Pets

Question: My puppy likes to suck my thumb, sometimes up to six times a day. Is this normal? She seems to get great satisfaction from it. Should I stop her from doing this? I should tell you I’ve had her since she was a day old. Pauline Foster Answer: It sounds like your little puppy […]

Question: My dog (my first) turns three soon. What’s the difference between dog and human years? Carolyn Answer: The old saying is that there are about seven dog years to one human year – which means she’d be celebrating her 21st! This is simplistic, but is roughly correct. Dogs grow and change more rapidly than […]

Question: My dog Ted will not go into his kennel. I have bought a wooden one and a plastic one and he doesn’t like either. He has his special pillow/blanket in both, but this doesn’t help as he keeps pulling them out. He has no shelter outside except for these kennels, so when it rains […]

Question: After training dogs and horses for 25 years, it seems to me the most common complaint is dogs pulling against the lead. If you don’t want your dog to pull, then don’t you pull! It’s as easy as that. A dog cannot pull against resistance that isn’t there! Short, firm tugs are a far […]

Question: I have a ten-year-old Maltese terrier. He is constantly licking things. He licks carpet, cement, clothes, blankets — everything. If he sits down next to me he will just start licking my clothes. Why does he do this? Rebecca Muir Answer: There could be a few possible causes for this behaviour so it’s probably […]

Question: I have two Maltese cross border collies who are five months old and they both suffer from travel sickness. They are not afraid of travelling, but if we go around too many corners, they’ll be sick after about 15-20 minutes. I’ve tried not feeding them before travelling but that didn’t work; they just threw […]

Question: Cat training tips Answer: Cats are quick learners. At feeding time, clap your hands or tap the food tin a certain way. Each time the cat hears your sound it will remember it and eventually the sound will be stored in the cat’s memory as meaning food. Watch your cat come running to that […]

Question: What’s the best way to clean up after cats? Answer: If your cat urinates on the carpet, don’t use any cleaning agents. The odour from these products can attract the cat back; it’s like waving a sign saying “wee here”. Use water or soda water instead and blot it up. Anika Currie

Question: My husband and I are planning on starting a family this year but worry our two-year-old Jack Russell cross, Jackie, might get jealous. She adores children but can get jealous when my attention is elsewhere. What can I do to make sure she is okay with a new addition to our family? Lisa Hunter […]

This purrsonality-plus puss is the pet for those who want an intense relationship with a character cat. No shrinking violet, the Siamese both demands and provides extremely stimulating companionship. Extraordinarily intelligent, inquisitive and resourceful, the Siamese usually insists on participating in all facets of your daily activities ? whether it be reading the newspaper with […]