My Pet World: What to do with not so house-trained dogs, and cats doing bunny-kicks

Dear Cathy,

I recently adopted a four-year-old Boston Terrier, Marcie, from a breeder. I chose an adult dog to avoid house-training and was told she was fully house-trained, with only one prior crate accident after being left 12 hours.

I understand there’s an adjustment period. In the past 26 years, I have adopted two other adult Boston Terriers who were reliably house-trained. However, I am perplexed by Marcie. She came from a breeding environment, has had three litters, and is not yet spayed. We initially kept her on the same food and used leash walks, but she rarely eliminated.

We added a small, fenced area and supervised her closely, but issues continue. About a week after arrival, she developed diarrhea and began having accidents, so we confined her to the kitchen. She’s now on chicken and rice with broth, as I rarely see her drink water. Her stool is now normal, but she hasn’t had a bowel movement in two days.

Her urination has also increased. She usually goes outside, but after being gone for four hours (and after she had just gone out), I returned to a large amount of urine on the floor. I’ve also found dried urine in her crate, and she has come in from outside and immediately urinated on a rug.

She is typically gated in the kitchen and crated occasionally. I am unsure whether she was truly house-trained, if this is adjustment-related, or if she may have a medical issue such as a UTI. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

— Penny, Aylett, Virginia

Dear Penny,

My first recommendation is to have her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The increase in urination, accidents despite going outside, recent diarrhea, and the absence of bowel movements for two days could all point to an underlying medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection or gastrointestinal imbalance. Even if it turns out to be “adjustment-related,” it’s important to rule out any health problems first.

Regardless of whether there are health issues, there are a few things you can do to help with her transition. First, introduce a canine pheromone diffuser, spay, or collar as these can help reduce stress.

Second, take her out on a consistent potty schedule (every two to three hours, after meals, and after naps), and stay with her until she eliminates. Praise her and give her a treat immediately after to reinforce the behavior.

Next, use an enzymatic cleaner to clean up accidents as it can remove any lingering odor that might encourage repeat accidents.

It’s also worth noting that dogs coming from breeding situations sometimes haven’t learned typical household routines, even if they were described as “house-trained.” So, re-introduce house-training. (She will learn quicker than a puppy.). Training also improves your bond and increases her overall confidence, which can help during transitions.

If any of these behaviors are stress-related, these recommendations should help.

Dear Cathy,

I recently adopted a six-year-old, spayed female cat from a shelter. She is well behaved, except for one issue. She goes after my hand with a "bunny kick" where she will bring my hand up to her mouth and scratch or bite me. I have tried saying "no” and trying to substitute a toy for my hand, but no improvement. Any thoughts?

— Paul, Bethpage, New York

Dear Paul,

What you are describing is common and referred to as “play aggression.” Even though she is six years old, she may never have learned appropriate play habits, and she sees your hand as “prey.” The good news is that you can redirect this behavior.

First and foremost, don’t play with her with your hands. Cats don’t easily distinguish between “play hands” and “real hands.” Instead, use interactive toys, like wand toys, feather teasers, laser pointers, or a stuffed sock, in place of your hands.

Second, make sure she’s getting enough daily playtime. Two short sessions a day that mimic hunting behaviors where she can stalk, chase, and pounce can help reduce this kind of behavior. End play sessions with a small meal or treat to complete the natural cycle, which for a cat is play (hunt), eat, groom, and sleep.

If she does grab your hands, resist the urge to pull away quickly, which can trigger her to grip tighter. Instead, freeze your hand and slowly move it toward her as this often causes cats to release their grip. Then ignore her briefly.

Verbal corrections like “no” usually don’t mean much to cats, so focus more on redirection and prevention rather than discipline.

Lastly, be patient. Habits take time to change, but she can learn that hands aren’t part of the game.

_____

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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.)