Category: Behavior

There are many possible reasons why cats suddenly attack their owners including misguided play, a show of dominance, fear, or a medical issue. The good news is that, with time and patience, the issue can usually be corrected.

Dealing with an Aggressive Cat 

While a cat doesn’t apply the same lethal force as a large dog, their attacks can be scary, painful, and leave their owners bloody. In other words: Cats attacking their owners isn’t something that can be ignored. The first step in correcting the behavior is discovering the cause. Possible reasons include:

Misguided Play

Cats and kittens love to play, and they need to be taught what kind of play is acceptable and what kind is not. Make sure your cats have plenty of toys, and toss new toys into the mix on a regular basis so your cats won’t get bored. 

Fear 

When a cat is afraid or stressed out, they may attack just because they don’t know what else to do. One way to help your cat deal with fear is to make sure they have access to a place that makes them feel safe. This may be a perch atop a kitty condo, an enclosed bed, or even access to a rarely used room. If their fear seems extreme, consult a vet for advice.

You’re the Prey 

Cats are hunters. It’s a natural instinct. This is similar to play, but look at it more like practice. They are honing their skills for when they are ready to chase their next insect or rodent. Encourage them to stalk other items, such as the dot from a laser pointer or a toy mouse tied to a string. Redirecting this behavior may help to turn their attention to their toys, rather than your legs, the next time they want to practice hunting.

Medical Issues 

If your typically docile cat is suddenly aggressive, there is a good chance that a medical issue is to blame. When cats are in pain, they often show signs of aggression. If you suspect this may be the cause, a visit to the vet should be a priority.

There Is Hope 

 If you can pinpoint the cause of a cat suddenly attacking their owner, a resolution can often be found either on your own or with the help of a vet or animal behaviorist. This isn’t usually behavior that will go away on its own, so deal with the issue head on as soon as possible for the best results. 

If your normally well-behaved dog is suddenly chewing everything, it is likely because he is bored, stressed out, or anxious. If there has been a change in the dog’s environment or routine that could also trigger the sudden chewing. You can try a few things to curb the behavior, but if it doesn’t work, you’ll want to enlist the help of your vet or an animal behaviorist.

Tips To Stop Destructive Chewing

You come from work to find yet another dog bed has been shredded, your favorite pair of shoes has been destroyed, or the sofa you saved up for is now down a cushion. Your dog’s sudden chewing is frustrating for sure, but it can also be dangerous as he could swallow materials that may cause an intestinal blockage or other issues.

Here are some things you can try to stop the behavior:

• Buy Some New Toys: Provide appropriate chew toys for your pet and redirect them to those toys any time you catch him chewing. Toss toys once they are damaged and refresh the stash with new toys regularly to keep your dog interested.
• Doggy Day Care: If your dog is chewing everything when you’re away, he could be bored or lonely. Consider sending him to doggy day care, especially if you work long hours. If that’s not possible, hiring a dog walker is another way to break up your dog’s day.
• Treat For Separation Anxiety: Anxiety is a very common cause of destructive chewing—and it will not get better on its own. Treatments will vary based on the severity of the anxiety, but the first step is to talk with your vet or an animal behaviorist to work out a treatment plan.
  If your dog is chewing everything, don’t just ignore the problem. If simple DIY fixes, such as buying new toys, don’t help, talk to your vet. It might take some trial and error, but with a little patience you’ll be able to correct this behavior and help your dog to be happy and healthy.
• Preventative Measures: It is also important to keep items your dog may chew out of your dog’s reach. When you are not around to supervise him, keep your pup in a chew-safe area. 

Preventing access and removing the temptation of food left out are two ways to stop your dog from counter surfing. A dropped dab of peanut butter, cookie crumbs, and the drippings of a piece of steak are just a few of the many delicious things your dog may associate with your kitchen counters, so it’s no mystery as to why he checks out those counters any chance he gets. While he’s hoping to get lucky and snag a treat, you just want to make the behavior stop. Keep reading for a few tips to help you do that.

Lead Him Not Into Temptation 

It’s kind of silly if you leave food out and then get mad if your dog is tempted by it. Remember that “food” to your dog can be anything from a few crumbs to an entire cake that wasn’t properly covered. When you’re done cooking or getting a snack, be diligent about putting everything away and wiping down the counters. After a while of not finding anything tempting, your dog will stop associating the counters with bonus treats.

Eliminate Access 

When you are preparing food, don’t allow the dogs in the kitchen. It’s too easy for them to slip a snack off the counter while you turn around to grab additional ingredients or stir whatever is on the stove.

Proper Training

The eventual goal is to teach your dog not to jump on the counters even if his favorite kibble is covering it from end to end. Here’s a technique that has been successful for many pet owners:

• When he jumps on the counter, show him a treat and say “down.”
• Once he’s firmly on the ground, say “good down” or whatever praise you choose, and give him the treat.
• Doing this repeatedly when you see him on the counter will teach him he’ll get a treat when he’s on the floor, not the counter. 

Don’t get frustrated if it takes a while for your dog to catch on. Every dog learns differently. Plus, if your dog is already used to snagging snacks from the counter, it will take longer for him to unlearn the behavior. 

Cats are not hard to train if you are trying to teach simple actions such as using a litter box. Training them to stop scratching, walk on a leash, or sleep on a schedule may be more challenging and require more time and commitment. Additionally, your cat’s personality and your training methods play a big role in how easy or hard it is to train your cat. With patience and consistency, most cat owners are able to get the desired results.

They CAN Be Taught 

Don’t buy into the myth that cats can’t be trained. While cats are not as eager to please as dogs, they can be taught. In fact, some of the methods used to train a dog can also be used for cats—although it may take a little longer for a cat to get on board. Some things to keep in mind when training a cat include:

• Punishment Doesn’t Work: Yelling, hitting, and other behaviors that will frighten or hurt your cat will do nothing in the way of training. Such actions instill fear in your cat, which will diminish your ability to train him.
• Bribe Him: As is the case when training any animal, finding a reward they like helps to speed things along. Get some delicious treats that are only given as part of training and dole them out for good behavior. You can even use clicker training with your cat in unison with the treats. 
• Don’t Force It: Let your cat set the time limit on a training session. When your cat gets distracted by a shadow or a piece of fuzz, let him go. If you try to force it to continue, your cat will be less interested.
• The Old Switcheroo: If you’re trying to eliminate bad behavior, such as scratching furniture or biting at your hands, redirect the behavior by moving him away from your furniture to a scratching post or by tossing a toy to distract him from biting at your hands. 

Make it fun, work at your cat’s pace, and be consistent. You just might be surprised at how many things your cats can learn.

A multi-faceted approach is best to stop your dog from shredding. This includes dog-proofing your home, providing appropriate chew toys, and ensuring he gets plenty of exercise. You’ll also want to rule out medical conditions and anxiety, which can often be a cause for shredding or other destructive behaviors.

Dog-Proofing

“Ugh! Having a dog is as much work as having a baby!” Lots of pet owners have said that, and in some small ways it’s true. Sure, you don’t have to fight for a spot at the best day care, but, if your dog is engaging in destructive chewing, you do have to spend just as much time dog-proofing your home as you would baby-proofing your home. 

Keep things out of reach as much as possible and cover furniture with mats. If the chewing is out of control, you may need to crate your dog or confine him to one room with no valuables inside while you’re away.

Appropriate Chew Toys

Dogs need variety, so buy several chew toys of various sizes and textures to keep your dog interested. Anytime you see him shredding something, give a firm “No!” command and offer one of his toys as an alternative. Also, when you see him chewing on his toys, be sure to offer praise. 

Lots of Exercise

Some dogs need more exercise than others. If your dog always seems to be bursting at the seams with energy, you may have found the cause of his destructive chewing. Add more brisk walks or an extra run each day. If you can’t, it may be worth the investment to hire a daily dog walker or to send him to a doggy day care where he can get plenty of time to run around.

Ruling Out Anxiety

If the chewing only happens while you’re away or is accompanied by other signs of anxiety such as incessant barking, excessive licking to the point of creating bald spots, or constant escape attempts, talk to your vet. If the anxiety is mild, you may be able to manage it without medication. If it’s moderate to severe, medication may be needed to bring it under control.   

It can take weeks or even a few months for a dog to get used to a new home. It takes some dogs longer than others, and pets who have spent time being shuffled around between homes and shelters may take longer to settle in. The good news is that in time and with the right guidance from you, your dog will learn to be comfortable with his new family.

The Sad Truth: Many Dogs Are Quickly Returned 

Shelter and rescue employees will tell you that one of the frustrating things about the work they do is the number of dogs that are returned within a week or two because the adopter says they aren’t fitting in.

It’s unrealistic to expect a dog to walk through the door and instantly know all the rules or understand what behavior is acceptable. When a dog has lived in several homes, like occasionally some shelter/rescue dogs have, the challenge can be even greater.

It’s your job as the pet parent to teach your new dog how to behave in the home and to teach him what is and what is not acceptable.

Most shelters will provide instructions on how to properly integrate a dog into your home. It’s extremely important to follow these guidelines in order to facilitate a smooth transition for you and your new pet.

These instructions will often be customized based on what the shelter or rescue organization knows about the dog’s behavior and background. If a reasonable amount of time goes by, you’re following the instructions, and still not seeing progress, talk to someone at the facility where you got the dog for additional support.

Most dogs are going to take a while to acclimate to a new home, but with patience and the right guidance, they’ll be a wonderful addition to your family in no time! 

Despite superstitions that say a dog howling means death is near, howling is actually just a form of communication used by dogs. They may howl to let others know they have arrived, to make contact with other dogs, and to attract attention. Many dogs also howl in response to noises such as other animals, sirens, or even to sounds that will go unnoticed by human ears.

Could Howling Mean My Dog Is Sick? 

It’s possible. As with any symptom, you should be aware of behavior that is unusual for your dog. For example, if a dog that never howled suddenly does or if he howls much more than normal this could be a cause for concern. If this is the case for your dog, make an appointment with the vet to rule out a medical cause.

Does the dog only howl when you’re away, and is the howling excessive? If so, you should also consider whether the pup may have separation anxiety. If you think this may be the case, an animal behaviorist can help you with a treatment plan to bring the anxiety under control.

Tips To Make Howling Stop 

Barring a medical condition or anxiety, your dog is just howling as a way to communicate. Whether he’s howling in response to other neighborhood dogs or to get attention from you, here are a few tips that may help curb the howling:

• Attention seeking dogs will stop howling once they realize it doesn’t yield the desired result, so ignore your dog when he howls.
• Give your dog attention or a treat at random times when he’s being quiet.
• Teach him voice commands including “quiet” and “stop.” Once he’s mastered them, you should be able to stop the howling on command. 

Some breeds don’t howl at all while some howl more than most. While you don’t want to stop his vocalization completely, there are ways to minimize it so as not to annoy your neighbors. If your best efforts don’t help, consider working with an animal behaviorist who can help you pinpoint the reason for the howling and work on training to bring it under control. 

Any breed can have separation anxiety. Since anxiety can be born from losing an important person or other life changes, it’s not breed specific.  

How Do I Know It Is Really Separation Anxiety? 

Most dogs don’t like to be left alone, but your pet acting a little down when you leave isn’t a sign of separation anxiety. This condition is consistent, so it manifests every time you leave, and it involves destructive and/or dangerous behaviors such as:

• Excessive barking
• Chewing furniture, clothing, and other items
• Scratching or chewing on window or doors
• Urinating and/or defecating in the house
• Intense pacing
• Drooling and/or panting 

Dogs with severe separation anxiety sometimes injure themselves in an attempt to escape a crate or get out of the house.

Helping A Dog With Separation Anxiety  

First, it’s important to understand that this condition will not self-correct. In fact, if left untreated, it will likely become worse as time goes on. That’s why it’s important to find effective treatment at the first sign of separation anxiety.

Also note that there is a range of separation anxiety that runs from mild to severe. What works with one dog may not help another, so there is often a bit of trial and error involved. Treatments include:

• More Exercise: Before you leave, try taking your dog on a brisk, long walk. If you can wear your dog out, he is more likely to be content when you go. 
• Conditioning: Your dog associates you leaving with bad things happening. If you can change that, it may reduce his anxiety. For example, now your leaving is only associated with loneliness and, perhaps, a fear you’ll never come back. Try giving him a very special treat upon leaving and again upon returning home in order to help him associate you leaving with something good. If you can, start with “leaving” for 10 seconds and come right back inside, and gradually increase the amount of time you are leaving your dog alone. An animal behaviorist can help with conditioning if you’re not sure the best way to go about it on your own. 
• Stress-Relief Products: Stress collars, shirts, and diffusers help in some cases. You could also try supplements known to calm dogs. Note: Always talk to your vet before giving any type of supplements or over-the-counter medications.
• Medication: In some cases, you may have to speak to your vet about medicating your dog. If all other methods have failed, the doctor may prescribe medication to keep your dog calm and alleviate the symptoms of separation anxiety. 

Separation anxiety isn’t limited to particular breeds. No matter what type of dog you have, solutions to the problem can be found with a little patience and, in some cases, help from your vet.

Though some people report that wireless fences work for their dog, we never recommend using them. These fences require a shock collar that shocks the dog anytime they cross the barrier of the wireless fence. There are other alternatives to this negative reinforcement technique that are more humane and work better in many cases.

Alternative Solutions  

• Putting up a physical fence.
• Only taking your dog outside on a leash.
• Working on off-leash commands such as “stop” and “no.” 

We never recommend using a shock collar or any form of negative reinforcement. Finding an alternative to a wireless fence is the kinder choice.