Dear Labby...
Got a dog behavioral
question?
Ask Dear Labby, the 'nom de paw' of the Richmond SPCA’s Behavior Helpline Specialists!
Car Sick Pup
DEAR LABBY: Dear Labby, I am a 4-mo old lab/golden retriever mix. My big brother, a black lab who is almost 2 yrs old, just LOVES to go for car rides. But I do NOT like them! Even for 15 minutes up the road, I get sick in the car. It makes my mommy feel very bad that I don't like car rides. What can she and I do so that I like them more? I do NOT like getting in the car, so my mommy doesn't know if I'm anxious over the car ride of it's just my tummy. She doesn't want to give me medicine to make me sleepy because she wants me to love car rides as much as my big brother! Help!
--SIR BARFS-A-LOT
DEAR SIR: What a joy you are missing out on! I hope you can work thru this one. Because if you can there are so many more places you can see in the world. Here are some tips: (1) If your mommy is ever reading a book or eating lunch in the car in the driveway or the garage and the back doors are open, just hop in and take a seat in the back with her. That way, you can practice riding in the car when it’s not even moving. In fact, you can even eat your dinner in the back seat of the car every day for a while. (2) Lots of short rides can sometimes help too. See if you can get your mommy to drive just to the end of the driveway and back, or even the end of the block and back each day. Or even the shortest ride, ever – just run the car for 5 minutes, then turn it off. (3) Cover your eyes – or the view anyway. Sometimes all the stuff whizzing by is just too much to process. Maybe even try one of those wire boxes with a blanket over it. (4) Last but not least…Clear it with the doctor first, but I also understand that yummy ginger snaps can help calm a swirling tummy. And the doctor might know of other things that could help temporarily.
Hope you’re travelling happily soon.
All the best,
--LABIGAIL VON BONES
No More Litter Bits
From my counter-part, Angora Landers...
DEAR ANGORA LANDERS: The Dog keeps getting in my litter box. I cover things up all neat and tidy and here he comes right behind me to dig it all up. And I think he’s EATING it!
--MISS KITTY
DEAR MISS KITTY: Amazingly, those dogs find our recycled food bits tasty. ICK! Eating it is apparently not an entirely dangerous habit, but eating the stuff we cover it with is. Maybe we can ask Dear Labby to remind her constituents of the dangers of eating litter.
--ANGORA LANDERS
Thanks for the reminder, Angora. Now hear this all of my canine constituents – clumping clay litter is BAD stuff to eat, and the stuff that’s in it isn’t good for you either. I know it smells delicious, but that litter will sit in your gut and soak up all the water it can from your insides. Depending on how much you’ve ingested, you could end up with a small clay boulder in your tummy. Plus the stress and strain it adds to your urinating mechanisms can cause you double trouble. So, use those big doe eyes to garner real delicious goodies from your family, don’t steal stuff from the litter box. If it’s really difficult for you, maybe your family will help you out by putting the box behind a teeny tiny cat-sized door, or covering it with a lid. Thanks for listening!
--LABIGAIL VON BONES
Party Snacks
DEAR LABBY: I’m thinking of holding a social get-together for me and my friends. I can’t decide. Should it be a barbecue, an ice cream social, a pizza party? What kind of food should I serve? I don’t want to serve plain ole’ dry stuff. Something with a bit of pizzazz for our special celebration. I’m sure we’ll be outside a lot of the time, ‘cause all my friends like to roll in the grass, chase balls and tug on toys together. The games will be fun. Just trying to find the right snacks to serve. What would you suggest?
--MAX, PARTY ANIMAL
DEAR MAX: Instead of serving “special food” why don’t you serve it in a special manner? You can fit all kinds of good things to eat in a Kong™ —canned stuff, pieces of biscuits, pieces of banana, a dab of peanut butter. You can even fill a Kong with plain yogurt, blueberries and a bit of the dry stuff and freeze it. Keep in mind that some of our canine company have more sensitive stomachs than others. Dairy products do upset our tummies sometimes, but a couple spoonfuls probably won’t send anyone running outside— if you know what I mean. Families might be cleaning up a whole lot of unpleasant stuff if you chose to serve pizza though—not a good idea. Don’t go the barbecue route either. Those bone bits will get stuck in everyone’s gut and may send some to the hospital. And never, never, never serve alcohol, Xylitol (fake sugar), onions, or grapes—that’s deadly stuff. Enjoy your party!
--LABIGAIL VAN BONES
"No"! Idea
DEAR LABBY: Can you please tell me what the sound "No!" means. My people keep making that sound every time they are upset. They run at me, shake their fingers and repeat it several times. It worries me, and I don’t like feeling worried. I’d much rather wag my tail. My friend Molly tells me her people taught her some words. When they say "Sit," she gets in a particular position, and everyone is happy. She gets smiles and petting and maybe even a treat or a toy. "Down" is another one. And "Come," well all she has to do is get near her people and everyone is happy—they even throw a ball for her when she does it! "Stay" is hard for her, but she keeps working on it, and her family is so patient and helpful. I wish my family would teach me words.
--SAMANTHA, CONFUSED CANINE
DEAR SAMANTHA: This language barrier thing is difficult I know. Just like we have a hard time helping people understand when we need to go to the bathroom or go for a walk, some people have a hard time helping us understand them. And it’s more challenging for some of us than others. One thing we haven’t figured out yet, is how to hold classes. But people have classes. That’s where lots of people get together and talk about how to solve a problem or how to teach words. People seem to really like them and they’re lots of fun for the dogs. The Richmond SPCA offers classes, or a free consult in case your people can’t get to a class. Next time you bring the paper in, just tear out the part about Richmond SPCA. Your people may make that "No, No, No!" sound again, but hopefully they’ll read the article and be happy for a better solution.
--LABIGAIL VAN BONES
Sleepless Near the Cattle
DEAR LABBY: Something keeps waking me up at night—or maybe it’s morning. All I know is that it’s still dark when it happens. And it happens every night around the same time. I bark back at it, but I can’t figure it out. My family doesn’t seem to know either. They let me out of my crate, put my leash on, and walk me outside muttering something unpleasant under their breath. Maybe they think I’ll get a closer look if I’m outside. What’s a dog to do? I need to rest up for my busy day.
--SHEP, SLEEPLESS NEAR THE CATTLE
DEAR SHEP: If you’re living in the country, you could very likely be hearing a rooster crow. If you’re living in the city, a bus could be going by. Or in the suburbs, some people start their cars up really early to go to work. Quite a few things make noise late at night that really don’t require your attention.
Why don’t you try to get lots of exercise an hour or so before bed time. Exercising too close to bedtime might get you keyed up at just the time you want to get to sleep. Give yourself time to relax after exercising. Then, ask your folks to set a radio alarm clock, a TV, or even an air purifier, some muffled consistent sound that might help drown out that other thing that keeps waking you up. If that doesn’t work, try counting sheep or cattle or whatever else it is you like to herd.
--LABIGAIL VAN BONES
Mom’s Special Night May be Special for You Too
DEAR LABBY: Help. I’m going to a party in a couple days with my mother. I’m kind of a quiet tom boy, but my Mom is insisting I wear a frilly dress. I don’t understand. We take fun walks in the woods together, we play in the autumn leaves, we even toss the ball around sometimes. Don’t get me wrong. I like meeting others, I just get overwhelmed meeting so many at once. I’ll end up like a wallflower stuck in the corner. What do I do?
--RITA, ONE WORRIED WEIMERANER
DEAR RITA: Cat Tales and Cocktails is a fun way for Moms like yours to meet other Moms and Dads who have friends who might like to toss the ball around with you. Other four-legged friends might even be able to keep up with you when you run around the yard! Be patient with your mother and wear the dress. It’s only one night. And if she cares about you, she’ll let you be a wallflower a little bit so you can meet others more gradually. Maybe you’ll make a great new friend.
--LABIGAIL VAN BONES
DEAR LABBY is the 'nom de paw' of the Richmond SPCA’s Behavior Helpline Specialists. Labby will answer questions she has received through Behavior Helpline email as well as those she intuits from her canine and feline friends. Click here to submit your own question about your pet’s behavior, or call 643-SPCA.
Need some cat behavioral advice? Check out our Angora Lander's Cat Advice Column!
