Staff Newspaper Column

Critter Corner

Myth of Lockjaw

Dear Miss Behavin’: I love how cute Pit Bulls look, and I’ve been considering adopting one, but I am very scared about their “Lockjaw.”  Should I adopt a different breed? The American Pit Bull Terrier is a very loving, athletic, and affectionate breed of dog....

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Dear Miss Behavin’: We have a newly adopted puppy and are struggling with potty training him. Do you have any suggestions you could give to help us with the process? Congratulations on your new pup! As with any new pup into our home, we need to give them guidance on...

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High energy dog

Dear Miss Behavin’: We have a young pointer mix who is super energetic. He gets at least an hour long walk daily but it never seems to be enough- he is constantly bouncing off the walls! What else can we do to manage his excitement? A young excitable dog like yours,...

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Strengthening bond with dog

Dear Miss Behavin’: I love my new dog, but she loves my partner more than me! She follows them around the house and doesn’t seem nearly as interested in me. How can I get my dog to become more focused on me? The key to strengthening your bond with your new dog is to...

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Shy Dog

Dear Miss Behavin’: We have a newly adopted dog that is on the shy side and is not wanting to go out of the house.  What can we do to help him build his confidence and get him comfortable with leaving the house? Congratulations on your new guy!  All dogs coming into a...

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Dog reactive dog

Dear Miss Behavin’: I have a large dog, Nancy, who is reactive to other dogs. Recently, an off-leash dog ran up to us on our walk and started a scuffle. Nancy was on leash, but we couldn’t escape the other dog. Do you have any tips for avoiding conflict like this in...

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Cat keeping you up all night

Dear Miss Behavin’: I recently adopted a cat and she is great except for the fact she runs around all night long and meows in my face at 3am. How can I get her to sleep through the night? As hard as it sounds, the best thing to do is ignore her when she is keeping you...

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Indoor games and exercise for your dog

Dear Miss Behavin’: With colder weather upon us, I am looking for ways to keep my pup busy on the days we can’t exercise him as much as we normally do. Do you have any suggestions on great indoor games or types of exercise? This is a great question and many owners...

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Setting boundaries with dog

Dear Miss Behavin’: Our older dog, Josie, was recently injured and had to get stitches. Our younger dog, Jimmy, is very rambunctious and keeps pestering Josie has she rests. We want to keep the peace but don’t want to banish Jimmy to the back yard. Any tips to help us...

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Kitten pouncing and biting

Dear Miss Behavin’: My new kitten always pounces at me and bites at my hands and feet. I’ve tried to ignore him when he does it, but it’s not working. How can I get him to stop? Your kitten might be telling you that he is bored! Play with him more often and let him...

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