• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Please do not resort to scolding or grabbing her by the scruff of the neck. These forms of punishments won’t help her understand what you want, but may cause her to become anxious and lose trust in you.

PICK A PICA PROBLEM

Dogs who constantly seek out plastic and other nonedible materials may be suffering from a condition known as pica. This is usually a psychological rather than a nutritional problem and can result in dogs eating gravel, rubber bands, wool socks, wooden baseboards, and even metal. Not only can these dogs damage their teeth — they can also suffer intestinal blockages that require surgery. If your dog regularly eats items that are not part of a normal canine diet, consult your veterinarian for possible solutions. This is definitely a problem that needs attention.

Bedtime Routine

Q Usually when she settles down for a nap, Maizie, my 11-year-old mixed breed dog, does the classic “turn around a few times before lying down” move. But sometimes she starts digging at the sofa and won’t stop until she has made a big mess out of the slipcover. Once in a while, she will rumple up the runner in the hallway and then leave it there and go sleep somewhere else. Sometimes she digs and bites at her bed so much that it gets all lumpy and then she doesn’t want to lie on it! It often seems like she is more interested in trampling and digging than snoozing. Why does she do this?

A Your furniture-remodeling canine is tapping her ancient canine heritage when she circles, digs, and tramples. Well before the invention of sofas, blankets, and hallway runners, dogs in the wild had to sleep in the open if they weren’t near a den. At bedtime, Maizie’s ancestors huddled together for warmth and protection. Circling provided room for all to stake out a territory while remaining close. To protect themselves, they dug into the ground and trampled down the grass and other vegetation to make a nest far bigger than they needed. The reason? They wanted to project the idea that they were bigger than their actual size as a way to fool possible predators. If these nesting areas appeared large, the predator might decide to go elsewhere and hunt for a smaller, more vulnerable target.

Since she doesn’t need to make a safe nest, Maizie’s pawing and digging at blankets on the floor or rumpling the hallway runner are probably just her ways of making those items more comfortable for napping, just as many humans fuss with their pillows and blankets to make them feel just right before they sleep. After all her efforts to flatten them out or fluff them up, she may decide that they just won’t work out as a makeshift bed, so she leaves the scene in search of a more suitable spot for snoozing.

PART IV

Unleashing a Dash of Doggy Discipline

Puppies and dogs don’t enter our lives with owner’s manuals that explain how to understand their quirks and avoid undesirable behaviors. In many cases, new owners think their new dog should behave just “because he loves me.” Often, unfortunately, part of the reason behind our constant litany of No! Bad dog! Drop it! Down! Bad, bad dog! is poor pet parenting on our part. After all, dogs take their cues from what we say, how we say it, and what we do. They are not trying to misbehave; they just need to know what the rules are and how they fit in the family. It is our job to explain those things to them and to teach them how to become part of our lives.

This section addresses some of the most common challenges I’ve heard from frustrated owners. Take heart; you’re in good company. Even professional dog trainers and animal behaviorists have their share of trying times. But with consistency, persistence, and kindness, you can convert a canine who is driving you crazy into a dog who is a sheer delight.

Puppy-Class Clown

Q My new puppy and I just enrolled in a puppy obedience class, but we’re not exactly wowing the trainer or winning over classmates. Happy, aptly named, gets so excited in class that I sometimes lose grip of her leash and she is off