Why Does My Dog Cry At Night?

There are many reasons your dog may cry at night including loneliness, anxiety, pain, and alerting you to noises he hears outside. Since there are so many possible reasons for the crying, it can be difficult to pinpoint the reason without looking at context and then working to eliminate each potential cause. The good news is that, more often than not, it’s no cause for alarm when your dog cries at night.

Ruling Out A Medical Issue 

Anytime there is any notable change in your dog’s behavior, a visit to the vet is warranted. Since dogs can’t tell you when they feel sick, you have to rely on other cues to know when something is wrong.

If your dog has typically been pretty settled at bedtime but suddenly has started crying at night, it’s a good idea to schedule a vet visit to rule out a medical issue. Also note that some dogs begin crying at night as they age even in the absence of a medical problem.

Dealing With A Crying Dog 

Once the vet gives your dog a clean bill of health, you’ll have to decide how to deal with the crying. It sounds unkind, but don’t run to comfort the dog every time he cries or he’ll quickly learn that crying in the middle of the night equals attention.

Instead, keep these tips in mind:

  • Puppies in a new home will cry. It’s to be expected. Once they settle in and realize they are safe, it will stop on its own.
  • It’s possible that the crying stems from a lack of exercise. Try giving your dog an extra walk or two during the day.
  • Limit food and water as it gets close to bedtime.
  • Try playing soft music or the television to calm your pet.
  • If the crying only occurs when you’re out of the room, it’s possible your dog has separation anxiety. Make note of any other behavior that seems off, and mention this to your vet.
  • While you may have the urge to run to your pet anytime he cries at night, doing so only sets you up for the crying to continue indefinitely. Instead, try the tips above. If none work, talk to an animal behaviorist for advice tailored to your pet. 

Why Is My Dog Whining For No Reason?

If your dog is whining, there likely is a reason—even if you’re having a hard time figuring out what that reason is. Puppies and dogs use whining as a form of communication, so the whining could be because he’s trying to alert you to something, he’s hurt or sick, or to let you know he wants something. In most cases, whining isn’t an issue, but if it’s excessive, you may need the help of an animal trainer to curb the behavior.

Is Your Dog Sick? 

One thing that is important to rule out is a medical condition. Sometimes it’s easy to tell when the whining is due to pain, but other times it’s not. If it started suddenly and occurs at random times, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your vet to make sure nothing is medically wrong.

Is Your Dog Alerting You? 

If your dog is whining and running to the same spot or staring out the window, it’s likely that he’s trying to alert you to something. This could be anything from a stranger in the yard to a stray plastic bag stuck in a bush, but it’s always a good idea to check things out. Once your dog sees that you’ve given the all clear, he’ll likely stop whining. Be sure to praise him, so that he’ll know that alerting you to potential danger is the right thing to do.

Is Your Dog Looking For Attention? 

Some dogs will whine for extra food, more treats, or additional playtime. While you want to supply your dog’s needs, you also want to be careful not to teach your dog that whining = getting what you want.

If your dog whines to get certain things, only supply that thing once the whining has stopped. This will reward silence rather than whining.

Whining rarely happens for no reason, so try to pinpoint the cause so you can stop the behavior. 

Why is Flea and Tick Control So Important?

Purina-Dog-Content-Brand Fleas and ticks are tiny pests that can cause big problems, and the damage isn’t just skin deep. Animals can ingest fleas containing tapeworm eggs, which then hatch in their intestines. In a flea-ridden area, the same thing can happen to a child.

Ticks can also carry a variety of diseases, including Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis.

Risks vary by region, but Mike Paul, Executive Director of the Companion Animal Parasite Council says no risk is acceptable, so pet owners should be vigilant about flea and tick control.

Paul states, “what we’re trying to do is to get people to say, ‘well, not in my back yard,’ you know, and to keep their pets clean and their yards clean and make sure that their kids stay healthy.”

Why Does My Dog Yawn so Much?

Purina-Dog-Content-BrandIf you’ve ever wondered why your dog yawns so much, even when he’s well-rested, the answer may surprise you. When your dog yawns a lot, it could be a sign that he’s nervous and trying to relax himself. Yawning is one way that dogs communicate. So just as you might bite your fingernails when you’re nervous, a dog might yawn to calm himself down.

Owners can use this behavior to their advantage. By smacking their own lips and yawning, owners can signal to their pets that everything is okay. Try it sometime if your dog appears stressed. Get his attention, smack your lips, and show your dog a nice, big yawn. It may help calm your pooch down.

Why Is My Dog Peeing on My Bed?

Dogs may pee on your bed for many reasons including a medical condition, excitement, leaving their scent, or because they are anxious. While it’s frustrating, it’s important not to yell at or punish your dog, as that isn’t likely to stop the behavior. Instead, work to pinpoint the reason for the inappropriate urination so you can address it properly.

How to Deal With Inappropriate Urination 

So you’ve had to strip your bed more times than you’d like this week, and you’ve considered buying stock in urine odor removal products. Whether a new puppy or a dog you’ve had for years, it’s just plain frustrating when your dog urinates where he shouldn’t—especially when it’s on your bed.

Here are some things to consider:

  • If your dog is a very young puppy, there is a good chance the behavior will stop on its own. Puppies haven’t yet learned to control their bladders, so they may urinate anywhere. As they grow and gain better control, it’s likely to stop.
  • If the behavior started suddenly, see a vet right away. When a housebroken dog suddenly starts peeing on the bed, there is a good chance a medical condition is to blame. Diabetes, urinary tract infections, and spinal injuries are a few examples. You’ll want to make an appointment with the vet as soon as possible.
  • Note what happened just prior to the accident. As mentioned above, there are many reasons a dog may pee on the bed, including anxiety and excitement. Did you come in the room and pay lots of attention to the dog just before he urinated? It’s probably due to excitement. Did something startle or frighten him just before? It was likely anxious or nervous urination.
  • Occasional accidents can happen with any dog. Even a very well-trained dog may have the occasional accident. If it’s just a one off occurrence, you probably don’t have much to worry about. 

If the problem is ongoing, a medical reason has been ruled out, and you can’t find a solution, enlist the help of an animal behaviorist who can work with you to try and stop the behavior. In the meantime, consider locking the pet out of your bedroom, or only allowing the pet in your bedroom while on a leash or in a crate so he can’t get on your bed. This will protect your bedding and mattress until you are able to resolve the issue. 

How Do I Find a Good Home for My Golden Retriever?

You can find a good home for your golden retriever by being patient and taking the time to find the right adopters before rehoming her. Golden retrievers are popular dogs because they’re fun, friendly, and always adorable. While this often makes it easier to find good homes for them, you’ll still have to put in some work to ensure that you find an ideal new owner. Let’s look at some tips on how you can make sure you find her a great new home.

Consider Whether You Could Keep Your Golden Retriever

Giving up your golden retriever is sad, and it’s probably something that you never thought you’d have to do. However, you might feel like you don’t have any other choice. Before you give up hope, consider why you need to give her up, and see if there are resources available that could help you keep her.

For example, if you have to go out of town for work for a month or two, rather than rehoming her, see if you know anyone who could watch her for that time. If she has some behavior issues, consider hiring a trainer. If you’re having financial trouble and worry about caring for her, you can reach out to animal welfare organizations in your area to see if they know of pet food pantries or have other programs for owners facing hardships.

Of course, if you’re in an inflexible situation and you know you cannot keep your golden retriever, you’ll want to put in the work to find her a great new home.

You Know Your Dog Best

You know your dog better than anyone else, so you’ll know the type of home where she’ll do the best. Does she need to get out and get a lot of exercise like most dogs? Does she love spending time in or near water? Does she have any health issues? Maybe she had a bad experience with a cat when she was younger.

Consider all of the facets of your dog’s personality as you look for a potential new home for her. You want to be sure that she’ll be happy and will do well with her new family.

Look to Family and Friends

If you know anyone in your family who might be looking to adopt a dog or someone in your friend group that’s mentioned it, talk with them. They might want to adopt your dog. Golden retrievers have a great reputation as being friendly and great family dogs, so you might have some people already in your life that would love to have her.

Try a Pet Adoption Site

You can also find a range of pet adoption sites that can help you find potential adopters. It’s important that you rehome_research the site you’re considering first, and that you choose an option that won’t require you to pay anything to give up your dog. The rehoming fees should only be charged to those who adopt her.

Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com is a reputable and easy to use option. The peer-to-peer adoption service is free to owners and will allow you to post your pet directly on Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of pet seekers to see. You can create a profile for your dog with a bio, photos, and videos. This will let the potential adopters learn more about her before filling out an adoption application. Rehome allows you to review the applications and finalize the adoption contract, they’ll also provide tips along the way to help you determine whether an applicant is a good fit for your dog. You won’t be left will all the guess work and uncertainty of trying to rehome completely on your own. 

Do You Have to Pay to Rehome a Catahoula Leopard Dog?

If you’re the owner, you won’t have to pay to rehome your Catahoula Leopard Dog. Instead, the rehoming fees are paid by the person who will be adopting your dog. The only time that an owner might have to pay when they’re giving up their dog would be when taking them to a shelter or a rescue. These organizations will often charge surrender fees. The cost of the fees will vary, but they generally start at $50.

Why Charge Rehoming Fees?

If you’ll be giving your dog to someone you don’t know, you’ll want to charge the new owner a rehoming fee. You might be wondering why you should charge a fee if you’re desperate and need to have someone take your dog quickly. Wouldn’t it just be easier to give your dog away?

When you give away your dog, though, you never know who will come to get him. Although most people don’t like to think about it, some people are looking for free dogs for nefarious purposes. They might want to sell the dogs to a lab. Others might be looking for fighting dogs. When you charge a rehoming fee, it can cut these types of people out of the equation. After all, they don’t want to pay for the animals they get. They’re looking for free options instead.

The rehoming fees are there to help keep your dog safe. If you feel bad about making money when you give up your dog, you can always donate it to a rescue or an animal charity.

Do Shelters and Rescues Have Rehoming Fees?

You’ll find that shelters and rescues that sell or let people adopt charge fees, too. They often call them adoption fees, but they’re the same thing and they serve much the same purpose. Additionally, the fees charged by these organizations are typically used as a way to help the facility stay afloat.

The cost of the adoption fees and rehoming fees can vary based on the shelter. They’ll generally start at $50, but they can be quite high for purebred dogs, particularly those that are still young. If you’re going to rehome your dog on your own, learn what the common rehoming fees are in your area and charge something similar.

Use Rehome to Make the Process Easier?

If you would like to make it faster and easier to rehome your Catahoula Leopard Dog, consider using Rehome. This is an online pet adoption platform that lets you have control over who adopts your dog. You can create a bio, add photos and videos, and upload them to the site. People who are interested in adopting can then check out the site and peruse the profile. If they feel they’ll be a good match for your dog, they’ll fill out an application that you can then review.
The site is free for owners to use, and the adopters only have to pay a small rehoming fee similar to what they’d pay at a shelter or rescue. This way, you aren’t responsible for collecting the rehoming fee. It’s fast, easy, and helps to keep your dog safe. 

Photo credit: John

Why Is My Dog Peeing a Lot?

Common reasons for your dog peeing a lot include diabetes, urinary tract infections, and aging. Certain medical conditions can be treated, which will often alleviate the frequent urination. Other causes, however, such as aging, may not be resolved. The first order of business when you notice frequent urination, or any other change in your pet’s bathroom habits, should be a visit to your vet for a thorough exam. 

Is Frequent Urination Dangerous? 

On its own, frequent urination isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it could be, as mentioned above, the sign of a potentially serious medical condition. Your vet will know exactly what to screen for, so you’ll be able to quickly find out if a particular medical problem is causing the condition.

If it is, treatment may be able to help with the issue. Some conditions may require simple treatment, such as a round of antibiotics for a UTI. Others, such as diabetes, may require ongoing medication and other treatment.

What If The Problem Can’t Be Corrected? 

Many pet owners live with aging dogs and those who suffer incontinence for various reasons. This alone isn’t necessarily impacting the dog’s quality of life, and it’s a pretty easy situation to handle. Solutions could be as simple as installing a doggy door so your pet can go out whenever he needs or just taking him on more frequent walks.

Another option that works for busy pet owners is to purchase belly bands for male dogs and diapers for female dogs. Both reusable and disposal belly bands and diapers are available. While it may take a little getting used to, this is a simple way to deal with living with an incontinent pooch. 

Can An Aggressive Dog Be Rehabilitated?

In most cases, an aggressive dog can be rehabilitated. Even when the aggression stems from long-term abuse, there is still hope with the right treatment.

First Steps in Rehabilitating an Aggressive Dog  

If you’re dealing with an aggressive dog, be hopeful—but don’t ignore the problem. Aggression isn’t going to go away on its own. You need to actively deal with the issue and find the right help from your vet or a skilled, experienced animal behaviorist.

The first thing you need to do is find professional help, and let them guide things from there. Look for someone who specializes in working with aggressive dogs. A general dog trainer may not have the skills to handle the needs of an aggressive dog.

Note that if the behavior came on suddenly, it’s likely a medical issue. In that case the aggression will likely cease once the medical problem is addressed.

Until you can get help, keep your dog away from the situations that trigger the aggression. Also, isolate your dogs from other people, children, and other pets. The last thing you want is for your dog to attack or bite someone. Protecting your dog from situations in which that could happen is the responsible thing to do.

Be patient with your dog, follow the advice and guidance of the animal behaviorist, and give your dog every chance at the happy, healthy life he deserves.