Cathy has spent the past 35 years working in animal welfare.
She brings her experience and advice to the blog where you can find answers to common pet questions.

Dear Cathy, I have a one-year-old rescue dog named Ted. He is a Wheaten Terrier. I don’t know his past. He is very social with other dogs but is extremely shy with people. He wants to approach others but darts away if they try to pet him. This includes my family who sees him on…

Dear Cathy, We have a seven-pound Chihuahua mix that we found roaming the streets six years ago.  We absolutely love our dog, but he has one particular habit that absolutely drives us crazy. He constantly licks. If he’s on any piece of furniture, he licks. When not sleeping, he licks.  I’ve brought this to the…

Dear Cathy, My husband and I are moving to Nevada. We have two dogs who will be making the cross-country trip with us. One will be fine, but our Westie (West Highland Terrier) concerns us. He’s not a fan of being in the car. Any advice for how to make this a stress-free experience for…

Dear Cathy, I dog-sit my daughter’s lovable Yorkypoo occasionally. He happily jumps into my car, but makes the most horrendous earsplitting noises, barking, howling, all during the drive. Having him strapped in or in his kennel, having my husband hold him in his lap, makes no difference. Could he be car sick? Any idea on…

Dear Cathy, We have a seven-year-old Chihuahua mix. She has a problem leaking urine all the time. We took her to the vet and she was checked out and had an x-ray, but they couldn’t find anything wrong. They recommend a specialist, which costs thousands of dollars for testing. We do not have that kind…

Dear Cathy, I have a problem with Buster, my two-year-old Jack Russell Terrier. Buster loves attention, especially from new people or people he doesn’t see often. The problem is, he pees when he gets excited. I’ll let him out beforehand if I know someone is coming over. I also have unexpected guests go to the…

Dear Cathy, I read your response to the owner of a dog, Bella, who would become aggressive at times to other dogs in the dog park. I agree with your suggestions, but would offer another one. Our dog, Latte, was brutally attacked and became aggressive to other dogs on walks. I sought a trainer who…

Dear Cathy, My neighbors moved away and could not take their dog with them. We took Buster in with us. He is a five or six-year-old lab mix. Buster took to his new surroundings very well. He is housebroken, very gentle and obedient. All in all, he’s a very nice dog and we are happy…

Dear Cathy, I have a ten-year-old German Shepherd. She has been fighting a staph infection for the past three years. She is currently being treated by a dermatologist and has been through every medication available, but is no longer healing or getting any relief. I would say approximately 75% of her body is covered in…

Dear Cathy, My veterinarian has been trying to help my dog keep from constant scooting since age four. She is more than 13-years-old and still does it, fussing and whining because her anal sacs are irritated. The veterinarian empties the sacs, as needed. I add fiber products in her wet food as advised by my…

Dear Cathy, I need help with a one-year-old beagle mix that has suddenly become afraid to walk on tile.  She whines in a room or hallway until you go and get her. I have tried rugs, but that has not worked, and treats, which works fairly well, but I have to go get her. I…

Dear Cathy, I have a ten-year-old Maltese/Shih Tzu mix, in relatively good health. About a year ago, my veterinarian put him on a senior diet because of a slightly raised creatine level, which now is back to normal. He was not pleased with the new food, and I had to try eight different brands. He…

Dear Cathy, I adopted a three-year-old cockapoo from a shelter. Within two days, I realized he could not hear and confirmed it with my veterinarian. The vet said there seemed to be a residual ear infection, which we treated. He also tested positive for Lyme disease. I have only had him for a short period…

Dear Cathy, We have a three-year-old Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix). As a puppy, she was abused and kept in a small cage. We brought her home at eight months old. When we put her down on the floor, she took off running around the house and was so excited she ran until she collapsed. We are…

Dear Cathy, Rosie, my nine-year-old Scottie (Scottish Terrier), has been trying to hide her dry dog food with the cloth mat, which is under the bowl.  She also puts some food in her kitchen bed, which is near the bowl. She does eventually eat it all. I’ve been feeding her the same dry food for…

Dear Cathy, I adopted a lab/pug mix from a local shelter, and we just love her. Unfortunately, she’s a digger. She is digging our tree and lilac roots, which she pulls out and chews up. I’m hoping it might be a vitamin deficiency that we can fix with nutrition, otherwise any suggestions? I have put…

Dear Cathy, I have a ten-year-old and 13-year-old Boston terrier and a two-year-old cat. My ten-year-old Billy is a handful. He is the busiest dog I have ever met. He licks constantly and cries and complains all the time. I love him to bits, but his behavior is very stressful and is a lot to…

Dear Cathy, Our Katie is a five-year-old Lab mix. She’s always been obedient and will lick you to death if you let her. Now suddenly, when little kids come over, she gets super excited and starts humping them. Why now, after all this time, is she doing this? I thought only male dogs hump. Any…

Dear Cathy, We have a wonderful Beagle/mix who is almost 10 years old. We are constantly amazed by Tanner’s intelligence and loving nature, but he has one behavior that we cannot seem to control.  He barks at everyone who walks by our house, whether or not they are walking a dog, and everyone who comes…

Dear Cathy, I have a 16-pound Havashu. We do not have a fenced yard, so she is walked several times a day. There are quite a few large dogs that we encounter on our walks through the neighborhood. Some are being walked and are leashed, and some are allowed loose. Sometimes, the people with the…

Dear Cathy, We boarded our 115-lb. white German Shepherd for 10 days. A few hours after picking him up from the kennel, we discovered he had fleas. The kennel owner said the flea life cycle was 14 days and therefore, my dog could not have gotten fleas during his stay. She said that the fleas…

Dear Cathy, I have an 11-year-old Maltese. For the last two years, we’ve noticed that whenever people come over, he gets extremely anxious and whines throughout their entire visit. He humps his toys. He licks his privates. I’ve read that as dogs get older they become more anxious. I’ve tried an anxiety shirt. It doesn’t…

Dear Cathy, I have a 14-year-old Min Pin (Miniature Pinscher) who has diabetes and is blind. She has started going in circles to the left, sometimes very rapidly. Do you have any idea what might be causing this? – Rande Repke, Naperville, IL Dear Rande, While circling could just be a new behavior, your girl’s age and…

Dear Cathy,  Sometimes it is difficult during heavy rains and really cold weather to stand outside in the backyard when our dog poops so we can make sure he doesn’t eat it. Is there any way to stop him from this habit except to stand outside and grab its before he eats it? — Virginia…

Dear Cathy, Our grand dog is one-year-old and not yet neutered. He has a habit of sticking his nose in people’s behinds. We’ve had success with eliminating his jumping up on people by using a spray bottle. But for this behavior, it is very difficult to spray when it could be effective. Do you have…

Dear Cathy, My three dogs, Reesie, Captain Jack, and Dobie, all eat a lot of grass. I was told the dog food I feed them is a good one. When I feed them, I add a little water to the food, so it isn’t so dry.  I do not let the food get soggy.  I…

Dear Cathy, I’m having a problem with my rescue dog, Bella, who is a 3-1/2-year-old Pitbull and Shar-Pei mix. When I take Bella and her two other furry friends to the dog park, she gets very aggressive with other dogs. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Bella will pounce, growl and snap at another dog who is…

Dear Cathy, When my mother passed away, I inherited her cocker spaniel.  He ate dog food as a puppy, but as an adult, she fed him table scraps. He eats green beans, baked chicken and turkey jerky, among his favorites. He is eight, and I was wondering if it is too late to try to…

Dear Cathy,  My son recently bought a three-month-old Boston Terrier named Riley, who is now receiving all of his necessary vaccinations. My son has been advised the next vaccination will be for the parvovirus, but because of the side effects he’s heard and read about, he is clearly leaning toward not getting this shot for…

Dear Cathy, My ten-year-old dog gnaws occasionally on his front legs, which end up red, inflamed and bare of hair. What might be causing this and how do I treat it? – Mel Davenport, Longview, Texas Dear Mel, Dogs itch for a variety of reasons, ranging from boredom and anxiety to fleas, food allergies and…

Dear Cathy, Your suggestions to James C. in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, who was having problems bonding with his daughter’s dog, were good ones, including bringing a special toy for the dog and helping walk or feed the dog while visiting. I also found avoiding eye contact with my in-laws’ dog helped tremendously. The dog was…

Dear Cathy, The lady who wrote in saying that she found collars and leashes to be “cruel” and preferred to train her rescue dogs without leads is asking for trouble. I don’t let my dogs off lead, even in areas where it is permitted. Why? Because owners may claim their dogs are friendly, but I have…

Dear Cathy, In April, I adopted a retired four-year-old greyhound. I named him Geo. He suffers from extreme separation anxiety. He barks and whines when I am away. I tried doing the limited time apart, but after an hour, he reverts back to whining and barking. I purchased a new larger kennel and started letting…

Dear Cathy, One of your recent columns reminded me of this story. It was Christmas day, and I was expecting fifteen relatives for dinner. The house was sparkling clean, the buffet table was set up with my best china, the cold food platters were in the refrigerator, and the hot food was bubbling in the oven.…

Dear Cathy, My adult daughter and her family have a female lab mix named Scooby. Despite my seeing her three to four times a year (they live in Atlanta), she is always afraid of me and will sometimes bark and growl at me. Eventually she calms down and I can pet her. Even though she…

Dear Cathy,  My son has an almost four-year-old lab mix. These past few months, her fur seems to be coming off in patches around her body, it scabs and bleeds at times. She seems to be losing weight as well. We don’t know what’s causing this. We want to take her to the vet, but…

Dear Cathy, I adopted BeBe two years ago. She is a mixed breed terrier about eight-years-old. She is very devoted to me. She follows me when I leave the room and hides under the bed when I leave the house. She has two issues I hope you can help me with. First, she barks at…

Dear Cathy, We recently adopted a two-year-old male dog from a rescue shelter. He is a Pomeranian/Fox Terrier mix and was neutered and housebroken when we got him. Five people live in our home and he has become a very loving, happy, and content member of the family. The problem is, when left home alone,…

Dear Cathy, My ten-year-old dog gnaws occasionally on places on his front legs that end up looking bare of hair and inflamed. How do I treat that? – Ann Railsback Pitts, Moyock, North Carolina Dear Ann, Dogs chew on themselves because they itch, either from fleas, allergies, or even a habit formed by anxiety or…

Dear Cathy, My son and daughter-in-law are having their first baby in October. They have informed us that they plan on adopting a pit bull from a rescue. My wife and I are against it. We will fear not only for them but the baby. I know people say it’s how the dog is raised.…

Dear Cathy, Your column often reminds me of our first dog – a sweet beagle who literally adopted us. One night, she was sitting in the garage when I came out to put newspapers into recycling. That poor dog cowered and crawled backwards to get away. I can’t imagine how mistreated she must have been…

Dear Cathy, We have a four-year-old Chiweenie who likes only four people and one other dog. He is afraid of everyone else. We want to go on vacation in the RV and leave him at home because otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to do anything or go anywhere. My sons are not able to take…

Dear Cathy, A few months ago we moved to a community that requires dogs to be leashed while walking. Leash walking has been clearly stated in our newsletter several times. If someone ignores this community rule, they are fined at some point, but I don’t know if that has ever happened. In our previous home,…

Dear Cathy, Our ten-year-old rescue, Buddy, a Poodle Bichon, recently began to lick both fore ankles, just above the paws. He has licked his white fur turning it into an ugly, angry pink, and the skin looks raw.  We have checked him for parasites and found nothing. He has been to the groomer and bathed,…

Dear Cathy, We are friends with an elderly couple who adopted a young rescue about ten years ago. The wife passed away about a month ago, and suddenly the dog is peeing on the carpet three times in one day, even though he has a doggie door that he does continue to use regularly. This…

Dear Cathy, You really brought up a hot-button issue the other day. While walking on a trail, we came upon a large dog off-leash. The owner told us not to worry that her dog was well trained. I pulled my Shih Tzu close to me. Her dog came over though, and before we knew it,…

Dear Cathy, What causes a six-year-old dog to go blind in less than a week? Is there anything we can do to fix it? The vet says she has SARDS. — J. Vozzo, Henderson, Nevada Dear J, While several conditions can cause your dog to go blind quickly, if your veterinarian says your dog has…

Dear Cathy, Your column is interesting, and I enjoy reading it. But, you dropped the ball on your advice to the parent of the husky Krypto. Krypto’s mom Darlene said, “He drinks gallons of water every day. In fact, when the vet took a sample, it was almost all water. He pees a lot too.…

Dear Cathy, Whenever I have to go out during the day, I leave my 12-year-old Golden Retriever in the backyard where she has ample shade, a covered patio and a large bowl of fresh water.  She does not drink any water when I am out even if am gone for most of the day and…

Dear Cathy, I recently adopted a two-year-old dog rescue from China. She had been in a rescue center here for three weeks when I got her. She is a wonderful dog, but, probably because of her background, has no interest in any toys, not even the ones that offer a reward. I take her for…

Dear Cathy, Our 13-year-old Havanese has begun barking when we are not home. We only discovered this after installing a video camera in our home that turns on when there is noise. He barks every 10 to 15 minutes when we are not at home. Since we live in a detached home, we have never…

Dear Cathy, For the past few weeks, my ten-year-old poodle has been pawing the rug in my living room. As a result, the nap is being pulled up. Please tell me why he is doing this and how I can handle this situation other than correcting him with a no command. – Evelyn, Massapequa, New…

Dear Cathy, We rescued a miniature poodle in 2016. He was five months old. It has been a trying 18 months. We took (obedience) training with him and he got the basics. He just turned two and no longer eats everything he finds. But he has bitten both my husband and me on multiple occasions.…

Dear Cathy, I have a one-year-old terrier mix who is very calm and sweet all day until bedtime. She comes to bed with us and immediately begins to scratch and paw at the bed covers. This behavior continues until I pick her up and calm her down. Finally, she will lie down and then sleep…

Dear Cathy, My wife and I recently purchased our fourth German Shepherd. Two have passed, and we have one who is 11-years-old. Our previous puppies’ ears stood up at about two to three months, but our new addition turns four months tomorrow, and her ears still droop. We feed her a brand of puppy chow,…

Dear Cathy, I would like to bring some attention to a terrible disease that strikes all breeds of dogs, but rarely gets any publicity – Canine Intestinal Lymphangiectasis, which is an intestinal disease, causing diarrhea, swelling, and malabsorption. I had never heard of it before my eight-year-old Bulldog Daisy was diagnosed through an ultrasound and…

Dear Cathy,  We have a 16-1/2-year-old rescue Jack Russell. He is the love of our lives. He recently went deaf and now is almost blind as well. He recently underwent surgery to have 13 teeth pulled. He’s a real trooper. Even though he has all these old age issues, he remains spry when he’s up.…

Dear Cathy,  What can I do to discourage my doxie’s occasional dog-poop eating? I try to pick it up every day but sometimes she gets back outside before I do. Also, my daughter can’t clean her yard every day and her dog “snacks” as well, sometimes bringing dried poop back inside – yuck! Is there…

Dear Cathy, I catch your column in the Allentown Morning Call. I found your column about basically taming your house cat very helpful. My parents are amazed at how our 10-year-old cat has been transformed over the last year. Who knew you could teach an old cat new tricks? I am hoping you could help…

Dear Cathy, My 15-week-old silver Labrador is our pride and joy, but she just won’t stop biting. What do you suggest? – Frank, Oro Valley, Arizona Dear Frank, Puppies teethe around four-months-old and need teething toys and lessons from you on what’s acceptable to put in their mouths.  Don’t use your hands or arms to…

Dear Cathy, My dog is six and a half years old and had to have her teeth cleaned about a year ago. Since then, I had started brushing her teeth almost every day, as the vet suggested. Now she will not let me get near her mouth to brush her teeth. She doesn’t growl or…

Dear Cathy, I adopted a four-year-old Maltese mix several months ago. He has a very sparse amount of hair on his chest area and inside of his legs. The rest of his hair is fine and thin.  I thought this might be due to stress and diet. He eats well and is a very happy…

Dear Cathy, During wintery weather, our 14-year-old 10-pound female Chihuahua mix dog doesn’t want to go outside. Normally, we go for walks two to three times daily to take care of her toileting needs. Because of the snow and cold weather, however, she refuses to have bowel movements outside and will wait almost the entire…

Dear Cathy, Our wonderful sweet rescue dog, Pippin, has developed some sort of anxiety at bedtime. This behavior has come out of the blue. He is about eight and we have had him almost five years. Until recently, he seemed to really love bedtime. He would jump into our bed and cuddle. When we turned…

In a sensational world, headlines about dog bites and canine aggression tend to focus on certain breeds rather than the circumstances that create these behaviors. If you really want to understand canine behavior, then you need to know there are two types of dogs living in the United State, according to the National Canine Research…

The other day while teaching a pets and babies class for new parents-to-be, I asked the group what their biggest concern was about their pets and babies interacting. On this day, the concerns were almost unanimous: Everyone who had dogs was concerned about their dog’s jumping behavior. Rambunctious pooches jump because they are excited and…