not make a big deal out of your departures and arrivals. Just come and go without saying anything to the dog.
Leave your dog with a food stuffed toy to keep him busy for a while after you leave.
Leave a radio or TV on when you are gone to keep your dog company. This may calm him/her and will also provide background noise that will block all the noises outside.

Barking

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:09:45 GMT

How to stop your dog from barking

Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. They could be alerting you of an intruder (alarm barking), demanding your attention (request barking), trying to drive off something or someone they are afraid of (fear barking), or they may simply be bored (boredom barking). In order to control excessive barking, you must first figure out what type of barking you are dealing with.

Request Barking

Many dogs learn that barking gets them what they want (food, attention, door open, etc.). If this is the kind of barking your dog is exhibiting, you must teach him that the behavior no longer works. To do this, ignore your dog completely when he barks at you. This is what we call putting the behavior into extinction. By removing the reinforcement (whatever it is he is used to getting when he barks) the behavior should disappear. Keep in mind, however, that because this behavior has worked for so long it may get worse before it disappears. It is very important that you DO NOT give in because this will only make the behavior stronger. Once he is quiet you can give him what he wants if it’s appropriate.

Fear Barking

If your dog barks at something or someone out of fear you will have to work to change his emotions about the scary person or thing. This is called counter-conditioning. Get some really yummy treats (hotdogs, chicken, cheese). Set up scenarios in which the scary person or thing arrives on the scene, but is far enough away that your dog is aware of it but does not react. Start giving him the treats when the scary thing comes into view and stop when it leaves. Slowly have the person or thing get closer and closer while you are giving your dog the treats. Over time your dog should change his opinion about the person or thing he was afraid of because it will now predict great treats.

Boredom Barking

If your dog barks when he is left alone he may just be bored. Increasing his physical and mental stimulation should help. Try the following suggestions:

Exercise him well before you leave. A walk is not always enough, play fetch or the recall game (having him run back and forth between two people) for 20 minutes.
Hide food around the house for him to search for while you are gone.
Leave him with a toy stuffed with food (Kong toys or hollow marrow bones work well).
Practice simple obedience commands (sit, down, stay) every day.
Teach him some tricks and have him perform them every day.
Play hide and seek with his toys.
Play hide and seek with family members
Leave a radio or T.V. on when you are gone.

Separation Anxiety

If your dog barks only when you are not home it’s possible that he is suffering from separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety often show other signs that indicate that they are anxious about being alone. If your dog is overly attached to you and follows you from room to room, or if he shakes, pants or cries as you prepare to leave for the day he may indeed be suffering from separation anxiety. You should consult a behaviorist to help overcome the problem.

Alarm Barking

If your dog barks at intruders, like the mailman, delivery people, or neighbors walking by his property, most likely his barking stems from territorial behavior. Alarm barking is a natural behavior in dogs and we can’t expect to completely eliminate it, but we can learn to control it.

To deal with this type of barking you will need to teach your dog a ‘quiet’ command. Set up scenarios whereby someone walks past your house and triggers your dog to bark. After 3-4 barks, show your dog a really special treat (hotdogs, chicken, or cheese). When he stops barking to retrieve the treat say “quiet” and give him the treat. Repeat this until you have paired the word “quiet” with his silence a dozen or so times. Then try to use your quiet command to stop his barking without showing him the treat. If he learned the command, he will stop barking, and you can go ahead and give him the treat as a reward. Once he knows the cue “quiet” means shut up – start to increase the duration of quietness you require before you reward (just like teaching the stay command – add duration slowly). Dog barks – you say “quiet” – he shuts up – you count to 10 seconds in your head – then click and give the treat.

Dogs learn very quickly that their barking often makes the intruder go away. This is the case when your dog barks at the mailman. He thinks he is doing his job of protecting his home very well because when he barks the intruder leaves. If this is the case you must condition a new behavior when the mailman comes to the door. Set up scenarios whereby a friend “plays” the mailman and comes to your door and rattles the mailbox. Every time he comes to the door, have your dog sit quietly for a treat. A key component to this training is that the fake mailman should not leave until the dog is quiet. This way the barking is no longer “working” to drive off the intruder.

Attention-Seeking Behaviors

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:02:39 GMT

How to get your dog to stop barking, whining, or scratching

Dogs are great at learning how to get our attention. They bark at us, scratch at the door, whine, nudge us with their noses, paw at our hands – anything to get us to pay attention to them. The reason these annoying behaviors never seem to go away no matter what we do is because we are often inadvertently reinforcing the behavior with our attempts to stop them. Essentially, we give the dog the attention he is seeking when we yell at him or push him away. You see, even negative attention from a beloved owner is better than nothing.

It is very important for dog owners to understand how dogs learn. Behaviors that are rewarded will continue to occur and may even increase in frequency. Even if the reward only comes 5 out of 10 times the dog exhibits the behavior. This variable reinforcement actually makes the behavior stronger. It’s kind of like you are a giant walking slot machine and the dog becomes addicted to pulling your handle in hopes that he will eventually get the pay off. Jackpot!

The only way to get rid of these annoying attention-seeking behaviors is to completely remove the reward. Figure out what the dog gets out of the behavior (attention, food, going outside, etc.) and then take that away in response to the behavior.

An example is the annoying behavior of barking at you for attention. If the barking causes you to get up and walk out of the room (something he certainly doesn’t want) then the behavior will no longer be rewarding. You will be taking away something good (your attention) in response to the unwanted behavior (barking). If done consistently the dog soon learns that barking no longer “works for him” to get attention. Dogs do what works for them – plain and simple.

Urine Marking (Spraying)

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 04:46:56 GMT

How to stop your cat from spraying

Urine marking (spraying) is a normal feline behavior that is quite unacceptable in the human household. Cats urine mark primarily to advertise their presence to other cats and to establish and maintain territories. The most common triggers for urine marking include a new cat in the household, free-roaming cats outside, or social conflict between family cats. However, other events such as a visitor to the home, new furniture, or unfamiliar odors can also trigger urine marking. Sometimes cats urine mark if they are frustrated, such as when they are denied access to outside or haven’t gotten enough attention from the owner. Additionally, an anxious or fearful cat may urine mark to surround itself with a familiar scent.

Urine marking is much more common in un-neutered males however females also urine mark. Neutering your male cat is the first thing you should try, however, a certain percentage of neutered cats continue to spray following the surgery.

The following list will give you some suggestions for dealing with urine marking. Many chronic spraying problems, however, are difficult to eliminate. Management may be your best bet.

Make sure you clean all affected areas well with an enzymatic cleaner that breaks down the urine molecules. As long as there is an olfactory cue (the smell of the urine) the cat will continue to spray.
Restrict access to all sprayed areas until they are properly treated.
Make the area less attractive to the cat using items like aluminum foil, sticky paper, sandpaper, or a carpet runner with the nubby side up.
Use aversive smells in the area such as menthol, perfumes, air fresheners, potpourri, oil of wintergreen, or citrus.
Change the significance of the area by feeding the cat there or providing catnip, toys and treats.
Spray the synthetic facial pheromone FELIWAY in the area or rub your cats face with a tissue to acquire its own facial pheromones and wipe it in the area. Because cats also mark with their facial glands, providing this olfactory cue may cause the cat to switch to a different marking strategy.
Use of remote punishment if you can catch the cat in the act: as soon as you see the cat getting ready to spray, or at least within the first few seconds of the onset of the behavior, startle the cat by squirting some water, shaking a penny can, or making some other startling sound whistle. Do not let the cat see you. The noise or water must “come out of nowhere”. If he associates the startling event with you he will just learn to spray when you are not around. If it appears “out of nowhere” however, he may associate the scary event with spraying and consequently cease the behavior.
If the spraying is a response to cats outside you should cover the windows or put something slightly aversive on the windowsill like a lemon-scented solid deodorizer to discourage the cat from sitting there. You should also somehow discourage the neighboring cats from coming into the yard (motion triggered water sprinkles work well).
If the spraying is a response to social conflict with other cats in the household you need to work on improving the relationship between the cats. Make all of their associations positive using treats, affection and play. You should also provide the marking cat with “alone time” 4-6 hours a day, away from the other cat/s.

In addition, you should provide an “environment of plenty” by creating multiple feeding areas, multiple elimination areas and multiple sleeping perches at different vertical heights throughout the house.

There are medications that may help control urine marking in your cat. The suggestions above should be attempted before considering medication. If you feel that you have tried everything and the problem still persists, consult your veterinarian about drug therapy. It is often the case however, that the cat will cease spraying while on the drug, but will revert to the behavior once the medication is stopped.

Teach Your Cat to Use a Scratching Post

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 04:22:17 GMT

How to get your cat to stop scratching your furniture

Cats scratch on things for two reasons - to shed their claws and to mark their territory. To save your furniture from damage you should provide your cat with a scratching post or two and teach him/her how to use it. The requirements for a good scratching post are:

Vertical posts must be sturdy and tall enough for the cat to stretch its body. Some cats prefer horizontal marking posts. Try both types to find out what your cat prefers, or offer one of each.
The posts should be located in prominent areas in your home, not in the basement. Cats often scratch when they wake up from a nap so put one near the cat’s sleeping area.

You can buy ready-made scratching posts at the pet store or you can make your own. Some cats prefer a simple log. For others, a piece of corrugated cardboard mounted on a piece of wood works just fine. Although most pre-made posts are covered with carpet, this may not be the best material to use. Cats can get their claws stuck in the fabric loops and stop using the post as a result. Try attaching the carpet upside down or using other materials like upholstery fabric or sisal rope.

Attract your cat to the post using catnip. Sprinkle the catnip on the base and into the fabric or hang bags of catnip from the top. Spend time near the post encouraging your cat to interact with it. Play with the cat near the post and incorporate it into your play.

The most important step is to reward the cat every time he/she uses the post. Have yummy food treats nearby and give one to the cat whenever you see him/her scratching the post.

Once your cat is using the scratching post you have provided you can teach him/her that other items are off limits.

Texture Aversion - aluminum foil, double-sided tape or clear packing tape can be placed on the furniture - cats don’t like to scratch these surfaces
Smell Aversion - citronella, perfumes, citrus, menthol, eucalyptus oil, and oil of wintergreen are all aversive smells to cats. Soak pieces of cloth or cotton balls in these smelly substances and hang them on the furniture.
Sound Aversion: A strategically placed motion detector alarm will keep most cats from getting near the furniture that is off limits for scratching.

Litter Box Issues

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 04:03:35 GMT

Cats and their litter boxes

The best thing about cats is that they don’t need to be potty-trained. Relieving themselves in soft, loose material and burying their waste is an innate behavior, so even young kittens know what to do without being shown. All you have to do is provide an acceptable place for the cat to do her business. To start out on the right foot with your new cat or kitten we have a few suggestions:

Where should you put the litter box?

The litter box should be located in a place that provides the cat with some amount of privacy but that is convenient for her to get to. It may be desirable to you to put the litter box in the basement but your cat may find the basement unacceptable. A small kitten may not be able to climb down the stairs, or the floor may be too cold to walk on. Additionally, basements house a variety of giant noise-making monsters like the furnace, washer, and dryer. If a cat is frightened by the noise of one of these appliances while she is using her litter box, she may not want to return to that location to eliminate.

What kind of litter box should you use?

A standard plastic litter box is preferred by most cats. If you have a kitten, make sure the sides are not too high for her to get into the box. Be careful of using covered litter boxes. While some cats prefer the privacy, they must be cleaned more frequently because odors get trapped inside. A covered box that is not cleaned often quickly becomes unacceptable to most cats. Some cats don’t mind a liner in the box, but others do. Experiment with two boxes, one with and one without the liner to see how your cat feels about them.

What kind of litter should you use?

Most cats prefer fine-grained, soft substrates for elimination, so the clumping litters or dust-free small grained clay litters are most acceptable. Usually the pellet-type litters or those that are scented are unacceptable to cats. Find the type of litter your cat prefers by giving her a choice of two or three different litter boxes containing different litters. Once you find what type of litter she likes, stick with it.

Do not put more than 2 inches of litter in the box. Cats do not like to sink into their toilet area.

How many litter boxes should you have?

If you have multiple cats, you should have multiple boxes in multiple locations in the house. A good rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one. Do not put them all in the same room as this essentially creates one toilet area, not several.

How often should you clean the litter box?

You must keep the litter box consistently clean to meet the needs of most cats. Scoop the feces out every day and totally change the litter at least twice a week. Do not use strong smelling cleaning products to wash out the box. The residual smell may cause your cat to avoid the box. It is sufficient to wash out the box with soap and water at each changing.

What does it mean if your cat stops using the litter box?

The first thing to consider is taking the cat to the veterinarian. It may be a medical condition causing your cat to eliminate outside the box. If the veterinarian does not find a medical problem, consider behavioral causes. Did you recently change litter brands? Did you move the box location? Are you cleaning the box often enough? Did something scare the cat when she was using the litter box? Is there unrest between the family cats? There are many reasons why cats stop using their litter boxes. Do a little detective work to try to figure out what is going on.

Introducing a New Dog to A Resident Cat

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 22:16:38 GMT

Bringing home your new dog to meet your cat - How to introduce them

When you bring your new dog home do not let him have full access to the house. Confine him to one or two rooms using baby gates. Let your cat investigate this newcomer at her own pace. She will most likely sneak a peak and then run off. Eventually she may become brave enough to go up to the baby gate for a closer look; when she does, praise her and give her a treat for her daringness. Keep the dog confined until the cat is comfortably moving about the house and approaching the baby gate to investigate.

Next you will set up some controlled meetings. Put the dog on lead and walk him into the room where the cat is, or sit in a room with the dog on leash and entice the cat to come into the room with a dish of tuna fish. Do not allow the dog to act inappropriately toward the cat (barking, lunging, chasing). A mild correction (“no”) and a request to “sit” should suffice. If the correction is too severe the dog will associate getting into trouble with the cat. Reward calm behavior from the dog using praise and food treats. Sometimes the situation will call for the dog to wear a headhalter so that you can control his movements and stop any barking at the cat. The gentle leader or halti collar work well. If the dog lunges at the cat, gently pull the leash towards you, which stops the lunge. If the dog barks at the cat, gently put UP on the leash to tighten the nose loop of the headhalter to close his mouth and stop the barking. The whole point of these sessions is for the dog to learn not to chase the cat and the cat to learn that she is safe around the dog.

E xpect a certain amount of hissing, swatting, and growling from your cat. Do not punish her for this or she will associate the dog with the punishment. Be patient, let her get used to the idea of this big goofy dog sharing her home. Repeat these controlled meetings until both animals remain calm and relaxed with each other. Don’t let the dog have free run of the house unless you are present until you are sure they are fine together. This could take weeks to months. Don’t expect too much too soon.

Bringing Your New Cat Home

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 07:28:16 GMT

How do I introduce my new cat to my other pets at home?

Introducing a cat to a new home can be very stressful for the cat. To help ease some of this stress follow these few suggestions:

When you bring your new cat home, place the carrier in a room and open the door. Do not force the cat to come out, let her take her time. Your new cat needs time to adjust to her new surroundings.
Visit with the cat often but do not force interaction. Let the cat come to you. Have some food treats with you to make a positive association.
If your cat hides under a bed - leave her alone. She will come out when she feels safe. This could take a few days. Just have food, water and a litterbox in the room.

Introduction to resident cat

If you have other cats in the house its a good idea to set up a safe room for the new cat. Before you bring your new cat home, prepare a small quiet room with a litter box, food, water, toys, and scratching post. When you bring the new cat home, put her in this room to adjust to the new house (using the above method). This arrangement will allow the cats to get used to one another’s scent before they actually meet. Using the same washcloth, pet each cat daily to exchange their scents. This is a good way for them to get to know each other. Once your new cat seems comfortable in its safe room, you can slowly introduce the cats to each other. The introduction process should go as follows:

Switch positions - let your new cat explore the house and put your resident cat in the new cat’s room. This way they will be able to get used to each other’s scents before actually seeing each other. This also gives the new cat the opportunity to get to know the entire house. Do this daily for a week.
Place two baby gates in the door opening (one on top of the other so they can’t jump over) so they can see each other but not get to each other. Place food treats on either side of the gates. If they hiss, growl, or swat at each other, close the door and try again later. This is to be expected, so don’t give up.
When the visits through the baby gates are going well, allow them some short supervised visits (half an hour at first). Setting out two dishes of tuna fish in a room can help encourage them into the same room and form a positive association.
Continue doing this, increasing the amount of time the cats are together.
Never punish the cats for being aggressive towards one another. This will just make them more upset and associate bad things with the other cat. Some hissing and swatting should be expected while they work out their territories. If things get out of hand, calmly separate the cats.
Expect it to take from 2 weeks to 2 months or more for the cats to establish the rules of territory with each other.

Introduction to resident dog

If you have a dog at home it is a good idea to set up a safe room for the new cat as described above. When the cat is comfortable in her safe room, allow her to explore the rest of the house for short periods of time when the dog is outside. When she seems comfortable in the house its time to have her meet the dog.

Make sure the dog is under control when interacting with the new cat. When the cat is on a high surface, bring in the dog on leash. Walk the dog around the room but don’t let him off the leash. Do not allow the dog to act inappropriately with the cat (barking, lunging, chasing). Start with half hour visits and then return the cat to the safe room. Slowly increase the amount of time you allow these supervised visits. Always reward friendly visits with praise, food treats, and play. Make a positive association for both of them. Do not rush the introduction or force them to be together.

Aggression in Cats

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 07:17:42 GMT

How to stop my cat from being aggressive?

Aggression is very common in cats - they can become aggressive when they have had enough petting, when they are picked up, when they are frightened, and even when they are playing. This is a natural response and one that may be hard to change. It is important that you learn how to read your cat’s moods and body language and know what things cause her to become aggressive so that you can avoid an aggressive attack. In some cases you may be able to use behavior modification to change your cats behavior. Listed below are several types of cat aggression and the recommended treatment.

Never physically punish a cat for showing aggression. This will only make the situation worse. Cats who are physically punished will only become more aggressive.

Fearful or Defensive Aggression – The best way to deal with defensive aggression is to remove the fearful stimuli. If the fearful stimuli cannot be removed, you can work to slowly change your cat’s feelings about it using counter conditioning. To do this, pair an extra special treat (tuna, chicken, etc.) or a fun play session with the presence of the scary thing. Do this over and over until a new association is formed. If it is a dog your cat is afraid of, make sure your dog is never allowed to chase the cat.

Play Aggression – Cats are naturally aggressive in play because their play mimics aspects of the hunt – stalk, chase, attack. Learn to anticipate when your cat becomes playfully aggressive (whenever you walk by the dresser, when you dangle your hand over the side of the chair, or when you move your feet under the covers) so that you can redirect the attack onto a toy. Have a small toy ready and the second before your cat attacks you – toss the toy away from her. Cats have motion sensitive vision – if they see something move fast across their line of vision, they will chase it.

You can also interrupt a playful attack with a loud noise but be careful because this method may cause your cat to become afraid of you. If it happens that you were unable to interrupt and prevent an attack – scream “OUCH” as loud as you can and remove yourself from the room.

Play Therapy - It is important to play with your cat on a regular basis in order to provide her with an outlet for her playful energy. Toss a ball or wadded up piece of paper for her to chase, use a fishing pole type toy like a feather dancer to stimulate her to chase and pounce, or provide interactive toys like round-a-bouts or treat dispensers. If your play occurs at about the same time every day (cats love routine) your cat will start to anticipate the fun and reserve play for this time.

Redirected Aggression – Cats often redirect their aggressive feelings about one thing (a cat outside the window) onto someone else (you or another pet). A cat can stay agitated for a long time, sometimes up to 24 hours, and in this state they often attack the first thing that comes their way. It is important that you do not interact with your cat when she looks agitated. Just leave her alone until she has calmed down. If your cat becomes agitated by cats outside the window try preventing visual access using blinds or shades.

Petting-Induced Aggression – Some cats have a very low threshold for tactile stimulation. Your cat may be fine for five pats but on the sixth one she attacks. The important thing to do to prevent such an attack is to learn your cats threshold level and don’t exceed it. The body signals that tell you that your cat is becoming agitated with petting include: ears back, tail twitching, or skin on the back twitching. When you see these signs – stop petting. You can work to increase your cats petting tolerance by pairing pats with food treats. Pat five times – give a treat – then pat one more time. Do this until you have slowly increased the number of pats she will tolerate.

Inter-cat Aggression – This is a common form of aggression because cats are very territorial animals. Adults are less likely to accept new cats into the household and will usually show aggression to the newcomer. Aggression between cats can also be status or rank related. They may simply be trying to work out who is the boss. Sometimes resident cats who usually live peacefully together, start to attack each other. This breakdown of peaceful coexistence could have been triggered by just about anything. Examples of things that could have occurred are: one cat just came back from the veterinary office and smells funny; one cat redirected aggression onto the other after seeing a strange cat outside and they continue to fight; one cat is sick and easily agitated. You may be able to help get the cats back to a peaceful coexistence by providing food treats, play sessions, and cuddle times only when the cats are in each other’s presence.

Sometimes aggression is a sign of illness or pain. If your normally loving cat suddenly starts showing aggressive behavior you may want to consult with your veterinarian.

Cat to Cat Aggression

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 23:13:02 GMT

How to get my cats to get along with each other?

Cats are social animals but they are very particular about their social partners. Sometimes when you bring a new cat into a home, you upset the resident cat or the social structure of an existing cat group. This is not unusual but it can lead to some serious behavior problems.

One issue that may come up is fighting. Aggression between cats is often subtle but sometimes you can have all-out fights. Often one cat is the aggressor and the other the aggresse, while other times they are equally matched in their fighting.

When one cat is the aggressor we often see the aggresse understandably develop a fear of the other cat.

Behavior modification in this situation involves environmental management and positive counterconditioning.

Environmental management:

1. Separate the cats when you can not supervise them

2. Environment of plenty - make sure there are multiple feeding stations, litter boxes, resting spots and toys

Natural calming remedies:

1. Feliway Pheromone Therapy

2. Composure

3. Rescue Remedy

Behavioral Management

Sometimes its necessary to desensitize the aggressive cat to wear a body harne ss so that he/she can be humanely controlled during the below counterconditioning sessions.

Positive Counterconditioning

This involves pairing something that both cats like (tuna juice, clam juice or wet food) with each other’s presence.

Counterconditioning Session:

With the aggressive cat on his/her harness bring both cats into a room (at first as far apart as possible) and give each a dish of something yummy. Separate them when they are done.

Do this everyday - roughly the same time because cats are habitual routine loving animals.

This will teach the aggressor to focus on the food instead of the other cat and teach the aggresse that she/he can be in the same room with the other cat without getting attacked.

Repeat this daily - moving the dishes slightly closer as you progress through the program. Eventually they should be able to eat side by side.

Additional Recommendations

1. Play sessions with you at least once each day.

2 . Enrichment to increase the cat’s mental and physical stimulation (see list).

3. Clicker training

Inappropriate Elimination in Cats

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 23:13:01 GMT

How to get my cat to use the litterbox?

There are many reasons why cats eliminate outside of their litter box. The first thing to consider is a medical problem. Take the cat to the veterinarian to rule out any physical problem that may be causing the inappropriate elimination, like a urinary tract infection. If the veterinarian does not find a medical problem, we can assume it is a behavioral problem. In order to stop inappropriate elimination you will first need to figure out what is causing it. Below are some of the common triggers and some suggestions for correcting the problem.

Litter or litter box aversions

Signs

The cat shakes her paws excessively to remove the litter when she comes out of the box.
The cat, wanting as little contact with the litter as possible, does not bury her waste after she eliminates.
The cat balances on the side of the box to eliminate because she doesn’t want to step in the litter.
The cat won’t even go in the box and is eliminating right next to it.

Causes – Any undesirable, frightening or startling experience associated with the box can trigger an aversion:

The box is consistently dirty
The box is too small or the sides are too high
The litter is too deep, dusty or has a strong odor
The cat has experienced pain or discomfort when eliminating in the box
The cat is ambushed by another cat while in the box

Treatment – Identify the reason for the aversion and work on changing it.

If the cat has developed an aversion due to a scary experience, the litter box may need to be relocated. It is sometimes necessary to provide a new box that is very different from the old one.
If there are multiple cats in the household, there should be multiple boxes (one per cat plus one is a good rule of thumb).

Surface preference

The cat may still occasionally use the litter box but has developed a preference for another surface. Soft substrates (beds, carpets, piles of clothes, towels) are preferred by some cats for elimination. Surface preferences can also develop secondarily to litter box aversions.

Treatment

Clean all soiled areas well with an enzymatic cleaner (Natures Miracle, Anti-Icky-Poo).
Deny the cat access to preferred surfaces (close doors, pick up laundry, etc.).
Make the soiled area less appealing using smell aversion (air fresheners, perfumes, citrus sprays), or place an aversive texture (plastic, aluminum foil) over the area.
Change the substrate in the box so that the texture is more like the soiled areas (make the litter softer – switch to fine grained, clumping litter).
Place a piece of the preferred substrate (piece of carpet) in the box. Slowly introduce litter on top of it. Gradually make the piece of carpet smaller and smaller.

Location preference

Sometimes this occurs after the owner moves the box (the cat may still use the old location). It is also likely that the area where the box is kept is undesirable for some reason. Perhaps there is too much activity, or the box is located so that there is only one way out or the cat cannot see all around while eliminating. The box may be too isolated in an out of the way scary place (basement), or it may be located near unpredictable noises (near furnace or other large appliance).

Treatment

Change the location of the litter box to meet the cat’s preferences. It may be necessary to put the litter box in the place the cat is eliminating and slowly move it (inches a day) to the new desired location.

Conflicts between family cats

Inappropriate elimination may result from one cat being harassed and threatened while in the box by another cat. The cat becomes afraid to go to the litter box if it is then vulnerable to attack or harassment. Some cats simply will not use a box that another cat has eliminated in.

Treatment

Have multiple boxes in multiple locations. In all locations the cat should have several escape routes and good visibility all around the box.
Work on improving the relationship between the cats using positive reinforcement (food treats and play whenever they are together).

Fear and anxiety

If the cat is afraid to move comfortably in the house she may start to eliminate inappropriately. This is often seen in cats who are new to a house and not yet comfortable with the environment.

Use of harsh punishment by the owner could cause the cat to hide whenever the owner is present and thus eliminate close to the hiding place. Fear of the family dog who chases the cat may also contribute to this problem.

Treatment - Identify the source of the fear and anxiety.

Stop all harsh punishment
M ove the box away from scary noises
U se desensitization and counter conditioning to teach the cat to be less fearful of things in the household.

Olfactory cues

Olfactory cues (odors) from other animals that have soiled the area may contribute to inappropriate elimination .

Treatment

Reduce odors with an enzymatic cleaning product.
Restrict the cat’s access to soiled areas during the cleaning process.

Enrichment for the Indoor Cat

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 23:13:01 GMT

How to keep my cat entertained

Many indoor cats are bored with their life! And when bored, many cats get into trouble as they try to entertain themselves with your furniture, plants and belongings. In addition, bored cats often get fat and lazy because they simply have nothing to do. To insure a healthy cat (behaviorally and medically) providing them with enrichment is critical. The following strategies can help your indoor cat lead a more fulfilled life.

Food Gathering

Hide food around the house for the cat to forage for instead of giving it in a bowl. You can hide individual kibbles or small piles. The cat’s acute sense of smell will allow her to find the food. Vary your hiding places daily.

Place kibble in feeder balls so that your cat has to work for her food. There are commercially available cat feeder balls available but any small ball with a hole cut out can be used.

Water Gathering

Instead of a bowl of water – purchase a cat water fountain so that drinking is more stimulating.

Visual Stimulation

Room with a view – provide your cat with a couple of window seats so that they can observe the outside world.

Place bird feeders outside of the windows so the cat has something interesting to watch.

Auditory Stimulation

Purchase a bird song CD and play it occasionally for a few minutes.

Catnip

Only about 60% of cats respond to catnip but if yours is one of them, provide a small pile of catnip several times each week.

Play Stimulation

Provide your cat with a rigorous play session twice a day at roughly the same time (cats like routine). The sessions only have to be about 10 minutes long (longer is okay if both or you are having fun) so you should be able to squeeze it into your day.

Some suggestions for play include:

Laser pointers
Fishing-pole type toys
Feather dancer toys
Balls
Pipe cleaners, bottle caps, soda bottle caps, wooden clothes pins, etc.
Puzzle toys are great for self-play (Example: Peek-a-price toy box)

Scratching Posts

Scratching is a normal cat behavior that serves many functions for your cat. Providing a variety of interesting scratching posts around the house will give your cat the opportunity to perform this natural behavior without ruining your furniture.

Provide both vertical and horizontal scratching posts.
Provide posts with a variety of substrates – corrugated cardboard, sisal rope, natural wood and loop-less carpet (their claws get stuck in the looped carpet and they will stop using it).
Encourage your cat to use her post with catnip or toys.
Reward use with verbal praise of a treat after us e.

Cat Grass

You can grow containers of cat grass for your cat to gnaw on.

Rawhide

Provide your cat with rawhide sticks to chew and carry around.

Giant Super-sized Litter Box

Most cats love a giant litter box. Those plastic storage boxes that slide under the bed work really well.

Clicker Training

Clicker training is a training technique that is based on the science of how animals learn. It is positive, fun and mentally stimulating. It’s used in the zoo and aquarium worlds as well as the dog world but it’s also perfect for cats. Yes, you can train your cat!!! Cats can be trained to do anything a dog can do.

First - pair the sound of the clicker with a food treat. Once you have done this Pavlovian Conditioning you can use the sound of the clicker to “mark” the behavior you want to reward. Through this system you can teach your cat all kinds of fun and useful behaviors.

You can purchase a book entitled , Clicker Training for Cats , through the website www.clickertraining.com

Outside Time

The outside world is very stimulating for cats but there is risk just letting your cat outside (traffic, dogs, wild animal bites, etc.). You can provide your cat with safe outdoor time by building a screened-in enclosure or by teaching her to walk on a harness and leash and taking her for walks.

Calming Pheromone - Feliway

If you think your cat is anxious for any reason purchase a Feliway diffuser and plug it into an outlet in the room the cat spends most of her time. This pheromone is the synthetic version of the pheromone cats emit out of their cheek glands when they feel calm and comfortable. Clinical research shows that it has a calming effect on most cats.

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Submissive Urination

What to do when your dog pees out of fear

Puppy Socialization

How to socialize your new puppy

Pulling on the Leash

How to get your dog to stop pulling on their leash

Jumping Up

How to stop your dog from jumping up

Introducing Your New Dog to Your Resident Dog

How to make sure your new dog gets along with the dog you already have

House Training

How to housetrain your new dog ﻿

Destructive Chewing

How to stop your dog from chewing your shoes and your furniture

Crate Training Your Puppy

How to crate train your new dog

Bringing Your New Dog Home

How to potty train my new dog and establish routines

Barking

How to stop your dog from barking

Attention-Seeking Behaviors

How to get your dog to stop barking, whining, or scratching

Urine Marking (Spraying)

How to stop your cat from spraying

Teach Your Cat to Use a Scratching Post

How to get your cat to stop scratching your furniture

Litter Box Issues

Cats and their litter boxes

Introducing a New Dog to A Resident Cat

Bringing home your new dog to meet your cat - How to introduce them

Bringing Your New Cat Home

How do I introduce my new cat to my other pets at home?

Aggression in Cats

How to stop my cat from being aggressive?

Cat to Cat Aggression

How to get my cats to get along with each other?

Inappropriate Elimination in Cats

How to get my cat to use the litterbox? ﻿

Enrichment for the Indoor Cat

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How to get my cat to use the litterbox?