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A combination of denying access, proper training, and decreasing your dog’s desire to leave are how to keep your dog from running away. There’s lots of fun stuff to see and do outside of your yard, so you need to make being home as fun as possible. Of course, you also need to make escape impossible in order to keep your dog safe and to protect yourself from any legal consequences.

Training 

Proper training is a must. If your dog obeys even the most basic commands, you’ll be able to stop him from running away—even if the stimulus is hugely tempting. Of course, this only works when you’re with your dog, so you also need to consider how to stop your dog from running away when you’re not there.

Preventing Escape 

Search your fences and gates for weak spots and shore them up. If your dog digs, you’ll also want to bury chicken wire or rocks to stop him from getting out from under the fence.

Make Home More Appealing

The reasons your dog runs away could be boredom, loneliness, or lack of exercise—and those are all things you can easily fix. Take your dogs on two or three good walks a day, spend more time playing and interacting with him, consider a dog playmate, and provide lots of interactive toys.

If your dog spends most of him time outside, consider bringing him inside. You could work on crate training for the times that you’re away. Another option is doggy day care rather than leaving him outside alone all day.

Finally, if your dog is not spayed or neutered, doing so will reduce his or her urge to roam.

If all your attempts fail, talk to an animal behaviorist who can help you develop a plan to keep your dog safe and prevent him from running. 

You can stop your indoor cat from escaping by distracting him before you leave or by adding barriers that make it hard for him to dash. It is also good to get yourself in the habit of always knowing where your cat is before you open a door so he can’t surprise you and dart out. Taking these steps will help your cat stay safely indoors without escaping.

Create A Barrier 

There are many different ways to create a barrier that will disable your cat from escaping. The right solution for you depends on your home. Here are some things you could try:

• Blocking the front door entrance: If there is a door you can close to keep your cat away from the door you will be exiting, this is an easy solution. Some homes simply do not have this option.
• Create a barricade: Choose something that your cat can not easily jump over or slip through. You can do this with 36″ or higher folding metal/wire dog exercise pens or extra-tall baby gates or playpens, like the walk through kind designed for stairs.
• Create a “kitty lock” door: If you’re lucky, your home may already have a hallway or entrance with doors you can keep closed, but you can also build one. If you have a front porch, you could build a second door around that. You could also install a secondary interior door. This may be a more expensive option, but it works 100% of the time as long as one door is closed before opening another. 

Allow For Safe Outdoor Time 

• A small investment in an outdoor enclosure gives your cat a safe space where he can enjoy fresh air and sunlight. Enclosures are available in many sizes and configurations, so it’s easy to find one that is perfect for your pet. Check out this article from one of our staff members who built her foster cats a “catio”!
• If you can’t take your cat outside, giving them a wall-mounted shelf by a window can be similarly effective. If you go this route, just make sure that you have secure screens – if you can push on a screen and pop it out, so can your cat. 

Distract and Dash 

• Try keeping treats by the door for when you are about to leave. Get your cat’s attention and throw the treats as far away from the door as possible. Then, slip out the door as quickly as possible.
• If your cat tries to escape when you are entering the house, you can also leave treats right outside of your door to give your cat as you are coming in. 

Keeping your cat safe is the first priority, which is why all cats should be microchipped and registered with up-to-date information. That way, should your cat escape, he’ll have the best chance of being reunited with you.  

How to stop your dog from whining at night depends on the age of the dog and whether this is a sudden behavior. When you first bring a puppy home, expect whining at night. He’s in a new place and hasn’t yet to figure out if it’s safe. Usually, a puppy will stop whining at night once he becomes comfortable in your home. For older dogs, you may have to change some things about the environment or the dog’s routine. Also consider a possible medical issue if the whining started suddenly.

Puppies! 

New puppies are a welcome addition. They are so cute and cuddly that nighttime whining seems a small price to pay—until you have to go to work with dark circles under your eyes. As mentioned above, most puppies will stop whining once they get used to you and to living in your home, but there are some tips that can help him feel more comfortable. Most of these tips will help with older dogs as well.

• Give your puppy or dog plenty of exercise before bed.
• Limit food and water starting about an hour before bedtime.
• Play soft, calming music.
• Work on proper crate training so he’ll view the crate as his safe place. Learn more about crate training here.
• Allow your dog to be in the same room as you. 

Sudden Changes In Behavior 

If your normally quiet dog started whining a lot, make an appointment with your vet. As with any sudden change in how your dog acts, sudden whining could be a sign of a medical condition. Since your dog can’t tell you when he’s not feeling well, it’s important to pick up on signals that something could be wrong.

No pet owner wants to hear their dog whine, but by implementing these tips, you can help them enjoy a peaceful night. 

Excessive barking is barking that interferes with the peace or comfort of a person. That may seem vague, but the truth is the amount of barking that will prompt action varies by location, so there is no hard and fast rule about how much or how loud barking must be to be considered excessive. If you’ve noticed your dog barking a lot or if neighbors have complained, it’s time to take action to try to stop the excessive barking.

Curbing Excessive Dog Barking 

Dogs bark, so it’s not reasonable to expect them to stop barking entirely. Unfortunately, some people have neighbors who will call the landlord or summon animal control at the first sign of a “woof.” In that case, you’ll probably have to deal with your neighbor rather than the dog. If, however, you acknowledge the barking is a bit much, there are some things you can try to curb that excess barking:

• A Change of Scenery: If you normally crate your pet, try leaving him loose in a room. If you normally leave him outside, try leaving him inside.
• Exercise, Exercise, Exercise: A bored dog is often a barking dog. One way to alleviate boredom is to provide plenty of opportunities for exercise every day. This could be long walks, running off steam at the dog park, or spending a few hours at doggy daycare.
• Rule Out Anxiety: Anxiety is one very common reason for excessive barking, and it won’t get better on its own. In fact, if left untreated, it will likely get worse. If you think your dog is suffering from anxiety, see your vet or an animal behaviorist right away. 

 If you’ve received complaints, let the involved parties know that you are actively working on a solution. Excessive barking is a common reason people rehome their pets, but with the right help, most dogs’ excessive barking can be curbed. 

Dogs rip up toilet paper because the feeling of holding something down and ripping it apart reminds them of attacking prey in the wild. Another probable reason dogs rip up toilet paper is because they think it’s fun. Either way, this destructive behavior not only costs you money, but it can be dangerous for your pet, so pet owners need to find a way to stop it.

Why Chewing Toilet Paper Is Dangerous

You might not think swallowing a little toilet paper would hurt your dog—and you’d be right. A little won’t hurt them, but larger amounts can cause serious intestinal blockages that require surgery and other treatment. Such blockages can be life threatening. 

Tips For Stopping The Behavior 

If your dog rips up toilet paper, you can solve the problem by preventing his access to toilet paper. Keeping the bathroom door shut is the simplest way to do that.

Aside from prevention, you also want to make sure that your dog follows basic commands like “leave it.” This is important not just to save your toilet paper, but to prevent all sorts of troubles for your pet. If he doesn’t obey those basic commands, attending an obedience training class would be a worthy investment.

Dogs Just Want To Have Fun 

If you Google “dogs destroying toilet paper,” you’ll find a treasure trove of funny videos of dogs ripping toilet paper to shreds as well as videos of pets being dog shamed for their actions. In the videos, it looks like the dogs are having a great time—at least until they get caught.

To minimize their trauma at not being allowed to rip your toilet paper apart, be sure to provide lots of toys in different shapes and sizes that your dogs can chew to their hearts’ content. To keep it interesting, add new toys into the mix on a regular basis. 

Reasons your cat won’t use the litter box include a possible medical condition, not wanting to share the box with another cat, stress, or because the box is dirty. If your cat has always been good about using the box and then suddenly stops, a trip to the veterinarian is in order. After ruling out medical issues, try adding additional boxes. Also, always make sure the boxes are kept clean. 

What to Do When Your Cat Stops Using the Litter Box

Cats don’t need to be walked and the litter box makes them pretty independent as far as using the bathroom, which is a real plus for pet owners who are away much of the day. Unfortunately, many cats will experience litter box issues at some point in their life. Understanding the reasons behind this behavior is key in order to stop it.

Medical Issues 

Some medical conditions that contribute to litter box avoidance include urinary tract infections, cystitis, and kidney stones. Make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible so if there is a medical concern, it can be identified and treated.

Dirty/Crowded Litter Box 

You can’t really blame a cat for not wanting to share a litter box with other felines. That’s why it’s a good idea to provide one box per cat plus one additional box. It’s best to have them in separate parts of the house. You should also scoop all litter boxes daily.

Stress

Possible stressors for your cat include not getting enough food, being bothered by other household pets, and lots of loud noise/fighting. As much as possible, reduce the things that may be causing stress to your cat. You can also try using stress-reducing collars and diffusers.

Additional Tips 

Cats are finicky, and sometimes it’s the smallest thing that puts them off of their litter box. Here are a few others things to try and some to avoid:

• In a new second litter box, try a different litter, as some cats may not like a certain scent or texture.
• If the box has a lid, remove it.
• Don’t stand by the box with a treat as cats don’t like to be bothered when going to the bathroom.
• Don’t yell at your cat and toss him in the litter box as this will create a negative association.
• Clean up messes thoroughly using a product with enzymes to neutralize pet odors. 

Litter box issues often have a resolution, but it may take some trial and error to figure out what works for your pet. If none of your tricks fix the issue, seek an animal behaviorist for personalized advice or check out this article about fixing litter box problems. 

 

You can be evicted for dog barking if the barking is causing a nuisance and disturbing the other tenants. What exactly nuisance barking entails varies by location. In some locales, city regulations may define it as 30 seconds of barking. Other places may not be so specific. It’s also important to note the wording on the lease. Even if it doesn’t specifically mention dog barking, it likely mentions noise and, of course, barking would be included in that.

Avoid Getting Evicted for Dog Barking 

Normally, the only time your landlord is going to be concerned about your dog barking is if another tenant complains. This makes sense, as your landlord has to ensure a comfortable, peaceful environment for all of his tenants.

The landlord has great discretion in how to deal with such complaints. If you’re lucky enough to have a landlord that is a dog lover, he may be more patient. 

Dogs bark and you won’t be able to stop it completely. That being said, part of being a good neighbor is finding a way to stop excessive barking. This could include: 

• Sending the dog to doggy daycare rather than leaving him home alone. 
• Crating him (if he is crate trained) or closing him in one room when you’re gone, so he won’t notice triggers such as someone walking by the window.
• Playing classical music or keeping the TV on to drown out trigger noises and to calm your dog.
• Talking to animal trainer or behaviorist for advice about how to curb barking. 

While you work on correcting the behavior, here are some steps you can take to avoid trouble with your landlord:

• Talk to the Complaining Neighbor: Tell him you’re sorry, that you’re working on it, and ask for patience.
• Talk to the Landlord: Tell your landlord that you’re aware of the issue and explain to him what steps you’re taking to correct it.
• Know Your Rights: If it comes down to you being evicted, he can’t just show up and kick you out or say you must immediately get rid of your dog. The landlord has to go through the proper eviction process. Know what that means in your state. 

Some people end up having to rehome their dog over such an issue, but that should be a last resort. If you can’t find a way to control the barking, then moving may be the best solution. Ask your landlord for more time to find a new place and consider renting a small house rather than an apartment.

If that’s not possible and rehoming becomes a necessity, you can find helpful resources on websites like Rehome where you can create a profile for your pet, get advice about screening adopters, and more.