My Pet World: If barking at the TV bugs you, give your dog something else to do
A: "Snapping at the air might be a compulsive behavior in dogs, particularly those who may not be so easily distracted or redirected to do something else," Bain explains.
However, first rule out medical ophthalmological possibilities. Just as people can develop "floaters" in their eyes, so can dogs. The only difference is, no one can explain to dogs what the "floaters" are, so in trying to make the pesky things go away, dogs snap at them.
"I also wonder if the dog is indeed seeing something, or at least part of the time, (is plagued by) those little bugs we can noseeums," Bain says.
Bain contributed to the chapter in "Decoding Your Dog" called "Tail Chasing, Leg Licking: Can't You Stop!" on compulsive behaviors. To determine if Molly has a compulsive disorder, and how to treat the condition, it's best to consult a veterinary behaviorist.
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Q: I don't understand why my housebroken 5-year-old Siberian Husky is marking everything, particularly corners of furniture or curtains. This past month, I've replaced furniture and carpeting, and now he's marking the new items! How can I make him stop before he ruins everything? -- B.V., via cyberspace
A: "Marking is usually a territorial issue, and typically stress is an underlying factor," says Bain. "My first question is, 'When does this happen?' If it only happens when you're not home, we could be talking about separation anxiety. If it happens when you're home, I still want to know exactly which rooms this occurs, if there's any pattern regarding (the) time of day, and if you (would) generally describe your dog as 'anxious.'"
Certainly, a medical check-up is a good idea to rule out a urinary tract infection or some other physiological explanation.
It couldn't hurt to try an Adaptil collar, which emits a copy of a calming pheromone. However, your best is to see a veterinary behaviorist.
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Q: At times during play, our Labrador/Greyhound mix abruptly stops and looks around, as if someone or something has bitten her. Then, she darts around and chases her tail. There's actually a visible bulge that appears and then goes away. What's this behavior all about? -- P.J.E., Woodbury, MN
A: Bain says this doesn't sound like a behavior problem as much as a medical one. Ask your veterinarian about a condition called stud tail, or supracaudal gland infection. If no underlying cause (cause as flea bite flare ups) is found, the treatment may involve special dog shampoo, antibiotic therapy and/or short-term use of steroids.
Videotaping the behavior might help your veterinarian diagnose the problem.
If the problem isn't rectified, Bain suggests consulting a veterinary dermatologist.
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