Summer is just around the corner. For many families, the first thing on their summer to-do list is to take a much-needed vacation. As for those traveling with pets, additional preparation can make the difference between a stress-free holiday and a trip filled with anxiety for you and your pet.

The most important consideration before traveling with your pet is to make sure they can withstand the stress that comes with any type of travel. Illness, injury or temperament all play a part in deciding whether or not your four-legged family member is ready to travel. Check with your veterinarian to ensure all required vaccinations are up-to-date before packing up the pet for the trip.

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There are several different functional forms of canine aggression and this behavior generally falls into two broad classifications. Offensive aggression, where the dog attempts to get something at the expense of another is one class and defensive aggression where the dog perceives a threat and reacts accordingly, is the other.

Dominance of one animal over another is a good example of offensive aggression. Two male dogs trying to establish a hierarchy is something we've probably witnessed. Defensive aggression is more on the order of defending territory or food and can be directed at both dogs and humans.

Some forms of aggression can be in the realm of normal canine behavior. Certain breeds have even been selectively bred for these traits. Herding dogs or guard dogs are good examples of defensive aggression and social hierarchy plays a role in the normal socialization process all dogs go through.

But, dogs with abnormal behavior can't differentiate between real threats and perceived threats. Any dog or any person creates anxiety and an inappropriate reaction from these dogs.

Continue Reading "Understanding Aggressive Behavior in Dogs" »

I am suffering from allergies. Bad. The kind where every time you sneeze, your whole body is involved. Honestly, I didn’t know such loud sounds could come from me - but I guess mold brings out the worst in people.

While I have been suffering the past few days, Maizie and Marleigh have been trying to figure out what is wrong with me. At first, they mistook my sniffles for being upset. When I woke up one morning and began sniffling, Marleigh immediately came to my side and rested her head on my stomach and looked up at me as if she was comforting me. Little did she know, the worst was yet to come.

Continue Reading "The Game of Allergies" »

One of the subjects in Dr Bill's post on behavior issues last week was mouthing.

Lot's of puppy owners complain about this behavior.

In fact, I remember well that this was a problem for Miles when he was a youngster. Claire complained about it and asked how she should handle it. I remember how scratched up her hands were at the time.

First of all it's important to define the terms mouthing, play biting and aggressive play before we discuss how to deal with them appropriately.

Continue Reading "Mouthing and Play Biting in Puppies" »

Dr Bill wrote a great post on some common behavior issues for both dogs and cats yesterday. I'd like to follow up on that with some general suggestions about how to deal with inappropriate behavior.

We've discussed the notion of punishment several times in past posts. When your dog is doing something objectionable, or even downright crazy, it's really hard not to verbally or physically intervene.

The problem with this reaction is that, most of the time, this sends precisely the wrong message to the dog. Who doesn't remember the Far Side comic with the owner going off on a diatribe and the dog (Spike or Fido) sitting patiently starring as though understanding every word when in reality it sounds to the dog like "blah, blah, blah, blah, spike, blah, blah, blah...."

OK, so if punishment is out, what should you do?

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National Pet Week is in full wag, so you may be paying more attention to your pet than usual, or you are simply noticing some of their not-so-precious habits. Here is a list of the most common behavior complaints from pet owners.

Continue Reading "Your Pet's Problem Behavior" »

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is all over National Pet Week.

In honor of this event, celebrated from May 6-12, they have a National Pet Week web page up on their site. If you click on the Pet Owner's tab at the top you'll come to a page that is chock full of interesting topics.

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Having one of those days where nothing seems to go right...

Then I look at these two and some how I know it is all going to be OK.

-- Chloe Ochse --

Chloe and I got a nice note from the producers of Dog TV following up on a post I wrote last week.

I had asked about research they had used in the creation of this interesting new offering. They sent me a list of articles they had relied on as developed the concept. It appears that they have relied on over forty publications on the general topic of how dogs process auditory and visual stimuli.

As I mentioned last week, one of their chief consultants is a well respected board certified Veterinary behavior expert, Dr Nicolas Dodman.

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Given the warm winter we had in many areas of the country ticks have been active for a while now, and if you live in Lyme disease country this post is for you.

Lyme disease affects both people and pets and can have serious health consequences for both. If you live in the Northeast or upper Midwest you live in what is called a Lyme disease endemic area (see map below).

That means your chances of coming into contact with a tick that carries the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease is pretty darn good. The chances that your dog will encounter an infected tick is even better, considering how they like to play in the woods and run through the brush where ticks hang out.

My sister-in-law lives in Massachusetts and has a summer house in New Hampshire. She has had Lyme disease twice and one of her dogs tests positive for Lyme.

Continue Reading "A Lyme Disease Primer for Dog Owners" »