Problems of Pets and How to Solve Them

Problems can stem from pets of all kinds. Dogs can tear apart your furniture and clothes, cats can enjoy dumping their litter box all over the floor, rabbits can spend their free time chewing up any cords they can get their hands – or should I say teeth – on, or birds can decide that their favorite place to leave some droppings is right on top of your newly upholstered couch. The point is, no matter what kind of pet you have, you are going to run into some struggles. The important thing is not to take it out on your pet, as they are trying to learn the ways of your life and the things you like or do not like just as much as you are theirs.

Let’s start off with dogs. If you own a dog, you know how much they love and need attention, and will do whatever it takes to get it. I myself have a two-year-old golden retriever that used to be very needy at all times of the day. If you were not giving him your attention as frequently as he would like, there goes a shoe…then a magazine, and a book, and the entire laundry hamper, oh and the bathroom trash will probably be dumped all over your pillow! See, dogs just want attention and are not always able to understand the difference between good and bad attention as puppies. The best way to work to change this needy behavior of your dogs is to only reward them for the good they do, and do not give them attention for the bad. If they do a good job of listening to your commands or being gentle with a toy, tell them what a good boy/girl they are and give them a treat. If they are running around the house stealing random objects, ignore them and they will stop. This is exactly what happened with my dog. I would always go grab whatever he took, and he would continue to take more. Once I would ignore him, however, he would just drop whatever he had and go do something else.

Another issue (especially when you have a puppy) is the bathroom situation. Puppies do not understand right away that they need to go outside to go to the bathroom, and then you find all the fun yellow puddles all over your house. Start a schedule of bringing your puppy outside every couple of hours throughout the day, and stay with them until they go to the bathroom. Whenever they do go outside, reward them with a treat when they come in. Another great way to help this is to hang a bell by the doorway you use to go outside. Show your dog every time you take them out to ring the bell. Eventually, they will catch on and will go ring that bell whenever they need to go outside. If you have an older dog who is making messes around the house, but should know better, it would be smart to consult your veterinarian. These accidents could be caused by an underlying health concern that your dog cannot control.

Now that I have given some insight into how to solve a couple of problems with your dog, let’s move on to talking about cats. One common issue that is seen often is that your cat chooses not to use the litter box, but finds some other area in the house that they feel is deserving of their excrement. Cats are pretty picky creatures, and they will not use the litter box that you have so graciously set up for them if it is not prepared to their liking. It is important to have the litter box placed in an area with low traffic, so your cat can feel comfortable taking care of their business in peace. While having it in a low-traffic area, however, be sure to still have the litter box in a convenient location for your cat that is not too difficult to get to. Additionally, some cats are not a fan of having plastic liners or plastic underlay, and sometimes they just are not a fan of the type of litter used. Try switching these things up to see if your cat will gravitate more towards the litter box. One way to draw your cat to the box is to use a litter additive that can naturally draw your cat’s attention to it.

Another issue that can arise when you own a cat is the scratch marks that you may find all over different pieces of your home, including your nice new couch. Scratching is a form of physical therapy for your cat, so it is important for them to be able to partake in this activity to work their muscles and the tendons of their paws. If you cat tends to gravitate towards objects in your house that are not meant for scratching, gently correct your cat by moving them away from that object and to another alternative. Be sure to have plenty of scratching posts and toys around your home for your cat to use. There are also some forms of deterrents, such as sticky paws, if your cat continues to scratch at your furniture.

As you can see, problems can arise out of owning any type of pet. It is important to have patience and gently correct the mistakes you see your animal making. Being too aggressive can end up scaring your pet, causing them to pursue further bad habits, such as eating all of your shoes. If you take the time to train your pet and reward them for the good they do, they will eventually learn the right way to behave and your home will again be safe from prying paws.