The Most Perplexing Pet Behaviors Solved

UGH! DOGGY BREATH!

"I love my dog, but I can't stand his bad breath. When he greets me with a kiss, I want to turn my head. Help!"

RELATED: 6 Painless Teeth Cleaning Tips for Your Pet

Your dog's breath offers important clues to his health status. He should have kissable breath from puppyhood to old age. If not, book an appointment with your veterinarian for a complete dental exam. Bad breath may signal periodontal disease or other health problems. "With each bite of food, your dog could be pumping bacteria into his bloodstream, where it can harm his heart, liver, and kidneys," cautions veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, author of "The Healing Power of Pets." Prevent future problems by brushing your dog's teeth at least three times a week using toothpaste and a toothbrush designed for dogs. There are even "edible toothbrushes" at pet-supply stores that help remove surface tartar from teeth. Some dogs love a chew called Greenies that cleans their teeth, freshens their breath, and contains no preservatives or artificial flavors or colors. You can also serve whole baby carrots as daily treats. This root vegetable acts as a mild tooth scraper, scouring away stink-causing plaque.

CURB COUNTER CRUISING

"What can I do to stop my curious cat and hungry dog from getting on my kitchen counters and stealing food?"

RELATED: DIY Pet Food

You have to make the consequences of their actions unpleasant. To keep your cat from walking on your kitchen counters, make that surface very feline-unfriendly. Fill your aluminum baking trays with water. Line them up at the outer edges of your counters. When your cat jumps up, its paws will land in water. Since cats like to survey the scene from on high, you should also give your cat a perch that's acceptable. It can be homemade. Place a comfy towel on a wide windowsill, or install a tall scratching perch or a window perch with suction cups that adhere to the wall below a window. Both are available at most major pet-supply stores.

For your dog, use double-sided tape and place coarse-grain sandpaper along the outer edges of your kitchen counters. Most dogs don't like this texture on their paws. Let food cool in a microwave oven or on top of a toaster oven, far out of reach.

If your dog is a determined beggar, keep it in another closed room or a crate while you prepare meals and eat. Give it a treat or a chew toy when you usher it into these places, so it develops a positive association.

RESTORING HOUSEHOLD HARMONY

"We just adopted a 6-month-old Border Collie who's very sweet but very protective of her food bowl. She even growls at our older dog. What can we do to change this behavior?"

RELATED: 8 Steps to a Toilet Trained Cat

From this brief history, it seems as if your young Border Collie is either seeking a social rank in your household or trying to keep your older dog from taking her food. This behavior can lead to serious fights between your dogs. Dr. Patrick Melese, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in San Diego, offers this advice: "Feed the two dogs separately, and don't allow them to see each other until the food bowls are empty and picked up. Remove items such as toys that this new dog is willing to fight over. If the aggression continues, seek professional help from a credentialed veterinary behaviorist or certified applied animal behaviorist."

Should your two dogs tangle, try breaking up the fight by banging two pots together or by squirting them with citronella spray (found at pet-supply stores or at your veterinarian's office) or strong jets of water (use a garden hose or kitchen sink sprayer). These startling but harmless interventions can usually separate the dogs and keep you safe.

BOYCOTTING THE LITTER BOX

"My indoor cat has begun to use his litter box only some of the time. I've never caught him eliminating elsewhere, but the smell in the house is awful."

 
RELATED: 3 More Confusing Cat Behaviors Explained

First, rule out possible medical problems by having your cat thoroughly examined by a veterinarian. Your vet can also help you determine whether the problem is a marking behavior or inappropriate elimination behavior, so you can act accordingly.

Marking is a common form of claiming territory. Cats (typically males) will back up to a vertical target, such as a door, and spray a small amount of urine. Neutering will resolve this problem in 90 percent of cases, says Dr. Arnold Plotnick, a board-certified feline medicine specialist who operates the Manhattan Cat Specialists Clinic in New York City. If that doesn't work, clean any urine-marked spots with an enzymatic odor-and-stain remover. Also, provide one litter box for each cat in your household plus one extra. Scoop them daily and replace the litter weekly. The use of Feliway spray, a product containing synthetic calming pheromones, has shown promise in alleviating the problem of marking. As a last resort, vet-prescribed mood stabilizers can be highly effective.

A cat exhibiting inappropriate elimination behavior will urinate on horizontal surfaces,such as your bed or carpets. To make the litter box more appealing than these areas, ensure that it is large enough to accommodate your cat, keep it scrupulously clean, use unscented, finely particulate litters, and remove the cover. To make targeted areas unattractive to your cat, place double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or strongly scented potpourri on them.