Behavior – MyPetsDoctor.com

Avoid Dangerous Games With Feline Friends

So much for having a watchcat. Not surprisingly, our Maxx comes a-running when his automatic feeder clicks on. It is timed for three feedings: the first at 625 AM, the second at Noon and the third at 525 PM. I shortened his morning feeding and added the Noon feeding in order to prevent his gorging […]

PTSD In Military Working Dogs

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a well-recognized, well-documented and widely treated condition in people. Now the condition has been diagnosed in military working dogs (MWDs). It has long been known that working dogs in any field require a balance of “work and play.” Constantly alerting on bombs, detecting drugs or other types of canine […]

Individuals In Breeds Differ

Hundreds of times over the years I’ve heard pet owners express the mistaken belief that all members of a certain breed of dog or cat would look and act identically. Certainly choosing a member of a particular breed adds to the predictability of some characteristics, yet we must remember that they are not clones. Several times […]

Shake Can As A Dog Training Tool

The shake can is a wonderfully simple yet useful tool for dog training. Let me say at the outset that a shake can is a tool for getting a dog’s attention, it is not a weapon. I am adamantly against the concept of spanking, hitting, smacking or otherwise administering blows to a pet. Doing so […]

Sibling Rivalry

Puppies fight. It’s just the nature of puppies. Much like human brothers and sisters. My late Uncle Sam used to say that no puppies fight worse than Beagle pups. My experience with Sam and Blossum bore out his 97 years of experience. When they were young we lived in Oxford, MS. We rented a house […]

Crate Training Puppies

Crate training is the term commonly used to describe the process of placing dogs in a carrying device (such as an airline carrier ) or housing device for the purpose of housetraining. The principle is quite simple. Domesticated animals still rely heavily on their instincts, despite their domestication and separation from their wild state. Watch […]

How To Introduce A New Cat To A Multi-Cat Household

At one time I was on my way to becoming a “crazy cat lady.” Except that I wasn’t a lady, and my cats were not cooperating with the process. I had several cats, all named after favorite fishing baits: Sally, for “Snagless Sally;” Jig, for the classic fishing jig; Buzzy for “buzzbait.” It seems that […]

Submissive Urination In Dogs

Submissive urination is a common problem in shy, non-assertive dogs. It is characterized by a dog who squats and urinates when approached or scolded. Some dogs will lie on their sides or backs and will actually urinate on themselves. Doing so indicates to you. or other dogs, that he or she intends no aggression. Exposing […]

Work Slowly To Cure Dog Of Foot Shyness

Many pet owners complain that their dogs will not “let” them handle their feet for combing, nail trimming or even examination. It is a problem most common in smaller breeds of dogs as well as large-breed individuals who are high-strung. It may be a learned trait, but I suspect that there is an inherited, genetic […]