Staff Newspaper Column
Critter Corner
Calming a dog on edge during walks
Dear Miss Behavin’: My dog, Rocket, used to love going for walks, but recently got spooked by a noisy garbage truck and now seems on edge every time we go out. How do we tire him out without stressing him out? The last part of your question is key— avoid stressing him...
Re-directing cat’s scratching on furniture and walls
Dear Miss Behavin’: I adopted a cat about a week ago, and it’s already clawing at my furniture and scratching up the walls. Help! Congrats on the new kitty, but my apologies at the fun it’s having at the expense of your home. Cat’s scratching their claws is quite a...
Variety of activity options for dog
Dear Miss Behavin’: Our young Bulldog, Biscuit, has tons of energy but very little physical stamina and he overheats easily. We can’t take him running or hiking nor can he play fetch. Are there any suggestions for tiring him out? We all know that a tired dog is...
How to handle selective listening with your dog
Dear Miss Behavin, We’ve taught our dog, Sandy, all of her basic commands ourselves. We practice at home nearly every day, and she always impresses. When we take her downtown, though, it’s like she decides to ignore us. How do we turn her selective listening into...
Helping a shy cat become more outgoing
Dear Miss Behavin’: I’ve had my cat for about 6 months now and so far she’s been on the shyer side. Any tips on how to get her to be more outgoing? Cats come in a wide variety of personalities. Some are friendly and playful, others are sassy and rambunctious, and a...
Why is my dog selective about other dogs?
Dear Miss Behavin’: Our terrier, Lucy, is hit or miss with other dogs. She’s almost two years old and we just can’t figure out why she likes some dogs and harasses others. Is there any rhyme or reason to this? Dear Dog Selective, It’s not uncommon for Lucy’s social...
Training dog to not jump on people
Dear Miss Behavin’: We just adopted a dog from the shelter who is perfect in most ways… but she goes crazy when we have visitors! We love that Nala is so friendly, but how do we teach her not to jump up on everybody who walks in the door? Dogs usually jump up on...
Training kitten about bedtime
Dear Miss Behavin’: My kitten has been keeping me up at night, running around and meowing. How do I train him to know when it’s time for bed and not playtime? If you’ve had your kitten for some time, then it’s probably not still going through the adjustment phase of...
Bringing dog home for the first time
Dear Miss Behavin': After searching for months, we’ve finally found the perfect dog for us and we’re bringing him home this weekend. Any tips for our first week with Petey? Bringing home a new pet always comes with an adjustment period for everybody, but there are...
Test the waters
Dear Miss Behavin’: We’re headed to Lake Tahoe this summer and taking our bulldog, Mimi, for the first time. She loves the water, but how do we know if she can swim? “Test the waters”, as they say, (pun intended) is the only way to go when taking your dog for her...
