ArcaMax

Dear Cathy,

My dog constantly barks throughout any meal or snack that I eat. Even when I give her something to eat, she does not stop her incessant barking. It's as if I am not feeding her fast enough. When I have a dinner party, she constantly barks when we are eating. I have even put her out of the room I am in, but she still barks....Read more

Dear Cathy,

My daughter requires an emotional support dog for anxiety. Her previous mixed-breed dog died three and a half years ago, and she is still grieving. We already have two three-year-old male cats (brothers). The cats are indoors and can access most of our big ten-room house.

What can we do to help these animals eventually accept one ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I recently "rescued" a six-year-old poodle from a neighborhood shelter that received over 30 dogs from a large puppy mill. I love him and am determined to give him the best in life. He is very fearful and emotionally starved, but we are slowly working toward making him feel safe, comfortable and loved.

The only problem I have is he...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Neighbors on both sides of our fence have dogs. Ours is a female; the other dogs are males. For some unknown reason, our Goldendoodle and their dogs behave aggressively toward each other through the fence.

None of the families can be in our backyards with our dogs simultaneously. Is there a safe way to socialize the dogs so they ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

We have a four-year-old male Havanese who is very loving and intelligent. His only problem is that he is extremely attached to me and my husband. When I am home, he follows me from room to room. If someone is home with him, he is fine. But if we go out together, leaving him alone, he becomes very anxious and barks continuously – ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

During a recent visit to my son's home, my five-year-old Yorkie mix, Mortie, behaved unusually. My son's large mixed-breed rescue, Shep, seemed to resent Mortie, growling and attacking from the start. Mortie became frightened and submissive. Mortie left food behind, which Shep would then eat. Was this a peace offering? Additionally,...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Frequently, if I stand in one place for more than a couple of minutes, my two-year-old cat lovingly leaps onto my back and hangs on to me with her claws. I don't have time to locate a spray bottle. Mostly, I yell and try to get low so I can roll her off. Any ideas?

— Verna McLeod, Bellingham, Washington

Dear Verna,

Cats love ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Our cat, Jack, is 19-1/2 years old. We've had him since he was a kitten. He's a mixed breed, but has Siamese markings and has always been talkative. Now he's old, deaf, and arthritic. Otherwise, he's healthy and gets good marks at his annual checkup.

Ordinarily, he gets wet cat food twice a day — at 4:30 a.m. and again at...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have been separated from my Shih Tzu, Sam, since October. I am in a nursing facility awaiting hip surgery and my cousin who lives nearby is taking care of my dog. He is a seven-year-old, neutered, house-trained dog who is regularly walked. However, he is pooping in her house every day. He never did that at my house. What can be ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

The 4th of July is approaching. My dog is terrified of fireworks. Last year, my veterinarian prescribed Acepromazine 25mg. This medication completely immobilized my dog. I read that it immobilizes them, but they are still afraid. I tried CBD, but it didn't work. Is there any other option to calm my dog during these fireworks?

— ...Read more

I want to weigh in on the recent controversy over South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's decision to kill Cricket, a 14-month-old dog, labeling him as "untrainable."

Witnessing a public figure take such a drastic step without thoroughly exploring alternative solutions is deeply troubling.

As someone dedicated to animal welfare, I support ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I adopted a year-old dog from the SPCA (a Chipoodle). He is protective, but only in the house. When we're out on walks, he's fine if I stop and talk to anyone, or if anyone approaches. But at home, when the doorbell rings or anyone enters the house, he starts barking loudly.

He doesn't growl. If I give him a bunch of treats, he ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I recently have spent time with a dog trainer on a social level. In these settings, the trainer has commented about her dog training methods that don't seem compatible with your column or my own experience.

This trainer boards and trains dogs at her facility. She appears to be successful and gets dogs regularly. However, she ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I am a first-time adopter of a six-year-old shelter cat. I've raised dogs all my life, but after my beloved Westie passed away a few years ago, I missed having a pet. Due to my age, I felt a senior cat would require less maintenance and make a nice companion.

I have had Tucker for several months now, and he is still quite skittish ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

My 22-year-old cat died in December. I adopted a 14-month-old kitten from our local shelter. I signed a "No declaw" agreement, but this kitten is crazy in love with clawing me.

Why and what should I do? I don't want to live out much more time with big bleeding scratches almost everywhere on my body. Thank you for your comments ...Read more