Do Dogs Grieve?

Sad woman with terrier

Q:  My 14-year-old dog passed away suddenly, and I’m worried about how my other dog will do. Is there anything I should do?

A:  When a family dog dies, you may wonder how your other dog is feeling and if they understand. Some dogs may go into a deep depression, while others take little notice. Some pets are tightly bonded and notice their missing housemate, yet others may be affected by the change in routine, structure, and overall dynamics in the home. 

What are some indicators of a grieving pet?

  • A change in appetite
  • Increased sleeping or lethargy
  • Increased vocalization (barking and whining)
  • Withdrawn behavior
  • Lack of interest in walks
  • Decreased interactions with people.

Keep your pet’s previous routine as consistent as possible, and do not make sudden changes. Most pets rely on predictability and consistency; changes increase stress. When you lose a dog, avoid deep cleaning the house or purging their belongings since this changes the environment. Your dog might have used the other bed, toys, or bowls, and these items represent normalcy and comfort for them.

If your dog was ill for a long time, you may have significantly changed your routine for them. Your other pets have also been living with this routine. Keep mealtimes, snacks, and walks on the same schedule but offer special treats or favorite foods if your dog is interested.

Be emotionally available. If your dog seeks attention, provide extra comfort. Maintain a calm environment and reward your dog for relaxing behaviors. Some dogs prefer their space, so always invite them into yours. If they want more walks or playtime, that can benefit you as well. Do things together that your dog enjoys, such as going for car rides, hikes, sniff walks, or just hanging out in the yard.

You may consider another pet if your dog is sociable and likes other animals. Although your dog may have been comfortable with their companion, this does not necessarily mean they will accept new pets. Consider if you have time to spend with both pets and if you can commit emotionally and financially to a new addition.

Each pet will grieve in their own unique way. In time, your dog should improve, but if their behavior is concerning or continues, a checkup with your veterinarian is recommended. 

You may also be grieving, so remember to take care of your own emotional needs. Your dog may be feeling stressed because you are upset and acting differently. Online support groups, books, and counseling are available specifically for people grieving the loss of their pet.

Pilling Your Cat the Low Stress Handling® Way

Orange jar of cat treats.

Cat treats. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Chances are, at some point in your cat’s life, they are going to need medications. Making sure your cat receives this medication can be challenging and stressful. Transdermal medications, which are applied to the inside of the ear flap, are not always ideal or effective, while liquid medications tend to cause a mess. Then there is the question, “Did my cat actually ingest any of it?”. It is often hard to know how much medication actually made it into the cat and how much is on your shirt.

There are many different ways to “pill” a cat. Some methods use force, while others involve trickery and bribing. You can wrap your cat in a towel and pry open their mouth, stick a pill down the back of their throat, and chase the pill with water to get them to swallow.

Other methods include using a pill gun to avoid manually opening their mouth, crushing the pill, or opening the capsule to mix with food. However, no methods guarantee your cat will safely and effectively take their medication.

You may notice they are now actively avoiding you or, even worse, trying to scratch or bite in self-defense. This leads to the question: What if your cat willingly ate medications from your hand? Or came to you to “ask” for more? Would you believe this can be a reality? All it takes is a little bit of flexibility, ingenuity, and preparation.

Here Are a Few Useful Tips on How to NOT Pill Your Cat:

Method One:

This is an easy one. Find something you can easily hide a pill in, such as a pill pocket, piece of lunchmeat, baby food, Churu®, or cheese. It doesn’t have to be anything special, just something you know your cat will eat, no questions asked.

Coat the pill and feed it to your cat from your hand, in their bowl, or even try “accidentally” dropping it on the floor- oops!

Method Two:

What if there was a way to get your cat to come to you willingly to take their medication? That would be amazing! To make this dream come true, it all starts with a mat. Just like dogs, cats can easily learn how to station on a mat using positive reinforcement techniques. This behavior is not hard to teach, but it takes some time, a little bit of skill, and preparation. If you start when your cat is young, chances are this is a behavior they will remember for life.

If your cat is older, don’t despair, they can still learn. It may take a little more time for your cat to figure out what causes the treats to appear and how to keep them coming once they start. But once your cat figures out the game, it will be easy to slip a pill into one or more of the treats. Chances are they will gobble it up like the rest without a second thought.

If you don’t have the time or desire to teach this behavior, you have another option. Use a non-slip bathmat and either bring it to your cat or have them come to you. Which method you choose doesn’t matter, but if you are electing to have your cat come to you, make sure you are consistent in the location.

Bring the bathmat out twice a day and give your cat three special treats on this mat every day. Once again, make sure it is something you know your cat will eat. Offer treat number one, followed by treat number two, then quickly follow up with treat number three. The goal would be to place the medication in treat number two eventually. Make sure to put the special mat away after your cat finishes their treats and walks away.

Method Three:

This method is a variation of method two but adds in a lickable mat. You can place the lickable mat on the non-slip mat or just use the lickable mat by itself and follow method number two.

Cat treats. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Lick mat. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

   

Method Four:

What happens if your cat is suspicious about medications? Did you know that you can purchase empty gel caps and hide your cat’s medication in them? Depending on the size, you may even be able to hide multiple medications all in one.

Lick mat. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Lick mat, empty gel cap, and cat treats. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Example of an empty gel capsule. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

  

In this situation, the process is the same as above, but first practice giving your cat an empty gel cap on their mat before adding the tablet or tablets. If you don’t mind the mess, you may find that your cat will eat the gel cap directly out of your hand. No questions asked!

Assorted gel caps. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Gel cap. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Medication hidden in a treat. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

  

You can also use these methods to carrier train your cat. Again, start early to get your cat comfortable with the process before you need it, and instead of bringing the carrier to your cat, leave it out in an area where they like to spend time during the day. Do this well in advance of your departure (weeks to months) so it doesn’t raise suspicion or cause your cat to flee. Every day, place the lickable mat with special treats inside the carrier, just like methods two and three outlined above.

Your cat might eat the gel cap directly from your hand. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Tiny amount of medicine. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

  

These are just a few ways to medicate cats using Low Stress Handling® methods. No fight, no stress, and no pain. Just a yummy snack to make your cat’s day.

Make it interesting. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Medicine gone, no questions asked. Photo Courtesy Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB

Jumping Up! How to Help Your Pup

Jumping up on people is a troublesome behavior that happens when a dog is excited. People reinforce the behavior by petting and providing praise when the dog is happy to see them. Others scold or push the dog off, which can also reinforce this behavior. Conflicting interactions can make it difficult for your dog to understand what is expected. Jumping up is often tolerated or encouraged in small puppies but then discouraged once puppies have grown, causing confusion and frustration.

Manage the environment to prevent jumping by using barriers such as gates or crates. Leashes can be beneficial management tools to prevent jumping in the first place. A leash should not be used to pull or jerk your dog off someone; instead, use a food lure to move your dog off and away from the person. Call your dog and reinforce them for coming back to you.

When you know a guest will be arriving, have your dog behind a barrier to remove the opportunity to jump on them. Giving a food puzzle toy prior to the guest’s arrival can reinforce your dog for remaining behind the barrier. It keeps them engaged so they do not try to jump over the barrier or vocalize due to frustration. If this does occur, redirect your dog back to their food puzzle toy.

Set up training sessions to reinforce four paws on the floor as an alternative behavior to jumping. You will need:

  • easily accessible treats in a treat pouch or at a treat station near the front door;
  • your dog on a leash, kept loose throughout the session;
  • another person to help. Use different people in each training session to help generalize this behavior.

Woman putting treat on the floor in front of black dog

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Benoit, RVT, VTS (Behavior), KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, EFFCP

Training session example:

Phase 1: Start with your dog on a loose leash and place a treat on the ground while they keep four paws on the floor. Do this without the distraction of another person present. Keep the rate of reinforcement high by placing a treat on the ground every two to three seconds.

Phase 2: Enlist the help of someone your dog already knows to minimize excitement. While the helper stands still, place a treat on the ground every two to three seconds if the dog keeps four feet on the floor.

Girl watches as woman puts a treat on the floor in front of a black dog

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Benoit, RVT, VTS (Behavior), KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, EFFCP

Phase 3: Have the helper move around. If this causes excitement for your dog, step away from the helper or ask the helper to move less until your dog can keep four paws on the floor. As you make it harder for your dog, the rate of reinforcement should remain high.

Phase 4: If your dog is successful, ask the helper to become more animated. This could mean removing their shoes and coat. Continue placing a treat on the ground every two to three seconds when your dog keeps four paws on the floor.

Phase 5: Have the helper slowly approach. This can be challenging if your dog loves to interact with people. Increase your reinforcement rate to every one to two seconds.

Woman watches while girl gives a treat to a black dog

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Benoit, RVT, VTS (Behavior), KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, EFFCP

Phase 6: If you are concerned your dog may jump or if they get too excited and do jump, place a food treat near their nose and lure them away from the helper. At the next repetition, decrease the level of distraction.

When a guest arrives unexpectedly, grab a handful of treats from the treat station and scatter them on the ground. This encourages your dog to keep four paws on the floor while eating.  Determine if they should remain near the guest or need to go behind the barrier.

This exercise can be used for greeting people on walks or in new environments. Your dog learns that people approaching or coming into the home is a cue for food on the floor. This builds a positive association with meeting new people and interacting properly while also encouraging the four paws on the floor behavior.

Why Does My Dog Hump?

June 26, 2023Ask LSH Dogs I am a... Pet Owner Trainer

Two Border Collies

Photo Courtesy Pat Koven, LVT, KPA- CTP

It can be embarrassing when your dog humps or mounts another dog. Humping is seen in both male and female dogs of any age, whether neutered or intact. This behavior may be directed at other animals, people, objects, or the air. Some common reasons dogs may hump are:

  • Displacement behavior: Normal behavior performed out of context signals frustration or stress. Commonly seen at dog parks or doggy daycare, this behavior shows your dog may not be comfortable in the environment due to the presence of other dogs or the length of playtime.
  • Sexual behavior: Humping or mounting may be a sexual behavior if your pet is intact. This behavior may not decrease with neutering if it is anxiety-based.
  • Medical behavior: There may be underlying issues such as cancer, urinary, endocrine, dermatological, or exposure to human prescription hormonal creams.
  • Crowd control: Acting as “hall monitors”, dogs may hump to control another dog’s movement, even trying to hold on as the other dog lies down. This is often seen in group settings as a means of controlling or encouraging play.
  • Play behavior: When part of play, humping would be brief, with a loose, wiggly body, open mouth, and relaxed face. Both dogs would appear relaxed and easily switch to another activity. Environmental factors: Dogs who are bored and have little physical or mental stimulation may mount. This could also represent displacement behavior.

Even if intended as play, mounting may cause other dogs to react negatively due to pain, invasion of space, or play preferences. Punishment is not recommended and can increase frustration and stress. Instead, redirect or remove your dog from the situation to give them a break. They may be overwhelmed by the other dogs or the environment. When reintroducing dogs, consider shorter play sessions or smaller groups. This may prevent your dog from becoming overstimulated.

If your dog is the only pet, ensure their mental and physical needs are met through enrichment, such as food puzzle toys, or walks. When walking, allow your dog an opportunity to choose the path and set the pace.

If the humping behavior becomes excessive, persistent, or causes problems, see your veterinarian to rule out medical conditions in addition to addressing your pet’s behavioral concerns.

Medical Conditions and Behavior

Introduction

The diagnosis of primary behavior problems such as anxiety, aggression, or eliminating outside the litterbox is often a diagnosis of exclusion. Because many behaviors result from underlying medical conditions, a change in behavior may be the first sign you see. When behavior changes occur, it is important to have your pet evaluated by your veterinarian, even if that change is subtle. Some common behavioral changes that can indicate a medical disease include:

  •   sleeping more during the day or trouble sleeping at night;
  •   moving less;
  •   pacing, panting, and trouble settling;
  •   licking people and objects;
  •   aggressive responses;
  •   urinary and fecal accidents;
  •   biting at the air or their sides;
  •   destructive behaviors;
  •   chewing, biting, and scratching;
  •   an increase in sensitivity to noises;
  •   refusing walks;
  •   decrease in appetite;
  •   reluctance to play.

Red Flags and Behaviors

When evaluating the behavior of your pet, there are some “red flags” to watch for that to indicate there may be a medical problem. For example, when an older dog without a history of aggression suddenly snaps or bites, or a middle-aged dog suddenly becomes more fearful of thunderstorms, there may be something more going on. Any recent change or sudden progression of behavior should be investigated, especially if your pet’s environment and schedule have not changed.

Behavior and Illness

Any illness can change behavior. When your pet becomes sick, sometimes a new behavior, such as urinating in the house, will persist even after the illness resolves. In this case, your cat may develop an alternative location for elimination that is more convenient than their litterbox. The same is true with dogs.

Medical Conditions that Change Behavior

Pain has been linked to almost every imaginable behavior change in dogs, such as noise sensitivity, separation anxiety, reactivity and aggression, and exaggerated responses to touch. In cats, pain can result in aggression, hyperesthesia, and overgrooming. In horses, bucking, bolting, or unwillingness to work may indicate pain. If an animal is not limping or crying when moving, pet owners may not consider pain as a contributing factor to their pet’s behavior.

Neurologic conditions are often mistaken for behavior problems. Behaviors that look compulsive in nature (such as fly snapping) can be partial seizures, as can aggression. Certain parasites or viruses can affect the brain and nervous system directly. Problems with movement sometimes appear behavioral when they are neurological in nature. For instance, ataxic (unsteady) dogs may fall or lie down on walks or when they get excited. Neurologic disease is often worsened by excitement or stress, creating a cycle of excitability and fear.

Dermatologic disease is one of the main reasons for behavioral change in many species. Animals with chronic pruritis (itchy) can develop anxiety or act aggressively, particularly when approached by people or other animals. Dermatologic disease can lead to many other behaviors, such as running and vocalization in cats due to hyperesthesia, compulsive licking, or tail chasing.

Gastrointestinal disorders (including pain) can also appear as changes in behavior. Consider gastrointestinal causes such as food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, or other digestive issues in dogs that guard food in particular. Excessive licking (fly biting) due to nausea is often misdiagnosed as anxiety as well.

Thyroid disease has also been linked to behavior change. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) will cause increased drinking behavior, activity, and vocalization. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) may result in decreased activity or aggression in some cases. Some scientific studies found thyroid disease to be less of a factor in behavioral changes. Thyroid hormones should be routinely checked with any behavior change, especially if other indicators of thyroid disease are present.

Liver disease can cause lethargy, increased drinking, and a decrease in appetite.  When the liver is not functioning well, its role in detoxification and processing of products of digestion is impaired. Abnormal blood vessels can cause products of digestion to bypass the liver altogether (liver shunt). When this happens, toxins build up in the blood and affect the brain (hepatic encephalopathy), resulting in behavior changes such as head pressing, vocalizing, ataxia, seizures, and aggression. These behaviors can worsen after your pet eats, particularly if the meal is high in protein.

Medications such as steroids, hormonal creams, and anti-seizure medications can cause changes in behavior too. Pet owners have reported behavioral changes with antibiotic use, presumably due to changes in gut bacteria. Medications prescribed by veterinarians for behavioral disorders do not directly change behavior; instead, they reduce anxiety and fear by allowing positive behavioral changes to take place.

Conclusion

If your pet experiences an uncharacteristic or sudden change in behavior, it is important to schedule an exam with your veterinarian. Your pet may be experiencing a medical condition that needs to be addressed.

My New Puppy Is Waking Me Up Whining at Night. What Can I Do?

June 21, 2023Ask LSH

Photo Courtesy of Breanna Norris, KPA-CTP

Bringing a puppy home can be one of the most exciting times of your life. Since new puppies have limited ways of communicating, it can be difficult to know what your puppy is trying to tell you each time they whine or bark. If the noise keeps you awake at night, excitement can quickly turn into exhaustion.

Starting your puppy off right begins with a great set-up. Prepare your bedroom with an area for your new puppy to sleep in, such as a small ex-pen or crate with an open top. Fill it with comfortable bedding and drape a blanket over two or three sides of the enclosure to limit light. An oversized stuffed animal can be placed into the enclosure. Long-lasting chews or puzzle toys help provide comfort and teach your puppy to self-soothe.

As puppies grow, their sleep patterns and needs will change. Some puppies are easy sleepers, but for those puppies that struggle to stay asleep, you may need to adjust your own sleep schedule. Changing where you sleep and when you go to bed may help. Adjust your schedule to go to bed later or rise earlier to accommodate puppy potty breaks.

Puppies whine and bark for many reasons, which can be hard to interpret. They might be telling you that it is time to go out; they are hungry, cold, or lonely. When determining your puppy’s needs, consider such factors as time of day and how long they have been in their crate. When was the last time they were out? When did they last eat? By setting your puppy’s enclosure near your bed, adjusting your sleep schedule, and making sure your puppy has been fed on time, you should be able to prevent much whining.

Scheduling playtime earlier in the evening and sharing puppy duty with other family members can help to reduce disruptions in sleep schedules. Transition to calmer activities before bedtime. A certified professional trainer can help you set up a sleeping area and troubleshoot a sleep schedule that works for both you and your puppy. If you have a great nighttime routine and your puppy continues to whine, a trip to your veterinarian may be in order to make sure your puppy is not in pain or ill.