Solve your toughest pet problems

Veterinary surgeon and author James Herriot once mused that if having a soul meant feeling loyalty, gratitude and love, animals were definitely better off than people.

But good characteristics don’t necessarily translate to good behavior. The pets filling out our families can be like extra children, acting hyper, sulking, fighting with their siblings and inopportunely relieving their bladders. Most owners accept some responsibility in the behavior equation, but many are content to weather and apologize for problems rather than explore the roots.

Experts are there if you need them, and they offered insights into some of the top issues associated with America’s favorite furry friends.

Dogs

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but it takes patience and persistence on the owner’s part for an well-behaved pup. That’s where Las Vegas dog specialists Derek and Lissette Anovick come in.

The Anovicks, a married couple working for international dog-training company Bark Busters, both quit their day jobs to pursue their passion of helping animals. But a big part of training dogs is teaching their owners why they act the way they do.

“It’s a labor of love,” Derek Anovick said. “To get into dog training, you’ve got to be a good people-person in addition to a dog person.”

Disobedience

Whatever theories you have about your dog ignoring your commands, it’s likely because you haven’t established yourself as the leader of the pack — even if the pack is just you and him. “The dogs are stressed for a reason,” Derek said. “The dogs have separation anxiety for a reason. So reassure them: ‘Hey look, I’m the alpha here; I’m guarding the cave; I kill the meat and bring it home to the pack members; I’m protecting you out on a hunt when we’re walking. Translating it into canine psyche and reassuring the dog, ‘I got this,’ is a tremendous relief to the dogs, because that’s why they’re scared; that’s why they’re aggressive.”

• Solution: Make your behavior consistent. And remember that good leadership isn’t based on fear of punishment or the promise of a treat; it’s about the dog understanding that the leader of the pack — you — provides safety and resources.

Puppies being puppies

“You just can’t train puppyhood out of a puppy — that’s impossible,” Derek said. “We can manage them and educate them, but you can’t expect a puppy to lie on a couch for 12 hours a day. They’re going to want to play.”

• Solution: This is less about changing the dog’s behavior and more about working on your patience with the natural developmental process. Whether it’s potty training or discouraging the urge to luxuriate on the couch, it will take some time to condition your pup to house rules. Would you expect a human baby to behave like an adult? In both cases, it helps to create a regular routine and stick to it.

Aggression

Dogs are byproducts of their environment. So while hitting or shocking them might deter bad behavior in the moment, Derek says it can foster tendencies in the animal that might be dangerous. “It’s like having a loaded gun lying around,” he said. “You never know if the dog will act out.

“If you need training, contact a professional. … Don’t use shock collars, prong collars or fear-based techniques. They’re banned in many Scandinavian countries for a reason.”

Solution: Learn to discipline without violence. While Derek said approaches differ based on circumstances (i.e., separating your dog from a fight at the park versus isolating him if he growls at your young nephew), the general advice is to assert your authority when things get tense. Stand tall, move into the animal’s space slowly and speak calmly in short commands. Let the dog know that you’re in control and he doesn’t need to defend you against other animals or people.

Separation anxiety

“We live in a society now where people work two jobs and 12 to 13 hours a day, so the byproducts of that are stressed-out dogs who don’t have their owners, and they’re worried,” Derek said. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) notes that separation anxiety happens more with dogs from shelters than those raised in one home since puppyhood. However, dogs can develop separation anxiety for numerous other reasons, like an inconsistent schedule or a change in residence or household members — maybe you brought home a new baby, or your child went off to college.

Solution: Find the cause of the behavior and address it. The Humane Society offers some tips: Leave an old article of clothing with the dog that holds your scent, and create as predictable a routine as possible so the dog has some sense of your rhythms.

Sibling rivalry

If you have multiple pets, they might compete for the valuable resource of your affection, which they connect to food, toys and other essentials. Unfortunately, that competition can translate to jealousy and aggressive behavior.

Solution: Take a look at your actions: Are you spending more time with one dog? Do you feed one more often? Did you properly introduce the new dog to the senior dog? The first step is addressing your role, and the second is to try the “nothing in life is free” approach to behavior modification. This teaches the pets that good behavior results in treats or a cuddle session, that prizes can be earned by obeying. According to the Humane Society, such positive reinforcement communicates “that you are the leader because you control all the resources.”

Cats

Some people are convinced cats can’t be trained, that they’re too headstrong. Pet behavior counselor Rebecca Zisch says a bigger problem might be the assumption that cats inherently know what we want from them — something we never expect from their canine counterparts. “I don’t call it training; it’s behavior modification,” Zisch said of her work inside the homes of Las Vegas cat lovers. “We’re asking the animal to take natural behaviors and do them in a different way.”

Liz Stelow, a veterinarian and behavior clinician at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, said cats are easy to train. “But our society doesn’t seem to notice or particularly care. We have more stringent standards of what a well-behaved dog looks like, partly because we take them out in public with us,” she said. “We generally let cats ‘do their own thing.’ Our expectations of them are limited.”

Territorial spats

Zisch said two cats not getting along is the No. 1 problem she sees. Their personalities and routines may not be anything alike, yet owners put them together and expect them to share food, space and attention. “I’ve been called where there’s been bloodshed — real fighting and fisticuffs,” she said, describing clients who lived for years keeping their pets in separate rooms rather than surrender one to the shelter. Zisch said a violent dynamic often arises from a poor introduction, meaning humans don’t address signs of aggression when it counts. And, she says, “most people are blaming the wrong cat.”

• Solution: Know how to spot aggression and prevent a potential fight, because letting cats battle it out is not the answer. The ASPCA says offensive postures include a direct stare with constricted pupils; growling, howling or yowling; upright ears; a stiff tail and lowered head. Defensive postures include crouching and turning sideways; hissing or spitting; wide eyes with dilated pupils; and curling the tail around the body while delivering quick strikes with clawed front paws. Stop the fight, then evaluate what got the aggressor upset. If it’s related to territory, try separating the resources, putting identical beds, litter boxes and food bowls in different parts of the house.

Ignoring the litter box

Cat owners have called Zisch in a panic if new pets don’t use their litter boxes immediately. She points again to the assumption that the cat just knows what to do with equipment it may find unfamiliar. And more often than not, the owners haven’t tried any training. “The cat isn’t going to turn around and be the image of perfection tomorrow,” she said. “It really is a process.”

• Solution: The first consideration should be the type of box. Animal Planet recommends having multiples (two for one cat, three for two cats) big enough to allow turning around and kicking litter over the waste (kittens need low sides to get in and out). Location-wise, choose quiet spots to which your cat gravitates. They are instinctive about learning the litter-box routine, but it helps if you present it right away and place your pet inside after eating, napping or playing.

Standoffishness

Most dogs warm to people quickly, while cats often are characterized as more emotionally complex and aloof. So how do you interpret their body language? Stelow says they communicate more subtly than dogs. She compared their typical reactions to an owner’s arrival home from a day at work, with the dog running, wagging, sniffing and hurling toys while the cat either ignores you completely or saunters over to gently rub against your leg. “There are exceptions to these examples, but they underscore the difference in the energies the two species devote to their social relationships,” she said.

• Solution: Don’t force it. The only way to encourage more interactions is to make them consistently positive. “Find out what the cat finds pleasant. It may be food, petting on the body, scratching under the chin, or just sitting next to someone quiet. It is equally important to find out what a cat doesn’t like, like petting, a certain scent you’re wearing, or something else it finds offensive,” Stelow said. “These things, obviously, would need to be minimized to increase the frequency of the cat seeking out the person.”

'Presents'

Being natural hunters, cats are known to deposit dead or wounded prey around or inside the house. Contrary to popular belief, Zisch says, it’s not an offering to their owners. “They’re just indicating that this is home. ‘I know this is a safe place,’ ” she said, noting that domesticated cats often don’t eat their kill because there’s kibble inside.

• Solution: Cultivate an “indoor cat,” satisfying his need to hunt with toys and puzzles. If you’d rather let him roam, put a bell on his collar that will warn birds and rodents.

Urine marking

Stelow and Zisch agree that cats don’t pee on your belongings vindictively. The latter said it’s a way of marking territory, maybe when a new animal or even a person enters the home. Stelow said it’s a sign of stress in the animal’s living situation, or maybe “the hallmark of a problem” that needs a vet’s attention.

• Solution: The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine advises never to punish a cat for urine marking. Instead, give reassurance and try to mitigate whatever caused the anxiety. Make sure to clean the marked areas with enzymatic solution that will kill the scent, otherwise the cat will continue to spray.

Don’t forget to consider less common pets

• Rat. Rats have a marketing problem. Because their wild counterparts can cause trouble and spread disease, even the sweetest ones are associated with pests. And their less fluffy, more angular appearance makes them no competition for hamsters in the cuddly department. But their intelligence and highly social, affectionate demeanor make them far superior pets. Vetstreet.com says rats recognize and respond to the sight and sound of their owners, and they relish hanging out with their human pack.

• Chinchilla. These exceedingly soft rodents with roots in the Andes Mountains of South America could be considered high maintenance, but once you understand their routines and show yourself to be gentle and consistent, they can be playful and deeply bonded friends. Their thick coats require a daily dust bath, and cages should be multilevel with plenty of perches and other objects enabling exercise. Just keep in mind that they can live 20 years, so be ready for a long commitment.

• Bearded dragon. They might look like extras from “Game of Thrones,” but “beardies” are more like teddy bears than dragons. Their docile nature has resulted in countless photos in costume on the internet: the Easter Bunny, Princess Leia, a kilt-wearing Scotsman, a shark — you name it, and the bearded dragon has worn it. Reptiles magazine rates it “one of the all-time best lizard pets” for being as hardy as it is tame and fun to watch. They can grow to be 2 feet long, so make sure you can accommodate a pet that isn’t pocket-size.

• Hermit crab. Those looking for a pet with serious longevity should consider the hermit crab. The tiny crustacean has been known to carry its shell/home around a well-maintained tank for 30 years, demanding very little and defying the definition of its name. “They burrow in the sand, crawl on top of rocks and will even curiously investigate items in their environments. Occasionally, you may even hear a chirping sound from your hermit crab,” Animal Planet reports. Quick trivia: They enjoy the occasional snack of fruit.

• Love bird. This compact parrot absolutely fits its name. Love birds bond intensely and crave social connection. Writing for life-advice website The Spruce, vet Lianne McLeod said they don’t need to be bought in pairs. They can get just as close to humans, but will favor another bird if there’s a choice. If you decide to take on the full responsibility for their emotional needs, be prepared to spend quality time — otherwise you’ll be dealing with a feather child who’s aggressive and jealous.

Why you shouldn’t keep a truly wild animal

Yes, the viral videos of raccoons and squirrels that have been rescued and incorporated into families are adorable, but animal experts advise against it. Here in the valley, you’re more likely to stumble on a desert tortoise, which should be left exactly where it is — even if it’s dead — unless you want to suffer the consequences of breaking state law and the protections of the Endangered Species Act. In general, keep these factors in mind when you’re tempted to take a wild creature home:

1. It’s illegal. If you find an injured animal, it’s best to call in a targeted rescue group or, if it’s safe and practical, transport the animal to a vet hospital that takes such pro bono cases. A good place to start is the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Its automated service will direct you to local organizations that deal with specific animals. Call 702-486-5127 for the Las Vegas office and 702-486-6742 for the Henderson office.

2. The domestication process takes centuries.

3. Wild creatures carry diseases, no matter how cute they are.

4. Take a breath before deciding a baby has been abandoned. Your rescue efforts might be doing a disservice to young animals that appear to have been left by their mothers. According to the Mother Nature Network, mamas might stash their babies somewhere during the day and take off to avoid drawing attention. They also could be hiding in the background, waiting for you to split. If you’ve checked over time and are sure, follow the same practice you would for an injured adult.