You and your dog are out on your daily walk, or perhaps your dog is in your back yard. Suddenly, he dashes toward the bushes or the garbage cans, and just as suddenly, he yelps. You almost yelp too when you realize that your dog has been sprayed by a skulking skunk.

Now what?

Check your dog

Skunks can carry rabies. If your dog has been vaccinated for rabies, you don’t need to be concerned, but if he hasn’t, check if your dog appears to have been bitten. If the skunk might have bitten your dog, talk to your veterinarian right away.

If skunk spray got in your dog’s eyes, they’ll appear red. Your dog may be temporarily blinded. Eye drops for humans or a saline solution can help relieve the eye irritation. If the irritation persists or if it’s more than mild, take your dog to your veterinarian.

Bathe your dog

You want to get rid of that skunk oder before your dog comes into your house again. Treatment will also be more effective if it’s done before your dog’s coat dries with the skunk spray on it.

Shampoo the affected area as soon as possible. Wear rubber gloves and old clothing while bathing your dog — the spray may rub off on the clothes you’re wearing. To keep the odor from spreading more on your dog, clean only the area that the skunk sprayed at first.

The traditional tomato juice remedy masks skunk odor rather than removing it. However, this remedy by Illinois chemist Paul Krebaum has been touted as successful at eliminating skunk odor. Mix together these ingredients in a large open container:

• One quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
• One-quarter cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• One teaspoon strong liquid soap

The ingredients will fizz when mixed together. Use the mixture while it’s still foaming.

Wet down the affected area of the dog and lather in the mixture. Be careful to keep it out of the dog’s eyes, nose, and mouth. If the dog was sprayed in the face, apply the mixture to the dog’s face very carefully with a cloth. Leave the lather in for up to 10 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with tap water.

Warning: do not store or cover the solution after it’s mixed together — it will explode. Discard unused portions when you’re finished.

Treat the area

If the skunk spraying occurred on your property, you need to treat more than your dog to eliminate the odor. Petrotech Odor Eliminator direct spray and mist spray are effective in eliminating skunk odors and other odors. They can be used on wood, concrete, metal, plastic, tile, fabric, and other surfaces.

Prevent recurrences

If your dog encounters skunks during walks, shorten his leash when you’re near areas or objects where skunks could be — bushes, parked cars, garbage cans and other objects big enough for skunks to be behind. If skunks come into your yard at night, turn an outside light on and make a noise a few minutes before letting your dog outside. Skunks will then most likely leave the yard before your dog can encounter them.

To help keep skunks out of your yard, use only garbage cans with tight-fitting lids, and don’t leave any pet food outside.

Your dog doesn’t chew only his dog toys — he chews your shoes, the bedding, the furniture, and even power cords. How can you stop your dog from chewing? You can’t. Instead, you can respond to your dog’s reasons for chewing, reduce his access and interest, and give him appealing chewable options.

Why do dogs chew?

Dogs instinctively put things in their mouths. They may chew because they’re bored, anxious, lonely, or hungry, or because they have energy to burn. For puppies, add teething and curiosity to the reasons that they chew.

Dental problems are another cause of chewing. Your dog may be chewing on whatever he can to try to relieve gum pain. Symptoms of dental problems in dogs include bad breath, chewing on one side of the mouth, pain when eating or drinking, and hesitation to eat even when they’re hungry. Yellow and brown accumulations of tartar may appear on your dog’s teeth, and his gums may be an inflamed red rather than a healthy pink.

Stop your dog from destructive chewing

First, look at the possible reasons for your dog’s chewing behavior. Give him plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to reduce boredom. If he chews on things only when he’s home alone, look at separation anxiety as a likely cause. The Odor Destroyer article Separation Anxiety in Dogs provides tips on helping your dog overcome this problem.

Puppies going through teething problems find some relief if they have dog chew toys to chew on. Avoid giving your puppy objects to chew on that are similar to objects you don’t want him to chew on, such as pieces of old clothing. Your puppy won’t understand the difference. Puppies with teething problems will welcome these chew toys:

• Hard rubber balls
• Puppy teething rings
• Frozen dog treats
• Nylon or rawhide bones

If you suspect that your dog has dental disease, take him to a veterinarian.

Second, chew-proof your home as much as possible. To do this, look at your home from your dog’s point of view — objects on the floor, open doors (including closet and cupboard doors), and furniture. Keep doors to off-limits areas closed, and keep movable chewable objects out of his reach. If your dog is tempted to chew on power cords, look in lighting stores for power cord covers.

When your dog is home without human supervision, you may want to keep him in a restricted area of the house. Choose an area without wooden furniture legs or other tempting chewable items, such as the laundry room. Make sure that nothing is dangling that he could pull on and chew.

Third, consider applying bitter-tasting coatings to color-safe chewable surfaces such as wooden furniture. The taste and smell of these substances repel some (but not necessarily all) dogs from chewing:

• Bitter Apple Sprays
• White vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol

Give your dog chewable alternatives

Reprimanding your dog for chewing doesn’t work. In addition to the above steps, though, you can give your dog objects to chew on that you approve of. When he chews on something that you don’t want him to chew on, take it away and offer him your approved alternative. Give him lots of praise when he chews on these toys.

Chewy toys and toys filled with treats are especially helpful for dogs with chewing problems — these toys keep them occupied for a long time. To keep the toys interesting to your dog, give him different toys to play with on different days.

Fluffy or Fido has developed a lump. You observe your cat or dog having difficulty when chewing. Your pet doesn’t want to play any more. The diagnosis: cancer.Dog, cats, and other mammals are susceptible to many of the diseases that humans get, cancer included. With advances in veterinary medicine, our pets are living longer, which increases their chances of getting cancer and other diseases. The good news is that cancer treatment for pets has advanced at the same pace as cancer treatment for people.

Warning signs of cancer in pets

The warning signs listed here could be caused by other conditions, not just by cancer. Whatever their cause, early treatment increases the odds of success. Take your pet to your veterinarian if you see any of these signs:

Pet appearance and smell

• A lump or sore that won’t heal or go away
• An abnormal swelling that grows
• Difference in testicle size
• Bleeding or discharge from a body opening
• Weight loss despite eating
• Lameness or stiffness
• An odor

Pet behavior

• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Not eating for more than a day or two
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty urinating or defecating
• Fatigue — tiring easily and lacking energy
• Depression
• Appetite loss
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Coughing

Pet cancer diagnosis

If your cat or dog has a tumor or other visibly affected area, your veterinarian will aspirate a few cells from the area and examine them under a microscope. The presence of any abnormal cells means that the next step in diagnosis is a biopsy — removal of a tissue sample for microscopic examination. After the tissue has been examined under a microscope, the tumor can be classified as high-grade (fast-growing), intermediate, or low-grade (slow-growing).

To find tumors that might not be visible, diagnostic imaging tools can be used, such as X-rays, ultrasound, radiography, scans, and endoscopy. With endoscopy, a small scope is inserted into the body so that internal cancerous masses can be viewed and biopsied. The animal is sedated, but the procedure is less invasive than surgery.

Blood tests are used to look for changes in white blood cells as well as other changes that could point to cancer. In addition, blood tests can detect problems that the treatment itself may be causing.

After a diagnosis of cancer is made, further tests may be necessary to monitor the treatment of the disease.

Cancer treatment for pets

Animals respond differently to cancer treatment than people do. Often a combination of these treatment types is used:

• Surgery is the most effective treatment for most tumors. When tumors can’t be completely removed surgically, other treatments are used in combination with surgery.
• Radiotherapy kills cancerous cells via high-energy X-rays. It’s done as a series of treatments over a few weeks. The most common side effect is hair loss and a sunburn effect around the area of the tumor; severe side effects are rare. Sometimes radiotherapy destroys all the cancer cells. Other times, it just reduces their size enough to allow the animal good health for a long time before the tumor grows again.
• Chemotherapy rarely cures tumors, but it often puts the cancer in remission. It’s typically used for cancer that has spread to other areas and for inoperable tumors. Side effects are less severe than with people.

Special attention to your pet’s nutritional needs helps support your pet’s health. For dogs, Hill’s Prescription Diet Canine n/d has been created specifically to counter the effects of cancer and cancer treatment. The article Nutrition and the Small Animal Cancer Patient has more information on the nutritional needs of cats and dogs with cancer.

Alternative pet cancer treatment

Alternative treatment for cancer in pets may be used to help support the animal’s health while your pet is undergoing conventional treatment, or as a treatment in itself.

• Homeopathic treatments can help stimulate the immune system, prevent and fight cancer, control pain, and prevent side effects from chemotherapy and radiation.
• Nutritional and herbal supplements help your pet’s body fight cancer.

Pet cancer treatment and recovery

Cancer is the leading cause of death in older cats and dogs. However, cancer is sometimes curable, and it is usually treatable. When cancer treatment can’t cure the disease, it can slow its progression and reduce tumor size and related discomfort.

Dogs, cats, and most other pets have much shorter life spans than people do. Treatment that extends the animal’s life by even a year gives a significant increase for an animal with a life expectancy of perhaps 10 to 15 years.

When we provide quality of life along with an increased length of life, we’ve done a lot for our pets.

You’re planning your vacation, or you need to travel for other reasons. Should you take your dog with you? If you take him, how do you prepare for travel with your dog? The answers depend on your dog, the traveling type and distance, and the destination.

Your dog and travel

The SPCA recommends against traveling with pets if possible. Dogs, however, are generally more adaptable to travel than other animals are, and most dogs want to be with their people as much as possible. If you want to travel with your dog, ask yourself these questions:

Your dog

• Is your dog in good health and able to easily adjust to temperature changes during the trip and at your destination?
• Is your dog accustomed to travel and being in unfamiliar places?
• Is your dog well socialized?

The traveling type and distance

• If you’ll be traveling on an airplane or other public transportation, is your dog comfortable confined to a travel crate or travel carrier for lengthy periods of time? Can you get a direct flight to your destination?
• If you’ll be traveling by motor vehicle, does your dog look forward to traveling in a vehicle? Will you have time to stop often? Will you be able to take your dog with you when you leave the vehicle, especially on hot days?

The destination

• Does your destination have pet-friendly accommodation?
• Will your dog be able to accompany you during activities at your destination?

If the answer is no to any of the above questions, your dog may be happier at home with a pet sitter or in a kennel, where the conditions will be suitable for dogs.

If the answer to all of the above questions is yes, consider bringing your dog with you — but be aware of what can go wrong when traveling with a dog.

Dogs and transportation

Dog identification

Whatever your mode of transportation, be sure that your dog is wearing a collar with an ID tag at all times. If you have a cell phone or destination phone number, include it on the ID tag. Your dog will be identifiable even if he loses his collar if he also has a microchip implant or ear tattoo.

A current photo of your dog is useful to have with you in case your dog goes missing.

Traveling by air with dogs

Air travel for dogs carries risks. Airlines consider dogs baggage, and every year, some animals become injured or even die from the conditions and handling they experience as airplane cargo items.

Some airlines allow dogs, particularly small dogs, to travel in the cabin with their owners. If you’ll be traveling by airplane with a dog, find out if the airline allows dogs to travel in the cabin. Also ask if the airline requires a specific type of dog carrier or if they have any other restrictions for dogs on airplanes.

For a long list of tips for traveling with dogs and other pets, see Tips for Safe Pet Air Travel.

Traveling by vehicle with dogs

When traveling in a car or other motor vehicle with a dog, stop regularly to give your dog bathroom and exercise breaks. Offer him water whenever you stop.

Bring with you:

• Travel dog bowls for food and water
• Dog food and, depending on where you’re going, water
• Medication, if your dog is on medication
• Plastic bags for cleaning up after your dog
• A towel to clean or dry your dog if necessary, or to cool him down if he’s hot
• A leash

Never leave your dog alone in a car in hot weather. Heat stroke can develop within a few minutes. The Odor Destroyer article Protecting Your Pet from Summer Heat covers how to protect your pet from heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

International travel with dogs

If you’re traveling to another country with your dog, your dog will probably be required to have up-to-date vaccinations. Depending on the destination, a quarantine period may be required. Check the requirements of the country you’re planning to visit about vaccinations and any other restrictions concerning dogs.

Dog-friendly accommodation

Hotels that allow dogs are becoming easier to find. To find hotels at your destination that accept dogs as guests, do an online search for “dog-friendly accommodation.” This search will produce listings of directories of hotels and other types of accommodation that allow dogs.

You are responsible for your dog and any damage he may cause. Bring him with you whenever possible when you leave the hotel. If you must leave him unattended in the hotel room, put a “Do not disturb” sign on the door handle so that hotel staff don’t unexpectedly encounter your dog.

At your destination, give your dog plenty of exercise. A tired dog is less likely to exhibit behavior problems.

With exercise, companionship, and all of his needs met, chances are that your dog will enjoy the trip as much as you will.

You want to keep your dog or cat safe in your yard. Perhaps you want to keep the neighbors’ cats and dogs out of your yard. Build a good fence, reinforce it, and design a yard that’s safe and fun for your dog or cat.

How to make fences dog-proof and cat-proof

Dogs find ways to go under, over, or through fences. Some dogs manage to open the gate if the latch isn’t secure. Cats are naturally good climbers, and they can often squeeze through small gaps in fences.

These steps will help keep cats and dogs from getting out of — or in — your yard:

• Check your fence and gate and make any necessary repairs. Fill any gaps that are more than a couple of inches wide.
• If you suspect that your dog can open the gate latch, replace the latch with a sturdier one. To go a step further, add an additional locking system, such as a slide bolt latch or a chain around the gate and the gatepost.
• To stop your dog from digging his way under the fence, put cement blocks under the fence or extend chicken wire from the bottom of the fence to a few feet underground. Give your dog a section of the yard with loose soil and sand to dig in to satisfy his digging urges.
• Put a “Keep gate closed” sign on both sides of the gate to remind people to keep the gate closed.
• If a table or other object is next to or near the fence, some animals will be able to jump over the fence. Don’t leave anything near the fence that animalscould use as a jumping pad. In the winter, clear any snowdrifts that build up near the fence.
• Two types of fence extensions keep dogs and cats from going over the fence (to get out of the yard or into it):
  • An inward extension of the fence made from chicken wire (this may be more effective at keeping cats and dogs in the yard than out of it)
  • An electric wire along the top of the fence

Cats and dogs will be less inclined to try to escape if they’re content. Take your dog for a daily walk, and spend time playing with your dog or cat every day. Leave small cracks or holes in the fence so that cats and dogs can see what’s happening outside the yard. Provide toys for your dog or cat to play with.

Outdoor enclosures for cats and dogs

Sometimes making the whole yard pet-proof isn’t feasible, or you may be concerned about someone taking or harming your pet. Outdoor dog and cat enclosures allow you to build a kennel-like area in the yard where dogs and cats can be outdoors safely.

An online search for “outdoor cat enclosures” or “outdoor dog enclosures” produces links to sites where enclosures for cats and dogs are sold. If the enclosures are built next to the house, a cat door or dog door can allow the animals to go outdoors and indoors whenever they want.

How to make your yard safer for dogs and cats

Tips on making your yard safer for your cat or dog:

• Use only non-toxic pesticides in the garden, and for your lawn, only non-toxic fertilizer.
• Avoid toxic plants in your garden. A list of toxic plants is at the ASPCA Animal Control Center site.
• Mouse or rat poison can kill cats and dogs. If you use it anywhere in your yard or house, make it impossible for dogs or cats to get at it. Check your yard daily for any mice or rats that the poison may have killed. You don’t want your pet having contact with the body of a poisoned animal.
• Clean up dog poop every day. Animals can get parasites and bacterial infections from feces.
• Look at the ground from the point of view of a dog or a cat. Remove any sharp objects that could injure your pet’s feet.

Related reading at this site

• Gardens for People and Gardens for Cats
  How to make your garden unattractive to cats, and how to create a garden just for them.
• Pet Containment: What’s in it for Cats and Dogs?
  An overview of pet confinement systems (wireless or invisible fences) and systems that keep pets from entering off-limits areas.
• How to Pet-Proof Your Home
  Tips on preparing your home for a new puppy, kitten, dog, or cat.

You’re expecting a baby, and you already have a cat in the family. Your friends and relatives are telling you that you can’t keep your cat when the baby arrives. Do cats smother or suck the breath out of babies? Is it safe for cats and babies to live together?No, the old tales are not true, and yes, it is usually safe for babies and cats to share a home.

Do cats harm babies?

Before Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) had a name, babies were sometimes found suddenly dead without an explanation, and a cat might have been in the vicinity. With nothing else to blame, the rumor that cats smother babies circulated. There is no evidence to support this theory, though.

Some cats like to sleep with people, including babies. It’s best not to leave babies or small children alone with cats. The child may unknowingly hurt the cat, and the cat may react with her claws.

Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that people can get from the feces of infected animals, is a risk for pregnant women. Chances are that anyone who has lived with cats for some time has already been exposed to it. If you’re pregnant, it’s best to have your partner clean the litter box to reduce your risk of exposure to toxoplasmosis.

Babies from a cat’s point of view

Think of the situation the way your cat sees it. She’s been your baby and may have been getting all the attention, and then this noisy creature that smells funny comes into the home and diverts attention from you. She may feel sibling rivalry, and she may want to cover up those foreign smells.

On the other hand, if your cat continues to get some attention from you or your partner, she’ll feel less deprived. She might regard the baby as a family member that needs her protection.

As long as your cat gets enough attention and is allowed to feel connected with the baby, she will more than likely accept the baby into the family.

Your baby’s room and your cat

If you allow your cat in your baby’s room, consider getting a crib tent, which is a tent-like netting structure that fits over the crib. It prevents babies from climbing or falling out of cribs — and cats from climbing in.

To keep your cat out of the baby’s room entirely, any of these methods stop the cat from entering the baby’s room:

• Always keep the door to the baby’s room closed when the baby is in the room.
• Put a screen door on the baby’s room so that your cat can see what’s happening without being able to go in.
• Place CatScram silent electronic cat repellent at the door to the baby’s room.

In addition, if the baby’s room is on the ground floor and your cat goes outdoors, put a screen on the window so that your cat can’t enter the room through the window if it’s open.

Preparing cats for a baby in the household

Start preparing your cat for a newborn baby before the baby arrives.

• When you’re getting the baby’s room ready for the baby, allow the cat to explore the room. She’ll be less curious about it after the baby arrives if she’s allowed to investigate it beforehand.
• Bring any flea problems under control, and check with your veterinarian to make sure that the flea treatments are safe in a household with a baby. Have your cat dewormed if she has worms.
• Before the mother and baby come home from the hospital, get the newborn baby’s scent on a towel or cloth to be taken home for the cat to smell. Your cat will then recognize the baby’s scent right away when the baby joins the household.

After the baby comes home

Your cat will probably be curious about the new human in her home. Allow her to sniff the baby or at least the blanket that the baby is wrapped in.

You will naturally have less time to spend with your cat when you have a baby to take care of. Ask your partner to give the cat more attention if possible. When you have visitors, encourage them to pet and play with your cat too.

When the baby starts to crawl, keep cat food dishes and the cat’s litter box out of your baby’s sampling reach.

Always supervise the time that your baby and your cat spend together. With the right preparations, though, babies and cats can become friends.

Fido or Fluffy may be lethargic. Or hyperactive. Eating less and gaining weight, or eating more and losing weight. Feeling cold. Feeling hot.The thyroid gland, which sits against the windpipe, could be responsible. Dogs aged two and up are at risk for developing hypothyroidism, a condition resulting from not enough thyroid hormone. Middle-aged and older cats may develop hyperthyroidism, which happens when too much thyroid hormone is produced. An overactive thyroid (hyper-) speeds up the metabolism and body processes, while an under active thyroid (hypo-) forces everything to slow down.

Hyperthyroidism in particular can be fatal if untreated. Treatment for hyperthyroidism reduces the amount of thyroid hormone, and for hypothyroidism, the treatment is to supplement thyroid hormone.

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

Thyroid disease can look like some other health problems. Blood tests and a list of your pet’s symptoms will help your veterinarian diagnose the condition. Only a few of these symptoms may be present.

* Interpreting blood test results

T4 (thyroxine, or tetraiodothyronine) and T3 (triiodothyronine) are the main thyroid hormones. The level of one or both of these hormones is low in hypothyroidism and high in hyperthyroidism. Normal ranges for dogs are breed-specific. The normal level of T4 goes down for cats as they age, so a T4 level in the upper part of the normal range may be fine for a younger cat, but too high for an older cat.

TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone, drives the thyroid gland to produce more T4 and T3. When it’s high, it’s working overtime to stimulate the thyroid, which indicates hypothyroidism. Often, though, it isn’t high even when hypothyroidism is present. A too-low TSH level means that the thyroid is producing more than enough hormone, and indicates hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism in dogs is often caused by antibodies. Positive levels of antibodies may be present in hypothyroidism.

Your veterinarian will have preferred tests to do for dogs and cats. Sometimes further testing beyond the standard tests is necessary.

Treatment of canine hypothyroidism

Synthetic T4 hormone, given twice daily, is the standard treatment. Common brand names for dogs are Soloxine, Thyro-Tab, and Synthroid. Some dogs may do better on natural, desiccated thyroid containing both the T4 and T3 hormones; a common brand name is Armour.

After treatment is started for hypothyroidism, blood tests should be redone in about six weeks. Watch for symptoms to change. You may see the beginnings of improvement within in a week, while some problems may take months to improve. Treatment is for life.

Treatment of feline hyperthyroidism

Your veterinarian can help you choose between the three standard types of treatment. If your cat has kidney disease, the only option is medication, since the other two treatments may worsen kidney failure and are irreversible.

Look for changes in one to three weeks, and ask your veterinarian when to return for follow-up blood tests.

Radioactive iodine (I-131) treatment

When radioactive iodine is injected into a hyperthyroid cat, it destroys abnormal thyroid tissue, but it doesn’t harm the rest of the body.

Advantages:

• It cures feline hyperthyroidism in 90 percent or more of cases.
• It’s permanent.
• No surgery is required.

Disadvantages:

• Cats must be isolated at a special clinic for about one to two weeks after treatment.
• Cats must be kept away from small children and pregnant women for up to two weeks after they return home, and their litter box contents require special disposal during this period.
• Possible side effects are decreased renal function in cats with kidney disease, and hypothyroidism.
• It’s expensive.

Surgery to remove affected thyroid gland tissue (a thyroidectomy)

Advantages:

• It requires hospitalization for only one day, and not much follow-up care.
• It’s permanent.
• No isolation is required.

Disadvantages:

• It risks damage to the neighboring parathyroid glands.
• Hyperthyroidism may recur even after surgery.
• It’s expensive.

Antithyroid medication

Methimazole (brand name Tapazole) is the usual medication.

Advantages:

• Surgery or separation from your cat isn’t necessary.
• The initial cost isn’t high.
• It comes in pill, liquid, and gel form, so the dose is easy to titrate.

Disadvantages:

• It must be given two or three times daily for the rest of the cat’s life.
• It costs hundreds of dollars a year.
• If the cat has a thyroid tumor (the most common cause of feline hyperthyroidism), the tumor may continue to grow.
• Tapazole occasionally has (sometimes temporary) side effects, such as vomiting and appetite loss. Less common side effects include lethargy, hair loss, liver damage, anemia, bone marrow suppression, and decreased white blood cell counts.

Your role in treating your dog’s or cat’s thyroid condition

Your pets can’t describe how they’re feeling, so you’ll need to do this for them. Know the signs of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism so that you’ll recognize them if your dog or cat is overtreated or undertreated. Regular blood tests will also help monitor your dog’s or cat’s thyroid condition.

With adequate treatment, you can expect your hypothyroid or hyperthyroid pets to live a normal, healthy life.

Cats and gardens go together like…well, it depends on who the garden is for. To cats, gardens are a little piece of heaven. Fresh soil makes a perfect litter box, and seedlings that get uprooted in the digging process are of no consequence to them. You may not want your cat in your garden, and if the cats in your garden aren’t your cats, you probably like having them there even less.The solution? Make your garden unattractive to cats, and give them a garden of their own.

A garden not for cats

You can build a fence around your garden, but cats can climb over most fences. Spraying water at cats usually (but not always) sends them in the opposite direction, but it works only when you’re there with hose in hand. Motion-activated sprinklers go into action when people as well as animals approach the garden.

Mothballs in the garden may deter cats, but they contain pesticides. At high levels, mothballs have been known to cause liver and kidney tumors in animals. Both paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene, the active ingredients, may be linked to cancer. Another problem is that children may mistake mothballs for candy and play with them, or ingest them.

Safer cat-deterrent garden strategies:

• Grow plants that cats don’t like the odor or texture of
• Sprinkle substances in the garden that deter cats
• Put objects in the garden bed that make it unappealing for cats to dig or sit

Some plants may also be toxic to animals. Lists of plants that are safe or poisonous for cats are at plants-and-your-cat.com and i-love-cats.com.

Websites and discussion forums about gardens and cats have lists of methods that people have found successful. You might not want to grow, sprinkle, or see all of these in your garden, and not all cats are repelled by all the items listed below. Citrus scents in particular deter only some cats. Boundary Cat & Dog repellent granules, on the other hand, are effective as well as cheap and attractive. A combination of techniques produces the best results.

We’ve compiled some of the methods, sorted by type:

* You may need to resprinkle these periodically, especially after rain.

A garden for cats

An outdoor garden area with everything that cats love may keep them away from your garden. For indoor cats, a smaller version with the following can be a windowsill cat garden:

• Loose soil (this is what cats are mainly interested in)
• Sand
• Small bark mulch
• Catnip: one type or various types
• Grass: regular grass that’s long enough to chew on, lemon grass, oat grass, sweetgrass, and wheat grass
• Jacob’s Ladder
• Cat Thyme (similar to catnip in how it affects cats)

The gardens of…

Peace. For both you and your feline friends. When they have a cat-friendly garden just for them, they may not even venture near your garden. If they do — once — they probably won’t return if you take steps to make it unfriendly to their sensitivities.

It’s annoying. It’s sometimes maddening. It can even be life threatening.Your dog’s bark may not be as bad as his bite, but dogs’ barking is a common reason that dogs are poisoned. The good news is that you can work with your dog to reduce his urge to bark.

Understand why dogs bark

Dogs bark to greet people. They bark to warn people about strangers, sounds, or movements, and to get attention. They bark when they want out, or in, or when they’re excited, bored, lonely, anxious, or afraid. They bark when they need to burn off energy.

Learn to recognize when and why your dog barks, and take steps to alleviate the emotions associated with undesirable barking. Let your dog spend time with other dogs and with people. A socialized dog is less likely to see other dogs and people as threats. Give your dog lots of mental stimulation. Provide him with plenty of exercise — after exercise, dogs tend to sleep more and bark less.

If your dog barks when you aren’t home, avoid reinforcing the idea that it’s a major event when you leave and return. Go out and come back quietly, and leave your dog toys to play with. Leave for short intervals when you have time, increasing the length of time that you’re away when the dog is accustomed to short absences. To reduce the sounds and sights that dogs bark at, you may want to keep your dog in a quieter part of the house or away from windows. A radio or TV left on for company helps some dogs feel less alone.

Train your dog to bark less

We can’t expect dogs not to bark at all, but we can teach them to control when they bark. Praise your dog when he’s quiet so that he understands that not barking has its rewards. If you teach your dog to bark when you ask him to, he’ll learn that there’s a time to bark and a time not to bark.

If your dog is barking to get attention, scolding him for barking reinforces the behavior. To these dogs, negative attention is better than none at all. Direct your dog to do something else when he barks at an inappropriate time. When your dog is barking because of loneliness or anxiety, don’t comfort him until he has been quiet for a few seconds. You want him to associate the attention with not barking.

A dog training class can help you and your dog learn to communicate with each other better, making training about barking easier for both of you.

Get an electronic dog calming device

A dog calming device is a humane and effective bark deterrent that quiets noisy dogs without inflicting harm or pain. most operate by playing soothing music which your dog can hear but you cannot. This melody will lure attention away from anxiety producing stimuli. This will reduce needless barking without painful shock, sprays, or sound. Many sonic calmers have a range of several hundred feet and the sound travels through fences and over walls. This means that it can on your neighbor’s dog as well.

One such calming device, the K9 Kalmer can be purchased at many better pet specialty stores such as Odor Destroyer.com

Use dog anti-bark collars

Two main types of collars help control your dog’s barking. Each collar uses batteries and either a spray or an electronic stimulant to tell the dog “no” when he barks.

Neither collar is intended to address dogs’ emotions. If your dog is afraid, help him overcome his fear or anxiety. If your dog is confused, a bark control collar won’t make him less confused. An anti-bark collar is most likely to be successful with dogs who just need to learn not to bark, and when it’s used with training methods.

A no-bark collar may teach your dog not to bark when he’s wearing the collar, but it also teaches him not to bark when his bark may be desirable, such as when a stranger is at the door. Only training can teach your dog selective barking.

Both types of collars respond to vibration. This means that the stimulant may be emitted when your dog is shaking himself, not just when he’s barking.

Citronella

anti-bark collars

When dogs wear citronella collars, the vibration of their barks releases citronella, a strong lemon-scented mist. Dogs learn to associate the sound and smell of the mist with barking, and most bark less as a result.

A 1996 study published in The Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association compared the effects of both types of collars. The owners of the dogs in the study felt that the citronella spray collar was “more effective and more humane” than the electronic shock collars. On the other hand, some dog owners see citronella collars as cruel because a dog’s sense of smell is much stronger than a human’s.

While this collar has a high rate of effectiveness, some dogs become accustomed to the collar. Simply putting and leaving the collar on the dog is less effective than using the collar as a training tool combined with regular training.

Anti-bark electronic shock collars

When the sensor on the collar detects both sound and vibration from the dog’s throat, an adjustable electronic stimulation is administered. The amount of stimulation is low at first, allowing the dog to stop barking before a stronger stimulation is emitted.

A dog should not be left alone wearing an anti-bark collar until he’s accustomed to how it works, and you know that he’ll stop barking after the first electronic stimulation.

Anti-bark shock collars are generally less popular and less effective than citronella anti-bark collars. Some dogs respond well to shock collars, though, and low settings are unpleasant but not painful.

Take your dog to doggie day care

Despite our best efforts, some dogs never learn to be content when they’re left alone all day. At a doggie day care, your dog can play with other dogs, get lots of exercise, and have human supervision. Your neighbors won’t complain about your dog barking during the day, and your dog will be happier.

Why adopt an adult cat or dog?First, they’re kittens and puppies. They wiggle and totter and fall in love with us as we fall for them. Kittens and puppies remind us what it’s like to start on life’s great adventures, but they require a lot more work than adult cats and dogs do. They make messes on your floor, they scratch and chew on your furniture, and they pull at your drapes and your patience.

Grown dogs and cats have already Been There, Done That. They understand the basic rules of life, and they know that you’ll teach them whatever else they need to learn. They’ve already developed into what they were going to be, but they still have plenty of love to give.

Puppies and kittens can almost always find a home. Older dogs and cats often can’t. If you adopt an adult dog or cat, you’ve not only bypassed the puppy and kitten accidents and training, but you’ve got yourself an appreciative, mature companion. As the bond between you grows, you’ll remember that you helped give your pet new life.

Where to find a dog or cat to adopt

• Newspaper classifieds often have ads for older animals that need new homes. If you visit pets in their current homes, you’ll get a good idea of their temperament and how they interact with different people. You’ll also be able to discuss their needs with the people who know them best.
• Animal shelters such as the SPCA have lots of grown dogs and cats waiting for adoption. While it’s more difficult to assess their personalities when they’re in an unfamiliar setting, you’ll see a variety of animals to choose from.Links to websites for animal shelters and rescue organizations throughout the US are in the Odor Destroyer Pet Resource Directory.
• Animal rescue organizations spend time matching pets with adopters. The rescue volunteers will be able to describe the animals’ personalities and what type of home is the most suitable for each cat and dog. They’ll probably have a questionnaire for you to fill out, and they may ask for references. Some dog rescue organizations take in all breeds and mixed breeds, while breed rescue organizations rescue purebred dogs of a specific breed. Cat rescue organizations are sometimes breed specific, but the majority rescue all kinds of cats.To find an animal rescue organization in your area, see in the Odor Destroyer Pet Resource Directory. Or, do an online search for “dog rescue” or “cat rescue” and the name of your city. Include a breed name in the search if you’re looking for a specific breed.

How to choose an adult dog or cat to adopt

Purebred dogs and cats

If you plan to adopt a purebred pet, research the breed as you would do when adopting a puppy or kitten. Consider the breed’s needs for space, companionship, and other breed-specific requirements. Some dogs require professional grooming, for example. Others may be too aggressive for children, or need more exercise than you can provide. Cat breeds also each have their own characteristics.

All varieties of dogs and cats

When you meet dogs and cats that are available to be adopted, learn their history if possible. Some animals prefer to be “only” pets, while others enjoy the company of other animals in their home. Why was the cat or dog given up for adoption? Does the animal have health problems that require extra medical care or special food? Consider both your budget and your available time to take care of the pet’s needs.

Cat and dog behavior

Observe a potential adoptee dog’s behavior with different people — male and female, and adults and children, including household members if possible. Does the dog appear to be friendly, aggressive, dominant, submissive, fearful? These traits may or may not be problems, depending on your experience with dogs and your situation. See if you can take the dog for a walk to get to know him in a different environment, more than once if possible.

Cats are happiest when they’re in a place they consider home, so they tend to be more stressed when they’re in a shelter. Give cats time to respond to you, and ask their caregivers about their personalities. Some are more independent and aloof, some crave affection, some tend to be playful, and some are more loyal or easygoing than others.

Who to bring home

The goal is to find a cat or dog that can become part of your family. Research different breeds if you’re looking for a purebred animal, spend time with animals you’re considering adopting, and learn the animals’ backgrounds. Having to return an animal to a shelter or rescue is hard on the animal and on the family. A well-considered adoption, on the other hand, can be the beginning of a bond that grows for years.