My Pet World: Give dogs a task so they forget about barking

Dear Cathy,

I have two adorable Shih Tzus. When anyone comes over to the house, they bark like crazy maniacs. The 4-year-old gets aggressive with the 2-year-old in the process. Five minutes later, they are totally calm.

Also, when I take them for a walk, if any person or dog goes by, they bark incessantly and want to go toward them. Every other dog is so well-behaved, but mine are crazy lunatics. Please help.

- Linda, Setauket, New York

Dear Linda,

When it comes to barking at the door, shake a can of coins, use a Pet Corrector (emits a hiss sound) or other noisemaker to interrupt the barking while also saying "stop." When they stop barking, ask them to come to you and sit. Give them a reward word, like "bingo" (each dog should have his or her own reward word), and then give them both a treat.

Work on training the 4-year-old first, because he/she seems to be the dominant dog and the 2-year-old will follow his/her lead. Ask someone to ring the doorbell or come in the front door repeatedly, so you can repeat the lessons several times in one training session. What you're doing is giving the dogs a task, so they forget about barking.

As for walking them, you will need to do so separately at first to train them not to bark and lunge at other dogs. Teach your dogs to heel and always look to you for direction.

Hold a treat in your hand so the dog can see it. If the dog starts to bark at another dog, quickly turn, walk the other way and say "heel." Your dog should stop barking, follow you, and look up at you. When he or she does, give him or her a reward word and a treat. You should quickly turn in the other direction at least a dozen times during a short walk, even if another dog or person is not present. Your unpredictability as to where you are going helps your dogs learn to pay more attention to you.

Both of these things require a considerable amount of training. Don't give up.

Dear JoAnn,

In a recent column, I mentioned that female dogs are more likely to burn the grass because they pee in one location whereas male dogs tend to squirt urine everywhere they go. It's thoughtful of you to bring water to pour on your dog's urine.

Just remember though, that no matter how thoughtful you are, there will be someone who will complain, so the best advice I can give all dog owners is to keep their dogs away from their neighbor's yards, and find common areas where their dogs can pee instead. #keepthepeace

Dear Cathy,

My husband and I have a 4-year-old cat we rescued as a little kitten, named Oliver. He is happy and healthy and playful and makes us laugh all the time. What is the least stressful way to move a cat from our house to a two-bedroom condo?

- Sandy, Seaford, New York

Dear Sandy,

A few weeks before the move, put plug-in pheromones in the old home, spray pheromones on his bed daily (and in the car and his carrier when you move), and put a pheromone collar on him, if he will let you, to reduce his stress. Put plug-in pheromones in the new home the day before you move into it.

When the movers arrive, put Oliver in a bathroom with his food, litter box and bed. Play music or turn on white noise, like a fan, to block out the sound of the movers.

After moving, keep him in a quiet room for a few days until the furniture is situated and you know where his food and litter box will go. Cats can generally handle people unpacking boxes; what they can't handle is furniture being moved around.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)