ArcaMax

Dear Cathy, We have a nine-month-old pup, Winnie, who gets very excited whenever anyone visits our home. She squirms, wiggles her butt wildly, and then lays on her back, continuing to squirm. Eventually, she also piddles on the floor. We love her dearly, but this behavior is becoming a nuisance. What can we do to prevent her from greeting our ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have a little beagle that someone just dropped about a year ago. She is the sweetest dog but has gotten fat. She has gotten terrible about taking food out of your hand, jumping up to the table to get food, and taking food out of the refrigerator. She went through obedience training and did well. This food thing started within the ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have a rescue cat who has always been skittish, but developed unfortunate peeing habits at about a year old. I tried hyper cleaning litter boxes (we have four) and changed litter types, but nothing has helped. We have pulled up the rugs in the house. I did the whole workup with the vet, and he put him on medication, which helped...Read more

Dear Cathy,

My husband and I adopted/rescued a six-year-old Mini Schnauzer eight months ago. She has been a wonderful addition to our family. We are both in our 70s and live in a single-family, one-level home but do not have a fenced-in yard. For this reason, we always take her on walks to "do her duty." I wish she would poop and pee in our ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

My trainer has always taught positive reinforcement rather than negative consequences, as you recommend. However, I need help understanding what to do when my dog won't listen or obey in cases where it is important.

For example, I have trained my two-year-old Havanese to come when I call, "leave it," "wait," etc., but when we are ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

We rescued our Flossie six years ago from South Carolina. She was rescued from a hoarder's house in Georgia. She had puppies at 10 months old. She is house-trained, but eats extremely fast and is aggressive towards other dogs. She growls when she sees other dogs, especially large dogs. She is getting a bad rep in our complex. She ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

We have a wonderful eight-year-old "shihmalpoo" named Oliver. We have an in-ground pool. Whenever I enter the pool, Oliver becomes very frantic and races along the pool's fencing, barking wildly, clearly upset. He does not act this way when my wife enters, even though she is his primary caregiver. We have put him inside when we swim...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have a large, neutered male cat who is a master of the scarf and barf. He eats so quickly that soon afterward, the projectile vomits. I have tried food for sensitive stomachs, but it hasn't helped. Because I have three other cats, it is not realistic for me to monitor all his food intake. It would be perfect if there were a ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

My dog constantly barks throughout any meal or snack that I eat. Even when I give her something to eat, she does not stop her incessant barking. It's as if I am not feeding her fast enough. When I have a dinner party, she constantly barks when we are eating. I have even put her out of the room I am in, but she still barks....Read more

Dear Cathy,

My daughter requires an emotional support dog for anxiety. Her previous mixed-breed dog died three and a half years ago, and she is still grieving. We already have two three-year-old male cats (brothers). The cats are indoors and can access most of our big ten-room house.

What can we do to help these animals eventually accept one ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I recently "rescued" a six-year-old poodle from a neighborhood shelter that received over 30 dogs from a large puppy mill. I love him and am determined to give him the best in life. He is very fearful and emotionally starved, but we are slowly working toward making him feel safe, comfortable and loved.

The only problem I have is he...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Neighbors on both sides of our fence have dogs. Ours is a female; the other dogs are males. For some unknown reason, our Goldendoodle and their dogs behave aggressively toward each other through the fence.

None of the families can be in our backyards with our dogs simultaneously. Is there a safe way to socialize the dogs so they ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

We have a four-year-old male Havanese who is very loving and intelligent. His only problem is that he is extremely attached to me and my husband. When I am home, he follows me from room to room. If someone is home with him, he is fine. But if we go out together, leaving him alone, he becomes very anxious and barks continuously – ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

During a recent visit to my son's home, my five-year-old Yorkie mix, Mortie, behaved unusually. My son's large mixed-breed rescue, Shep, seemed to resent Mortie, growling and attacking from the start. Mortie became frightened and submissive. Mortie left food behind, which Shep would then eat. Was this a peace offering? Additionally,...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Frequently, if I stand in one place for more than a couple of minutes, my two-year-old cat lovingly leaps onto my back and hangs on to me with her claws. I don't have time to locate a spray bottle. Mostly, I yell and try to get low so I can roll her off. Any ideas?

— Verna McLeod, Bellingham, Washington

Dear Verna,

Cats love ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Our cat, Jack, is 19-1/2 years old. We've had him since he was a kitten. He's a mixed breed, but has Siamese markings and has always been talkative. Now he's old, deaf, and arthritic. Otherwise, he's healthy and gets good marks at his annual checkup.

Ordinarily, he gets wet cat food twice a day — at 4:30 a.m. and again at...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have been separated from my Shih Tzu, Sam, since October. I am in a nursing facility awaiting hip surgery and my cousin who lives nearby is taking care of my dog. He is a seven-year-old, neutered, house-trained dog who is regularly walked. However, he is pooping in her house every day. He never did that at my house. What can be ...Read more