County Animal Shelter

240.773.5960

14645 Rothgeb Drive

Rockville, MD 20850

Hours to Visit

With the Animals

Mon, Tues Thurs, Fri:

noon-7pm

Closed Wednesdays

Sat & Sun: noon-5pm

Business Hours and Looking For Lost Pets

Mon, Tues Thurs, Fri:

10am-7pm

Closed Wednesdays

Sat & Sun: 10am-5pm

Directions

Ask the Behavior Expert

Online Behavior Assistance

More Questions

&

Answers

Dear Dr. Meyers,

I have a cat who is grooming himself or licking so that the fur is coming off his hind legs and stomach and starting toward the front.  He has bumps or sores from the grooming.

What can I do to stop him from doing it? What can I use? Is this a behavioral problem? He is overweight. He is a fun loving cat.  Also, I don’t see him do this.

Please help. Thanks, Karen H.

Dear Karen,

Thanks for your question.

When cats overgroom themselves, causing skin sores, it is almost always because he has a medical problem making his skin itch. Often it is allergies. The best thing you can do is go to your vet and have your cat examined and properly treated. Rarely, a behavior problem is at the bottom of it all. And, the only way we can make this diagnosis is to rule out skin diseases first.

I hope this helps.

(back to the top)

Hello,
I adopted "Mattie" in October 2008 from MCHS. She had been at the shelter for quite some time and the shelter staff told me that she had been aggressive to visitors when they tried to remove her from her cage. Her owner give-up sheet indicated the opposite; that she was a sweet, loving cat and it sounded like they had been sad to let her go (supposedly a child in the family had an illness/allergy). However, I'm not entirely sure how much of this is true because the shelter said she had been considered a "stray" when she came in because she had been found outside, but she had been microchipped so they tracked down the owners and came to fill out a sheet.

Mattie was (and still is) an affectionate cat. She likes to be near people and loves to be rubbed. But from day one, if it was too much, she would let you know it immediately by swatting at you, hissing at you, and biting you. I've had some experience with a cat before that was just "temperamental" and I chalked her behavior up to this. However, she began to become increasingly aggressive for no apparent reason (if you got too close to her in the hallway, she'd reach out and try to swat/bat your legs). I thought perhaps it was not healthy to keep her as a single pet (My grandmother had the cat I knew before as tempermental and I think a huge reason he was so anti-social and had so many problems was because he was alone his whole life), so I got Marcel (Cat #2) from a different shelter. He's very docile and loving and has never shown any signs of aggression.

Mattie was very resistent to him being in the house initially. She would chase after him, hiss at him, swat at him, etc. Eventually this calmed down to a level that I thought was OK, but she still continues to frequently (I'd say 3-4 times a day) display aggression towards him, and us as well. I have seen them "playing" (they chase each other) and thought this was a positive sign.

Recently, it seems like it's getting worse- I have had to take Marcel to the vet several time due to an ear infection, and when I bring him back home, Mattie acts as if he's brand new- she starts attacking him and hissing at him all over again. She then in turn will be aggressive towards me (for example, she was in the cat carrier and I went to pick it up to put it on the ground- she reached out of the carrier and swatted at me and hissed; she's also done this if you come even close to her to grab something unrelated- she hisses and swats at you) and my two roommates. She's also begun hoarding food recently (instead of the two of them sharing a dish she will be aggressive towards him and then attempt to eat an entire dish of cat food in one setting), which she didn't do before.

I love this cat and I am responsible for her, but I am at my wits end. I may be moving in May and I'm fearful what the change will do to her behavior, and additionally I feel like I'm going to have major issues in the future (if I ever wanted another pet, if I have children, etc.) because of her overly terratorial and aggressive behavior. Help! What are some techniques or things I should be doing to reduce the behavior?

Thanks so much, Ashley P.

Dear Ashley,

It sounds like Mattie had been either poorly socialized and/or she is genetically a irritable cat. "Petting aggression," (when a cat turns and bites when pet too long), is fairly common. However, Mattie's aggression in other situations is more serious. Usually in these cases getting another cat is not the answer. In fact, it can worsen the original cat's stress level and exacerbate aggression. I suspect at Matties' core, she is an extremely fearful cat and uses her aggression to help her control her environment. 

Often highly stressed cats respond well to medication. I've had very good success with generic Prozac (fluoxetine). However, you would also need to make some changes in her environment. For example, you may want to separate her from the other cat when you're not home. If Mattie is the kind of cat that doesn't need a lot of stimulation, you may simply confine her to a comfortable room with food, water, litterbox, toys, a window, and a comfy place to sleep. If she likes food, teach her that when you shake a belled container with treats in it that she will get a treat. Then, whenever you see her getting anxious or aggressive, you can snap her out of it by ringing the bell and redirecting her attention to you and the treats.

When you bring your other cat home from the vet, you'll need to take special precautions. For example, let Marcel out of his crate in a separate room. And better yet, have Mattie in another room when you come home so she doesn't see you bring him in. Then, take the same dry cloth and rub it gently over each cat's head to pick up their scent and mingle them together, so go back and forth a few times. You want both cats to smell the same to each other.  Make this very low key, as if you are just petting their heads --- you don't want to scare them by any strange behavior on your part!! Then, feed them next to the door that separates them a few times before you let them directly interact.

Please talk to your vet about medicating Mattie. If your vet has any questions, he or she is welcome to call me at 301-947-3333 for assistance in making medication recommendations.

Good luck

(back to the top)

Good evening,

I am the owner of a 1½ year old Shihpoo. She is a very good dog and we got her when she was 9 wks old. Her training went very well and it only took 2 wks to get her housebroken.  

Our only problem is that Cupcake will not come when called. We have tried everything (including, whistle, treats, clicker). When we open the gate after she has been outside, she runs for it and we are so afraid she will run in the street.

Do you have any advice? Beverly G

Dear Beverly,
What you have is a training issue and it needs to be addressed with some good training methods. Cupcake is just being a normal dog ... she would love to run about and explore the wide world outside your gate.

So, here are a few things you should do. First, make sure you take her on walks off of the property so she can satisfy her need to explore. If possible, she should have some opportunities to play with other small friendly dogs. She needs some mental stimulation. 

Next, you need to work on having her be very responsive to "sit."  She should be asked to sit before you do anything for her ... open a door, put down her food, pet her, throw a toy, etc. For the first week or so, you can use small treats as a reward but fade them when she gets the hang of it. You providing her with the items or your service will be her reward.

Finally, you need to work with her going in and out of the gate. When you go on walks, go through the gate in the yard so she will get a lot of practice sitting and staying while you open the gate to enter and exit. She must inhibit herself and wait or the gate is not opened. If you practice this every day, it will become habit for her to wait at the gate. The other thing you really should practice is calling her back in the case of an emergency. Get a long training lead and use it for security. Allow her to "escape" through the gate while wearing the lead and then call her excitedly back toward you as you run away from her (back into the yard). When she comes to you (or you reel her in using the lead), give her the most amazing treat in the world, and then tell her it's OK to go back through the gate out of your yard again (she's on the long leash, so she'll be safe). If you never let her go out and explore, she gets "punished" for coming back into the yard. Practice having her go in and out the gate many times under your control, sitting and staying each time.  

If she knows something like "go for a ride in the car," consider using this in an emergency situation. If she gets out and isn't coming to you, ask her to do something loves and run away from her. If you chase her, it will be her natural response to run away from you. Some people practice making a loud, high pitched noise and falling to the ground in their yards. Most dogs will run over to investigate and when they do, you can pick them up and give them a treat. So, in an emergency situation where your dog has actually escaped, this can sometimes work.

If these recommendations seem to difficult for you, enlist the help of a trainer. Go to yourdogsfriend.info for a list of trainers who use appropriate techniques for training dogs.

Good luck with Cupcake,

(back to the top)

Hi Jason,

I'm not sure how long you've had your dog or how old she is, but everything you describe is behavior that develops when dogs have just learned bad habits. If nobody sets clear guidelines and teaches the dog (in ways they understand and are motivated to follow) what is polite behavior, you end up with unruly behavior. Dogs are very good at learning what works and what does not! Your dog is not being bratty -- she's just not been taught to be polite.

It will take some time for you to implement new rules and your dog to respond to the new way of doing things. If you've had dogs before and have had good instruction on how to teach dogs what they are supposed to do (not just trying to punish "wrong" behavior, which rarely works), you may be able to make the changes yourselves after consulting some good resources. My favorite is "How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves" by Sophia Yin. Basically, you'll need to teach your dog she needs to sit if she want ANYTHING from you. Using treats (even just her kibble) to reinforce this good behavior all the time will eventually result in her developing polite habits -- sitting before petting, sitting when she approaches you on the couch, etc. Ian Dunbar also writes good dog training books and has some videos, as well. A general approach is "Nothing In LIfe is Free."  The dog is asked to sit before getting anything at all ... petting, leash on, food or water dish down, invitation on the couch, toy thrown, etc. Think of it this way: for every behavior you DON'T want her to do, think of something you should be teaching her to do instead that is incompatible with that behavior. For example, if you teach her to lie down on a comfy bed in the living room, she won't be jumping up rambunctiously on the couch. If you teach her to lie on her dog bed (you may need to tether her or gate her out of the dining area) and eat a stuffed Kong Toy, other food-dispensing toy, or special chew treat while you're eating your dinner, she won't beg. You can even pack her dinner, layered with peanut butter or squeeze cheese, in the Kong Toy and freeze it in a zip lock bag to make it last a good, long time while you eat.

You may be best served by getting a good trainer who teaches dogs what to do.  Go to yourdogsfriend.info for trainers who use positive reinforcement techniques to mold the behavior we want. It may be worth it in the long run.

It doesn't sound like your dog has any abnormal behaviors. These are just unpleasant strategies she's developed to try to get what she needs.  

Good luck!

(back to the top)

My name is Vania, (sounds like Vonya) and I am a 5 1/2 year old girl who happily adopted a 6-yr-old cat nmaed Jam on January 3, 2009 for Christmas. Our cat likes to scratch on the living room couch. We do have a scratching post, but he doesn't use it. Our cat has a natural habit of scratching after he eats from his food dish and after he uses the litter box. He will scratch the wall and the floor. We tried to put a mat down for him to scratch, but he ignores it. Do you have any suggestions of what we can put on the wall or the floor around his litter box and food dish that would be helpful for him to scratch?

Our cat also likes to lick kitchen paper and the calendar. He does not lick anything else.

Warmly, Vania and her mom Lyn

Dear Vania (and Lyn),

Here are some suggestions about his scratching. First, you probably know that scratching is a normal part of cat behavior, even though it is upsetting when they damage our furniture and other things. Scratching helps remove the old parts of the claws and also can be used as a marking kind of behavior. The trick is to find things the cat likes to scratch on and put them in areas that are attractive to the cat. The second step is to make the areas where Jam is scratching unavailable or unattractive.

Here are a few suggestions. First, find out what he likes to scratch. One suggestion is to get material similar to what you have on your couch and staple it to a board. You can then figure out if he likes it vertical or horizontal, or both. Some cats really like the sisal or corrugated cardboard scratching boards that you can get at the pet store, so you might want to try them as well. Make sure you place them in areas where Jam has shown a preference for scratching, like near the couch, his food bowl, and his litter box.

Next, purchase some heavy-duty vinyl carpet runners ... the kind with sharp nubs on the bottom the are designed to protect carpeting. Loews and Home Depot have them on big rolls. Turn them upside down so the nubby spikes are up and place them along the backside of the couch so he can't stand on that area to scratch. Or, if he scratches on other areas of the couch, you can place the runner appropriately to deter him.

For the litter box, sometimes cats scratch outside of the box if they don't really like the type of litter and want to get it off of their feet. I would offer a scratching board in that area and also experiment with offering additional choices of litter in another box. It is critical that you always leave the original litter available in case he doesn't like the new litter. What you may find is that if you offer him a litter he really loves, he will scratch in it rather than on the wall or floor. Once you are SURE he is using the new litter to urinate and defecate in, then you can remove the original litter choice.

You can also limit the damage he may cause by keeping his claws cut short. Additionally, there are "soft paws" caps that you can glue onto kittys' trimmed claws. The downside is that they will fall off and need to be replaced every few weeks.

As for the licking, I wouldn't worry about it if he is not ingesting anything inappropriate. There may be some taste he enjoys when he does so. If you'd like, you can try to redirect his attention to another item, such as a cat toy you toss. Licking the shower curtain is not unusual and isn't harmful. If it is of concern, you may just try to keep the bathroom door shut.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Enjoy your friend!

(back to the top)

I don't know what to do about my new cat Tigger. We are a family of three, my husband, my 11 year old daughter and myself. We currently have 3 cats. All of our cats have always been rescues.  Some from MCHS, some from outdoors and some from other rescues.

Tigger is just 11 months old. We got him in early January from a rescue in Leonardtown. We got him to replace a number of needs: A very special cat had just died and we were looking for a playmate for our two other cats. We wanted a kitten that would provide some fun in our very quiet cat household. We had been nursing a very sick cat for about two years.

Instead, he has created huge problems. He treats our cats as prey. He has bitten both of them resulting in abscessed wounds that we have had to treat with antibiotics. He has also bitten each of us. He bites us when he is going after the other cats. I had a short hospital stay when a bite resulted in a nasty infection.

We keep the cats separate at all times. The few times that we were bitten was when we were trying to introduce them. We have not tried to introduce them since then. We don't see how we can safely.

We did everything we were supposed to do in the beginning. We kept them apart for a month, only letting them smell each other under the door. We gave them food when we first allowed them direct contact so they would associate something special with each other.

Tigger is the aggressor. Our old cats are absolutely terrified of him. They do not do anything but run from him. The problem is Tigger cannot resist anything that moves. He runs after things reflexively. This is a trait that I have never encountered before.

We are not sure what to do with him. He is a danger to us all. We love cats and we enjoy Tigger.  He is a lovable, energetic boy. But, he is capable of vicious behavior when he sees another cat. He is also very fast. At any time he could slip through a cracked door and go after one of our cats.

I often put him in a cat carrier to protect myself when I have to have the door open.  When I am bringing up laundry I am afraid he will escape so I put him in the carrier.  I also allow my cats to smell him when he is in the carrier.  In these cases he charges the side of the carrier to attack my cats.  I don't see any improvement.

What should I do?  Please help.  Thank you so much. Joela

Dear Joela,
I'm sorry to hear about Tigger. It sounds as if Tigger is very poorly socialized to other cats.  I don't know what his history as a young kitten was, but often cats that display this kind of behavior were not around friendly cats during their sensitive period of socialization and later into their juvenile period. Or, they had frightening or painful experiences with other cats. Often cats who lived as strays have difficulty integrating with other cats. Sadly, cats with this 
level of aggression rarely make good multi-cat household pets. Medication can sometimes take the edge off but the prognosis is relatively poor in this situation. If Tigger has only been aggressive toward people when he's been aroused because of the presence of another cat, then I would recommend he be returned to the rescue for rehoming to a single-cat household. If he has been aggressive to you unrelated to an aggressive incident with the other cats, it brings up real questions as to if he can be a safe pet to have.

I do have some clients who maintain their cats in separate areas of the house.  However, if one of the cats is actively trying to escape, it is just a matter of time until there is an accident and animals/people are injured. Sadly, it sounds like Tigger is not a good fit for your family. From your description, nobody has a good quality of life at this point.

I wish I had other options to recommend, but this type of social deficit is something we really don't cure and generally simply manage.

(back to the top)

I have a male cat who is not neutered, nor had his shots because I can't afford it. He is an indoor cat about 16 months old. He likes to attack us and bite us on our ankles. He gets real aggressive when he smells fresh air when we open the windows, and at night hegets into everything. He mostly attacks us at night, but then sometimes he comes and sleeps with us and purrs and lets us pet him. 

What is his problem? He has always been like this even when he was a baby. Can he change?  Marjorie

Hi Marjorie,
Thanks for your question. It is impossible for me to make a completely accurate diagnosis without seeing your cat and getting very detailed information. However, if he tends to ambush you when you are walking by (hiding behind a wall or piece of furniture) and them jumps out and attacks you, this may be play/predatory aggression. Often it gets better as cats get older. You should plan on carrying cat toys (or balls of aluminum foil) or anything the cat likes to chase and throw them to distract him when you walk by. Your cat also may not have enough enrichment and be bored. You should look at some books that give ideas on how to keep cats busy and happy. "A Cat's House" and "Cats Into  Everything" by Bob Walker are available on Amazon.com and may also be available at the library.

However, if he is truly aggressive, biting so that he is breaking skin, he may have redirected aggression. In these situations, cats eyes usually become very dilated (wide, look totally black) and sometimes they yowl and their fur stands up. This can be triggered by a cat who is afraid of some stray outdoor cats that terrorize him at the windows. So, sometimes indoor cats associate the smell or sight of the outdoors with the scary stray cat and then attack whoever is closest (often a family pet or human). This is a very dangerous situation and is treated with medication. If there are outdoor cats scaring him, you'll need to try to find a way to keep them away and cover the windows so he can't see out. Loew's and Home Depot carry window film made by Artscape that can help provide a visual barrier.

Do not try to punish your cat, as this ALWAYS escalates aggression. You can "arm" yourself with a cushion or lapdesk to act like a shield if he comes at you in a predictable area or time. You can also wear protective clothing. Stay calm and do not yell, hit, or get angry. Simply gently push him into another room with the cushion or lapdesk, close the door, and let him stay in there with food, water, and a litter box until he calms down. For some very aroused cats, that can take several hours, sometimes even days. You may want to keep him out of your bedroom at night if he attacks in those situations.

You should investigate low cost neuter and vaccination programs in Montgomery County. Neither of these important medical procedures may help specifically with your cat's behavior, but they are important.
Good luck

(back to the top)

Good Morning ~

I have a foster dog who was apparently a puppy mill stud dog. It seems the only dog socialization he has had is for breeding purposes. How do I help him learn his foster sisters are to play with, not to try to breed with?

Thank you, Debra

Follow-up from owner: I wanted to send you a quick note to let you know how great Houston (my puppy mill foster) has been doing. I did what you suggested with "distract and re-direct" using a toy and it has worked out great! Plus we had Hou neutered, and that helped too. Poor little guy, had such bad dental disease our vet had to pull twenty of his teeth. But you can not believe how he is changing! He gets more like a regular Doxie every day.

Your suggestions really made a difference for all of us. Thank you so much!

A week ago, we adopted a 14 mo old yorkie from a family who primarily used a pee pad, however we want him to learn to go outside. When we first got him home, he started marking on the carpet upstairs. So we blocked off the carpeted areas and used enzyme remover. He hasn't marked since then. We restricted his area while we are at work and put newspaper/pee pad down, which so far he has always gone on. But we need to teach him that going inside is not acceptable. So we put him in the crate yesterday, but he relieved himself on the sheet inside the crate. When we take him outside, he doesn't seem like he knows it's "bathroom time". We have praised him and given him a treat when he does go outside, but other times he's outside for 20 mins without going at all. We have another dog who is great and we were hoping he would follow her example. We do not need to crate her or restrict her roaming area at all (she is 4 yrs old).

He will be in crate for about 8 hours during the day, if we continue the crate training. When we get home we take him straight outside. When at home, we take him out every 45 mins to 1 hr. We also take both dogs on a walk each night. We take him out for the last time at 10:30/11pm and he makes it until 6am with no accidents. So he is capable of holding it. 

Do you have any suggestions for us? 

Thanks for your time, Kristin

Hi Kristin,

Congratulations on your new pet! It is going to take some time for your new dog to understand that the rules for potty behavior that he's lived by for pretty much his whole life are now changing. So, you will need to be very patient with him. It is actually harder to retrain an older dog than to start fresh with a puppy. However, having said this, there are things that you can do to help him.

First, continue to take him out as much as possible. This should be easier now that we are getting into the warmer weather. Make sure someone is always with him to witness elimination and give him the most fabulous treat in the world (like cheese, boiled chicken, etc.). Use a key phrase like "go potty" as you see him prepare to urinate or defecate and repeat it until he's done and gets the treat. You might want to bring one of his used pee pads outdoors to help cue him to the appropriate behavior. Seeing your dog go will also be of help.  

I would not try to crate him. I think it is better to leave him confined with the pee pad for a few more weeks or even months until he really has the elimination outside concept understood. Then, you can begin to leave him for short periods but take up the pee pad. You can extend the time as he shows he can handle it. If he makes a mistake in your absence, don't punish him. It won't help and may just make him more anxious. Instead, just reduce the time you leave him out without the pee pad and try to lengthen it again later. The physiology of a sleeping dog is different than that of an awake dog. So, it may be that he does have trouble holding for the same period of time during the day compared to holding his urine overnight.

Training is just creating a habit. It will take time to do so. Certainly, having another dog to demonstrate the proper procedure is likely to help.

Good luck,

Thank you for your quick response!

How small of an area should we confine him in? Right now he has the entire ground floor. Regardless of the amount of space he has I think he will always use the pee pad. We are gone for 8 hours during the day and this is when he uses the pee pad. When we are there, he goes outside. How do you suggest we wean him off the pee pad while we are at work?

Kristin

________________

Entire ground floor is OK if he is consistent with the pad. Work on leaving him for shorter periods without the pad. Start with very short absences, like 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, etc. Work on this on the weekends and in the evenings. It may be awhile before you can trust him for a full 8 hours. During the transition, maybe you can find someone to come in and let the dogs out maybe an hour before you get home and then take up the pad. If that worked, you could gradually work backwards, with no pad available for progressively longer periods of time.

(back to the top)

My dog goes completely crazy when she hears and/or sees a motorcycle. She can't be distracted with treats; her only focus is trying to chase the motorcycle. She's a little over two and we've had her a year and she has done this since we've had her. What can I do?

Thanks for your help. Tracy

Hi, 

My 10 month old dog won't walk on certain types of floors. He won't walk on tile, linoleum, or polished hard wood. He's had this problem since Ii got him when he was only 8 weeks old, and I haven't been able to get him over it.  If you put him on one of these floors he will just crouch and cower and shake. Then, he'll finally make a run for it and runs and slips.  

I really want to be able to take him places with me, but he won't even walk into people's houses if they aren't carpeted and I can't take him to Petco or anything like that. He scratched me by accident at the vet last week because I had to pick him up and carry him over their tile floor and he was trying to "hold on" to something and I got a gash on my arm.  

He's 60 pounds and it's really not reasonable to have to pick him up to get over tile floors. I'd be willing to spend time with him working on it every day, if only I knew the right thing to do. I just don't want to make the problem worse by doing the wrong thing. I have tried putting his food further and further out on the scary floors, but he'll still only go so far. I've been doing this since I got him, so for 8 months now and it hasn't worked, so I need another approach. He's generally a very laid back puppy, but is very anxious about the floor thing, and I very much want to get him over it.  

Thanks in advance, Shelby

Hi Shelby,

It is not uncommon to see dogs who are afraid to walk on slick, hard surfaces. Usually the dogs that have this problem have had a bad experience slipping and are afraid they are going to fall again.  

Your dog's problem is somewhat unique in that it started as a little puppy. First, do make sure he doesn't have any medical problems, like hip dysplasia or other orthopedic problem that would affect his ability to walk. You'd also want to make sure that he doesn't have any neurological problem that makes him wobbly. In addition, visual problems can make dogs leery of walking on hard surfaces if there is a glare.

I have had a lot of success using the machine washable runners available at Solutions.com. You can lay them around your house so that your dog can walk on them and get adequate traction. Encourage him to walk on the runner by leaving a trail of delicious treats (meat, cheese, freeze dried liver) that he "just happens" to find. Sometimes the more passive you are, the better. You just want him to discover that good things happen when he walks on these runners without you seeming to force him.  

Over time, owners are sometimes successful in gradually increasing the distances (just an inch at a time) between the carpet and the carpet runner. Of course, you only do this once he's completely comfortable walking on the runners.

You can also teach him a game where he learns that if he touches your closed fist (which has a treat in it), your fist magically opens up and he gets the treat. You can get him to walk back and forth using your fist as the "target." If you make it exciting, like a game, some dogs get so caught up in the excitement they will walk over short distances on the scary flooring because they are paying attention to the treats, not the floor. If you try the runners and he's not substantially better within a few months, he might need a short course of anti-anxiety medication to help with the behavior modification techniques.

(back to the top)

I have a 21-month-old female keeshond named Lulu. She still chews things around the house, so at night she is kept in the kitchen/family room area. My husband slept with her one night when she was frightened of thunder and now she refuses to sleep alone. She barks for hours until someone goes to sleep with her in the family room. We still don't feel confident about letting her sleep with us in our bedroom because of her chewing habits.

Please Help!!

Ruby

Hi Ruby,

You have a few different issues going on here. First, it is a little unusual -- but not unheard of -- for a 21-month-old dog to still be engaging in destructive chewing. You will need to redouble your efforts to properly chew train her. That is, make sure she has plenty of interesting toys (make sure to use food-dispensing toys like stuffed Kong Toys (stuffed with peanut butter, cheese, kibble, biscuits, etc.), stuffed sterilized marrow bones,  Roll n Treat balls, etc. as well as edible chews like Dentabones, Greenies, Healthy Edibles, Everlasting Treat Balls, rawhides (if she eats them properly -- e.g., not pulling off big chunks and swallowing them). You can even put the food stuffed Kong Toys or marrow bones in a zip lock bag and freeze them to make them last longer. I hope you've taught her to "trade" items she's gotten for a treat and then give her what she should have instead. So, she just needs to be closely supervised at all times and redirected to appropriate toys rather than the "non toy" items.   Don't chase her, as this can scare dogs or turn into a game. It's better to call her toy you for a treat, trade the non toy item for the treat, then give her an appropriate toy.

It also sounds like she's got some separation anxiety now as well as storm phobia.  If she is regularly anxious about storms, you need to talk with your vet about getting her medication to relieve the anxiety. Storm phobia tends to get worse with time. Are you certain her chewing problem around the house is not related to separation anxiety? If she is chewing items only when you are gone, there is a good chance it is related to that. That, too, is something you'd need to discuss with your vet, as well. There is an excellent pamphlet called "I'll Be Home Soon" available on Amazon.com that deals with separation anxiety.

One relatively quick fix might be setting up a exercise pen in your bedroom. These are 8 paneled wire enclosures that can be used confine dogs and available at pet stores and on-line. A crate might also serve the purpose.  You'd want to get her used to voluntarily going into these areas for eating dinner and getting long-lasting treats. You can also teach her to sit and stay for treats in the area as you gradually move away from her. I hope you've had some basic training with her so you know how to do this. You can go to YourDogsFriend.info for some info on trainers who use appropriate techniques. When it comes time to go to bed, make sure to give her a long lasting toy as you turn out the light. Try to ignore any whining or crying as you may end up with her in the bed with you. I don't have a problem at all with dogs in owners' beds as long as the owners are happy, the dog is happy, and there is no aggression on the part of the dog. It just can make it difficult because once you start it, it is hard to change!!

(back to the top)

Hi Dr.!
My name is Nancy, with a loving kittie named Katrina who's ten years old and who's been my best friend since she's been eight wks. old.

But in the last 2years, she has been a handful!!!! I personally have been through alot of changes, emotional, & physical, but Katrina has always recieved the best care, almost to the point of being spoiled. Well it would take to long to tell all that has been going on, she's not sick had her checked out by our Vet. She does have a constipation problem, and I have to watch this, hard stools, and she had to get flushed at the Vet's. But she no longer will sleep with me, sit with me on the couch and snuggle, she won't lay in our favorite chair together or even her favorite chair. The sleeping with me and the chair sitting has been going on for about 2 months now.

Since I've been feeling physically better & going out, she can't stand it. Even though I provide play time, treats, talk time, etc. she won't bend!!! She eats, and will play with me, but only on her terms! And she'll only eat if I watch her eat! And she'll only play if she starts the play time. Now she will follow me into every room I go into, BUT won't sleep with me, or sit with me at al. She's even nipped me a few times! What can I do Please help us!

Hi Nancy,

First, it is always a bit of a challenge to make recommendations without the nitty gritty details. For example, knowing how she behaved before, when the behavior changed, and situations associated with that change can help give clues as to why the behavior is occurring. However, based on what you're describing, she is not seeking physical contact. This can be normal in some adult cats but they don't usually change when they are 8 years old. I'm not sure what has triggered it but it can be made worse if well meaning owners try to "force" cats into tolerate petting or snuggling, which can upset or scare them.  There are some cats that like to be near people, but don't want to be touched by them. They will display "petting aggression" which means they will tolerate a stroke or two but then turn and nip the hand.  

The best thing I can recommend, assuming there are no physical problems, is that you don't force any interactions with her. You should find other ways to interact with her, such as tossing toys or even training her a little.  If she likes treats, you can train cats to come, sit, and "target" (touch a stick or even just a pencil with their noses). If you google "clicker training for cats" you will find some good resources for training cats. There is also a book called Felinestein: Pampering the Genius in Your Cat by Cindy Ribarich and Suzanne Delzio (Paperback - Jun 2, 1999) which is available on Amazon. Training like this and NOT forcing any interaction can make her environment more predictable and can relieve some anxiety she might have.

You also might want to talk with your veterinarian about antianxiety medication. If Katrina had been standoffish her whole life, I would just chalk it up to her personality. However, it sounds like there may have been an event or events that have triggered anxiety regarding physical interaction. If your veterinarian does not feel comfortable prescribing medication, he or she is welcome to call me and I will be happy to make some suggestions.

Hope this helps,

(back to the top)

A year ago, you and I discussed the puppy mill rescue I had adopted. I don't remember how we connected, but you were nice enough to give me some advice. I said I would report back to you when Missie showed some improvement in her behavior.

It has almost been one year since we last corresponded, and there has been no change in Missie's behavior. She is still afraid of me, and she still will not eat when I am in the same room. However, she has learned from Kia, my whippet, to wait for my signal before crossing the street, (I take them there without a leash to go potty), she knows the meaning of the words "okay", "come", and "wait". I no longer take her to bed with me because she always escapes at the first opportunity, which tells me she prefers sleeping in her own bed. I insist, however, that she remain in the room where I am during the day. Otherwise, if I am upstairs, she would be downstairs, and vice-versa.

I also stopped tying her to my waist in the hope that if I gave her lots of freedom she might feel more secure. This does not seem to have helped. She loves to go riding in the car, and I use that opportunity to stroke her gently. She does not object, but I doubt she gets any enjoyment out of it. She has been going to daycare once a week for a couple of hours for the past few weeks while Kia is taking Grade 4 obedience classes. Her behavior there is the same as at home. She avoids the girls who mind the dogs. Actually, I noticed that she seems to prefer men to women. There must be a history there. However, if she thinks I'm going to get "hitched" for her sake, she's got a surprise coming! LOL!

One suggestion you made that I have not yet followed is the pheromone collar. I am going to look into that. I am a little afraid that she is getting set in her habits, and I wonder if there is anything that I should change before she gets too set in her ways. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, Jenny

see original posting

Hello!  I am hoping you can help me. I recently (about 3 weeks ago) adopted a wonderful dog from your shelter. He is a 1-year-old Chihuahua / Pomeranian mix. He absolutely loves my partner and me. He is affectionate, playful and generally well behaved.

That said, my dog is extremely aggressive with strangers and other dogs. He will growl and bark whenever they enter our home or we encounter them on walks. He literally goes into attack-mode and has bitten a few of our visitors. When my partner and I visited our dog at the shelter, there was no sign of this behavior.

Do you have any advice? When it is just my dog and I, everything is great! I could not ask for a better pet. I just really want him to be comfortable with others as well. We plan on taking him to obedience class after he heals from his recent neutering. 

Many, many thanks! Noelle

Hi Noelle,

Congratulations on your new dog. Usually for aggression issues, it takes a 3-hour appointment for me to fully understand the problem, diagnose the issues, go through a risk assessment, and come up with a treatment plan. Based on what you've described, it sounds like your little guy is fearful of strangers. Granted, you were "strangers" when he met you, but dogs in shelters seem to be able to "hyperbond," as it were. He also may have some territorial tendencies.  

Generally, we approach behavioral problems in up to three ways. First, we manipulate the environment to minimize triggers. I would certainly keep your little guy on a leash, in a crate, or in a different room when visitors come over. You don't want to let him "practice" the aggressive displays. The more he practices them, the more ingrained they become. Make sure to give him a special chew toy when you sequester him or keep him next to you on a leash in the house. You also might try to walk him at times and in places he is less likely to see people and other dogs. 

The next approach is "behavior modification," which is basically teaching him different responses. He is having and involuntary emotional reaction in these situations so working on associating good things with the triggers will be helpful. There are some very nice videoclips on dealing with aggressive dogs on ABRIonline.org and AskDrYin.com. Good books are also out there, including "Feisty Fido" by Patricial McConnell. You may find using a Gentle Leader head collar is helpful, although with such a little guy, a harness may be adequate. On walks, if you see a person or dog coming, say "Lets go" in a happy voice and turn and take him AWAY from the person or dog in a happy, cheerful manner. It is important to do this as soon as he sees the dog/person and is alert but has not yet gone crazy. Give him a stream of really good treats as you exit. For visitors to the house, you can have them toss treats to him from a safe distance.

Finally, some dogs require some antianxiety medication to help reduce their reactivity, which allows the behavior modification to work. You can speak to your vet about this. If he or she has any questions, they can call me at my office, 301.947.3333.

(back to the top)

Dear Cat Behaviorist,
I need some help with my 9 yr. old active female Katrina. I love her dearly, my only kitty, we live alone the two of us. My vet suggested a bird feeder outside our window because Katrina was feeling depressed, and also having some "behaviors". Well for the most part the bird feeder worked!!! She was loving it!!!!!!!

BAD NEWS!!! My landlord made me take it down!!!!!! Now Katrina has started to leave me little pieces of "poop" in different places around the apartment! Today I found a good size piece on top of my bed near the pillow where I sleep & she sleeps also! This only started when the bird feeder came down. She doesn't have any other health problems that I'm aware of, what can I do? I already put bird music on, and play time, etc. help please?

Thank you, Nancy K

Hi Nancy,

It sounds like Katrina needs extra enrichment in her environment to keep her from getting stressed. Here are a few suggestions.

1) Make sure the litter box is really, really clean. Scoop it at least once a day, preferably twice. If you are using clumping, dump the box, clean it with hot water (no cleansers), dry it and refill it with fresh new litter every 3 weeks. Some evidence suggests cats like Fresh Step over other clumping litter but what you're using may be just fine. If you decide to try a new litter, make SURE you have a box with the current litter offered at the same time. Then you can see what she likes.

2) You will have to find other ways of occupying your kitty's mind. There are excellent books on feline enrichment you can get at most libraries. Bob Walker is an excellent author on this subject. He has two books, "A Cat's House" and "Cat's into Everything." Food dispensing toys and hiding kitty kibble and treats around your house everyday (on top of furniture, in closets, behind things, etc.) can also help keep cats entertained. You can also get an aquarium with fish (and a SECURE top) to provide a pass time for her. Some people will get gerbils or hamsters and set up a secure habitrail and cage. This can keep cats entertained as well. You can also try having Animal Planet on the TV, although a lot of animals don't really watch it.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll find ways to keep Katrina engaged.

(back to the top)

Without knowing more details, I will give you the answer for why most dogs eat socks and chew on blankets or dog beds. It can, of course, vary with the individual. Usually dogs chew on socks because they like the smell or texture. People tend to leave socks around and they are just the right size for most dogs and puppies. Then, we chase the dogs around madly trying to get the sock away. Many dogs then learn to quickly eat the sock rather than have it taken away. Sometimes the dog likes the attention it gets from its owners. Other times, it just likes chewing socks and swallowing them if it looks like someone might take it from them.

Chewing on dog beds and blankets can arise in the same manner. Puppies have to chew and sometimes they develop a habit of chewing on the "wrong" things and stick with the behavior throughout their lives. Other dogs will chew on beds and or blankets if they are confined in a crate. Often this is associated with separation anxiety or stress. So, there could be several reasons why he does this. To stop the behavior, you will have to eliminate the availability of the items while giving him appropriate things to chew. Stuffed toys may be a good option (as long as he doesn't swallow them) since it seems like he likes soft things. You need to give him lots of options for chewing the right things. You may also try other types of toys, especially food-dispensing toys. www.premier.com has an excellent selection. Or, just take a trip through PetsMart.

Good luck with your dog.

(back to the top)

Hi,

I have a multi cat household. One of my 9 cats pees on my bed every once in a while, sometimes while I'm still sleeping on it! I recently moved, and in the 3 weeks I've been at the new place she has peed on my bed twice! This is a new bed. It's a spayed female cat, 6yrs. old who I've had since she was born. The other cats in the household are all related and have been together since birth. I had her checked by the vet and no problems. The distresses I can see are the recent move and one neutered brother cat who keeps trying to mount her.

Is this her way of marking and how can I stop it? Why is it always MY bed?

Thanks! Jennifer L.

There can be many reasons why cats urinate outside of the litter box. Based on the history, and if you are SURE it is that particular cat, it may be stress-related. Anxious cats will often urinate in an area that makes them feel most secure. Urinating on the owner's bed is very common. Although it is hard to be appreciative, you should take it as a complement. Your bed is the place where your smell is most concentrated!

Since you can't do anything about the move, you'll have to focus on other stressors in her life. I would recommend that you keep her separated from the brother cat who mounts her. Often in very large feline households like you have, cats are best managed in groups. So, if you can keep your peeing kitty together with one or more mellow cats that don't bother her, you may see a reduction in the behavior. Some other simple things to do include putting a waterproof covering on your bed to minimize damage if she goes (shower curtains can work) and making sure you have enough litter boxes for all your cats AND that you keep them very clean. You need to scoop them multiple times a day and dump, clean, and refill them about once every three weeks if you are using clumping litter. If you are using plain clay, you'll have to dump them every four to five days, depending on use. You can also try some Feliway diffusers in the bedroom and other places in the home. This is purported to have a nonspecific calming effect on cats of all ages.

If all that fails, sometimes the use of a medication like generic Prozac can be helpful for stressed cats that urinate outside of the box. You can talk with your veterinarian about that if it becomes necessary.