One of the most trying tasks associated with having a puppy is potty training. Some people think that potty training is as easy as just keeping the pup on a regular eating, drinking and potty-outing schedule where he is taken out every several hours. Here’s what’s really required for foolproof potty training—it’s not an easy task. This rigid routine must be carried out consistently for several months and without accidents for several weeks before it’s set.

Easter is typically a time when families come together and participate in numerous traditions. For some this means going to church. For others the focal point is the Easter egg hunt and Easter baskets. But for one little dog representing a not-so-unusual case, it involved some Cadbury chocolates and a veterinary visit. It was the day after Easter, and while his owners were out, Chico the scrappy fox terrier was planning an hour of mischief. Finally, his chance had come to examine the previous day’s delivery. One by one he plucked the morsels from their bright yellow baskets. It was

Ask any rabbit fancier and they’ll tell you what makes rabbits so great. These affectionate, high-spirited herbivores are full of mischief and games. Their amusing behavior coupled with their quiet nature and convenient size makes them wonderful house pets, for those owners who can meet their unique needs.

Jan30PhoebeChickens I went through the picture in my head. Chicken number one climbs up the ladder onto a one-foot-wide platform, makes a 180-degree turn and tightropes across a narrow bridge to a second platform, where it pecks a tethered ping-pong ball, sending the ball in an arc around its post. The chicken then turns 180 degrees and negotiates a second ladder back down to ground level, where it encounters a yellow bowling pin and a blue bowling pin in random arrangement. It knocks the yellow one down first and then the blue one. Chicken number two grasps a loop tied

Question: Dr. Yin, I was wondering if you could offer some advice about dogs mounting other dogs. I have a 10 yr. old fixed Standard Poodle who gets very excited when he greets another dog and he ends up mounting the other dog. Male, female, big dog, small dog – it doesn’t matter. I would just like to know why he does this, and how can I stop it. Thanks for your time. Pennie Answer: Pennie, you’re not alone. Many neutered dogs perform this embarrassing social faux-“paw”, not because they’re being amorous or trying to dominate, but because they are

Question: The neighborhood feline has made our yard his personal litter box. We have to remove kitty poop almost every day and have unsuccessfully tried spraying the affected areas with a mixture of water and bleach to deter the fellow. Do you have any suggestions ? H. Wong of Contra Costa Answer: Whether it’s neighborhood dogs leaving landmines for your walking pleasure or cats graffittiing your house with their pungent yellow perfume, other people’s pets-and their owners who fail to manage them responsibly-can be annoying. Often it starts as a minor irritation—an occasional cleanup in your rose garden or a