dog behavior

Misha was all in all a model pet. She was a great companion to her family and behaved well with visitors. The only thing that troubled her owners was Misha's awful whining fits when she saw other dogs out on walks.

Because Misha only whined in response to this stimulus, we could rule out the possibility that she was complaining as a result of a medical problem. We could also rule out separation anxiety, a common cause of the whining dog, since neighbors attest to her silence when she's left alone.

After spending a few hours with Misha and her owner, even accompanying them on a short walk, it was evident that her problem stems from a lack of adequate socialization with other dogs. It was clear that her owners had been quite protective of her from the start, likely because of her relatively small size as a Pomeranian.

In doing so, however, Misha was not able to see other dogs as animals that she could potentially engage with; instead she feared them or at least became over anxious in their company. The solution was a fairly simple one, but required a few patient steps:

Schedule play sessions with other dogs. Ideally, these would involve play sessions with dogs the owners knew and trusted, and also dogs that were not going to awe her with their size.

Let Misha greet "ok" dogs on walks. It is important that Misha interacts with her own kind. Of course, it is also important that her owner asks if it is ok that the two dogs greet. It's usually as simple as asking a passing dog owner "Can they say hello?" If the other dog is a risk, or seems unnerved by Misha's whining (she won't stop right away), then you can skip it.

Remain calm and in control when Misha interacts. Misha looks to her pack leader for guidance. If her leader is nervous about her networking with her own kind, then she will pick up on this and in turn feel uneasy about the process. The whining will continue, and she may even hide behind her owner.

NOTE: Ideally, you want to give her lead as much slack as you can, or even let her off lead if circumstances allow it. This is because a lead often directs a dog's body movement and changes their body language involuntarily. The effect is that they can become more vulnerable and possibly even defensive.

In this case, Misha was a submissive dog who posed no threat to friendly dogs, but needed reassurance that they posed no threat to her. Whining uncontrollably was her attempt to communicate that need. There was an easy solution, and an obvious and quite necessary outlet for her anxious energy.

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cat peeing in house

There is no mistaking the heavy, ammonia smell of cat urine. Whether your cat is simply urinating wherever he or she wishes, or is spraying urine to mark territory, the result will be the same.

 This is a strong odor that will affect a surprisingly large area of the home, even if the problem area is relatively small. You should actually account yourself lucky if you are able to spot a puddle or a wet area on the rug or upholstery and begin treating it immediately. However, once the urine has dried, in most cases you will have to locate it by smell or by using a black light. 

Odor Removal Once the Urine Is Found 

Once you find out the problem area, it's important to take some care to remove the urine as completely as possible; not only for the sake of your nose, but to discourage your cat of thinking of that particular spot as a bathroom. 

The organic compounds found in cat urine can pose some problems in removing the odor - some of the compounds are water soluble, but the uric acid not only is capable of binding to adjacent surfaces, but is not soluble by water. When you find fresh urine you should: 

Wipe up the urine from hard surfaces with a paper towel and use the same to blot urine in furniture or rugs. Don't use cloth unless you are prepared to throw it away afterwards.

An enzyme cleaner is your best choice for removing cat urine. These cleaners are specifically designed to break down the uric acid into ammonia and carbon dioxide, which will simply off gas naturally afterwards.

Do not try to hasten the drying process after using an enzyme cleaner since it interrupts the normal dissipation of the ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Use the best enzyme cleaner possible - inexpensive cleaners often require multiple uses before they remove the odor of cat urine.

Be generous when applying the cleaner; you should soak the target area to allow the enzymes to really do their job.

After leaving the cleaner on for approximately a quarter of an hour, blot it up, then let the spot dry naturally.

Although rugs are the usual areas where your cat may urinate, beds, sofas, and clothing can also be sullied. Use the same procedure on these as you did on your rug. Slipcovers and clothing should be washed separately after they have been treated with the enzyme cleaner. Spray marking will be found on a vertical surface such as a door frame or chair leg.