The take home message here is that if you neuter your dog, don’t worry, he can still have sex – if he wants. Most likely he won’t want to. With the lower testosterone levels he won’t have a red hot libido.

Question: I have a three year old male, neutered Shih Tzu named Pocky.  My problem is that  while other dogs drag their owners on walks, I have to constantly pull on Pocky’s leash so that he will walk with me. When he does, he is at least 2–4 feet behind me even though I walk at a leisurely pace. I have tried treats while walking but he is not interested. When we are ready to turn back and walk home, Pocky perks up and walks closer to me but still behind. I’ve seen him run happily when chasing cats and

I’ve been a fan of the TV show Monk for many years. In fact, I identify with the main character in an odd sort of way. No I don’t have a compulsive disorder. But I do find that solving animal behavior issues often requires some serious Monk-like detective work. For instance a number of years back, a reader sent me a question that went like so: I have a 7-year old Cocker Spaniel mix who has this annoying habit. I’m wondering if there’s really a way of training her out of it. As if on command to perform, in her excitement around people, she

Back in 2004 when I first developed the Treat & Train for the Sharper Image (now the MannersMinder sold by Premier Pet), my official  designated use for the product was to solve unruly behavior that dogs exhibit when guests come to the house. But at the time, I had so many thoughts on how I wanted to use this device. Just imagine what you could do if you could finally reward your dog away from you, right as they were performing the desired behavior, and you could set the exact treat rate? And you could basically follow portions of the

With all the stories of dog bites in the news plus any personal experience you may have had of being lunged at or chased when walking or jogging by a house, have you ever wondered what you should do in case you ARE ever attacked by a dog? As a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, I deal with aggressive dogs on a daily basis and have rarely been bitten. Here are some tips that can help you: First, if a dog charges you, stay calm and stand still! That can be easier said than done, but here’s why it’s important: Most

For the last two decades, I’ve been telling myself that when I retire from veterinary practice, I’m going to open a fat farm for dogs. Here’s why: It all started nearly twenty years ago, during my first week in practice. I picked up my first patient’s file. “Sandy, five-year-old, female, spayed beagle,” read the medical record. “Here for a routine check-up.” I scanned her file. “Vaccines current. On heartworm prevention. Weight, 65 pounds.” Wait a sec — 65 pounds? Surely that was a mistake. No beagle could get that big. She must be a beagle cross. I entered the room.