The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [71]
The first step in fixing this problem was for Sally to thoroughly clean her furniture and carpets with a commercial odor neutralizer that breaks down and removes odors rather than masking them. I put both dogs on a behavioral medication to address possible anxiety caused by the move. I also instructed Sally to stop giving Ugh and Peter table food and to discontinue free feeding in order to establish her leadership role. To discourage repeat episodes, their food bowls were repositioned at places where they had previously marked. To redirect their behavior, the two pugs needed a training tuneup. Any affection was to be initiated by Sally, not demanded by Ugh or Peter. Sally also had to enforce the sit, stay, come, and off commands. The dogs were no longer allowed on the sofa, both because it had become a place for inappropriate elimination and because it was possibly giving them the sense that they were as high in the social order as Sally was. Booby traps on the cushions (aluminum foil or plastic carpet runners with knobby side up) kept them off it.
When Sally was at home, the dogs were kept on long draglines attached to her or to non-movable furniture to control their movement in the house. When she was out, they were separated and placed in crates or gated rooms. I advised her to play therapeutic harp music and use an electric plugin to diffuse a calming pheromone to calm them down when they were left alone.
Within a few months, we were able to reduce the dosage of the behavioral medication. Acting calmer and more secure, both pugs stopped urinating and fighting in the condo and remembered to take their bathroom needs outdoors.
Contributed by Patrick Melese, DVM
Small Digs, Big Dog
Q I live on the 10th floor of a high-rise building in New York City. My one-bedroom condo is 600 square feet. I love city life and don’t plan to move, but I really want to adopt a dog. I volunteer at a doggy day care on Saturdays, and I know that I could offer a deserving dog a good home. I prefer larger dogs who weigh at least 50 pounds. Would living in such a small space drive a big dog crazy?
A By all means, adopt a big lovable dog, but choose carefully. Physical size does not necessarily parallel the amount of energy a dog possesses. Some of the top canine couch loungers include greyhounds and Great Danes. Conversely, some dogs that turn into interior designers of the worst kind (chewing rugs and shredding sofas, all the while yapping nonstop) weigh in at less than 15 pounds.
Before you take any steps toward adopting, though, check with your condo association and learn their pet rules. Savvy condo groups focus on temperament — not poundage — in their pet policies. They want well-behaved dogs and responsible owners. Your next step should be to honestly assess how much time you have to exercise a dog and then be careful to choose a canine companion that will be satisfied with what you provide. In other words, if you can walk a dog twice a day for only 15 minutes, don’t get a high-energy breed that needs lots of exercise. Great Danes, for example, may be big, but they are not typically shoving a leash in your lap and beckoning you to the door to run a marathon every day.
Dogs are very adaptable, and city dogs are exposed to many sights, sounds, and smells. These exposures usually enhance their social skills when they meet people and other critters during daily walks. Most big cities offer numerous canine amenities like doggy spas, bakeries, day cares, training centers, and dog-friendly transportation. When I was in New York with Chipper, she sat so nicely next to me that we had no trouble flagging down taxis. A few cabbies even remarked that Chipper showed more manners than some of their two-legged riders!
Big cities also provide plenty of places for dogs to get exercise. Seek out dog-friendly parks and canine play groups.