PetSugar

I Need Your Help . . . Dealing With Aggressive Dogs on Walks

PetSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Nothing turns a walk time from rad to bad quicker than a foul-tempered pooch. I'd hazard a guess that very few, very lucky pet owners have never encountered an aggressive dog while out and about - even an attempted lunge is scary stuff - and what if it continues on way too far? Community member Beaner explains:

We've been going in the woods off-leash ever since we had our dog and, last weekend, the same dog went after him for the third time. I told the owner he should leash his dog since he's aggressive, and his response was, "Well I think dogs should just work it out themselves." When I saw him again, and I yelled to scare the other dog off, then leashed mine and walked the other way home. Is there anything I can do?

Get more of the story and offer your own advice when you read more.

Here's where the story gets more ridiculous as the offending owner asked Beaner if her dog was neutered - he is - but, when she asked back, he said "pretty much" even though she could see evidence to the contrary. Umm, horrible. Now, it's definitely a good idea to remove any dog from a dangerous situation but, unfortunately, there are some people that just won't do the right thing and ruin the fun for everyone else. Other than contacting the local animal care and control facility to see if there are any policies regarding aggressive dogs, I'm at a loss about what she can do - any tips?

(If you have problems of your own, don't forget to submit any questions to the Pet Peeves group - and we'll help work them out!)

Do Tell: What's Your Pet's Quirkiest Behavior?

PetSugar — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:00:30 -0700

Source: Flickr User M. Johansson

Communication Breakdown: 6 Signals That Stump Your Dog

PetSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:15:00 -0700

While there may be no proof that your pet can understand English exactly, it's clear that dogs react to tone and intonation as well as your gestures and motion around the house. Check out six things you've likely done at least once in the past, and get some tips to remedy the canine confusion.

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Do Tell: Can Your Dog Understand Gestures?

PetSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:55:54 -0700

Chances are if you're pointing towards food, your pooch will find it one way or another but have you ever stopped to notice if he follows your gestures in general? According to not one but two recent studies, dogs can comprehend pointing on the same level as a 2-year-old child and require nearly zero learning time to figure out how to follow direction.
The studies also watched dogs follow head-turning, gazing, and pointing using other body parts, and those smarty pups figured it out. The biggest problems for canines and two year olds came with tricky gestures where the protruding arm pointed in a different direction than the finger itself . . . but three year olds mastered all the tests. Even though I was quick to share this news with lilsugar, the scientist points out the need to not generalize:

Any behavioral similarity or similar performance between dogs and children should be investigated separately in each case. Just to give an example for a reverse case: nobody has tried to herd a flock of sheep with 2-year-old (human children).

Point taken, but I've still been testing North at home, and he will look around and seem to follow my cues most of the time - will yours?

Decode 7 Nonverbal Cues From Cats!

PetSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:39 -0700

Do you know what cats are saying . . . even though they can't talk? Even though kitties vocalize with purrs, meows, and more, check out this photo slideshow to interpret their feline language.

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I Need Your Help . . . How to Deal With "Happy Pee"

PetSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:00:26 -0700

Over the weekend, I met a Maltese with a bit of a pee-pee problem. The owner scooped her up, apologized profusely when I wanted into the apartment, and admitted she had no idea how to predict or stop this.

Flashback to a childhood friend of mine: we knew to knock on her door and immediately step back so her pooch would come outside to greet us . . . and thus pee on the steps, not in the foyer. This accidental piddling often occurs around new voices and people in the home - some believe it's a nervous reaction that comes from fear, while others term it "happy pee" since it often happens around strangers/excitement. If you've experienced this submissive behavior, share your thoughts on it, and how to deal, in the comments below!

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Did You Leave a Pet at Home and Move Away?

PetSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:20:59 -0800

Empty nest syndrome doesn't just affect parents as pets can be hit hard by a human family member moving out! After all, if Fido's used to curling up at your feet at night or Fluffy accustomed to laying on your lap while you watch TV, the vacant spot can not only cause confusion but sometimes even separation anxiety or other behavioral changes. Sadly, both of my childhood pets had passed away before I went off to college so I've never experienced this – have you?
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I Need Your Help . . . Can Kitty Be Obsessive and Compulsive?

PetSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:15:05 -0800

These two curled up cutie cats are Olivia and Reese but turns out the lil gray one recently did something not so cute: she clawed up this duvet cover (see evidence at right) . . . and she's a repeat offender!
Olivia likes to pick at things, then go back to them – taking lil nibbles at a time on normal curtains and shower curtains, pooping in plants, and then this comforter. Not so comforting. She certainly likes to make some mischief – do any of you also own pets that selectively seek and destroy items in your home? Let's put our heads together and come up with some tips to help this Sugar staffer reclaim the space, and redirect kitty's energy before she goes back for more!

To the Rescue: Jumping Dog Just Won't Quit

PetSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:50:36 -0800

Do you have a jumpy dog? My lil guy definitely tries to leap on strangers (for kisses) and it's something we're constantly working on since he doesn't do this to me. If I have company over, my friends all know the training method I use:

Grabbing his paws! When a dog jumps up on you (or strangers), gently grasp his paws and hold them firmly in place. While at first most pups won't care, when you don't let go, chances are they'll get more uncomfortable, struggle, and try to get away. When this happens, say "off" or "down" (depending on the word you favor) and let go. Immediately follow this by asking him to sit and rewarding when he follows through. Repeat this process every time your dog jumps up.

Learn one more commonly accepted method to limit jumping when you read more.

Stepping on the leash! Simply leave a leash on your pet indoors when company's coming so it drags around behind him. Whenever you notice your pooch ready to jump, place your foot on the leash. Don't stomp so close that he immediately notices your foot, but don't leave enough slack for him to jump all the way up. When he jumps, say "off" or "down," and the leash should help correct him. Follow up with a sit command and reward as above. Please note, this really works best on collared pets – I tried it with North's harness and he was either able to jump or got tangled (and fell sideways) which wasn't too effective on my lil guy!

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Do Tell: Are Your Pets Territorial?

PetSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:45:29 -0700

From a spot on the couch to a particular chair, do your furry friends lay claim to a certain place in the house? I have a friend whose kitty has "her chair" and she will literally stalk and sulk around it if company tries to sit there. I definitely know this can be an issue in multiple, non-BFF households when boundaries and territories are clearly divided . . . sound familiar?

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