All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

Mikkel and Willy

Video: Teaching your new dog a new name

Fear Free, , ,

If you’ve adopted a new dog, you may want to change his or her name. Should you? And if so, how?

In this latest video in her ongoing training series with our friends at Bissell, my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, says it’s absolutely okay to change the name of a new dog, and shares some tips on how to do it (it’s easy!).

The video also features her late dog, our Grand-dog Willy — so it’s bittersweet!

Check it out below:

(This post is not sponsored by Bissell, but they are a valued sponsor of Fear Free.)

Reagan training Qt Pi

Video: What you know about training dogs with treats may be wrong

News, , ,

No, using treats to train dogs doesn’t mean that you always have to have a treat to get your dog to listen.

In this latest video in her ongoing myth-buster series with our friends at Bissell, my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, will explain why that is, and how to reinforce your pet’s training without treats.

Check it out below:

(This post is not sponsored by Bissell, but they are a valued sponsor of Fear Free.)

Very old black cat resting on hammock

Is cognitive decline or vision loss causing your older cat’s litter box issues?

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine, ,

While your first reaction when your cat stops using the litter box reliably should be to see the vet about a possible urinary tract infection, there are other reasons for this problem. In older cats, that can be caused by vision loss or cognitive decline. Here’s my advice to a reader whose senior cat is no longer using the litter box at night.

Q: We have a 16-year-old female cat who has always been neat about using her cat box, but now she won’t pee in it. She spends most of the day in our fenced backyard, and she has a litter box in our laundry room for when she’s in at night. Every morning we have to clean a puddle of pee next to her litter box.

We have tried different cat litters, including clumping and non-clumping; we put out two litter boxes, each with a different type of litter; we’ve moved the boxes to different locations in the laundry room; we clean the litter boxes daily, so they are always clean. Our vet suggested that it’s a bit of cat dementia rather than anything physical. Do you have any thoughts on why she is doing this and what we can do about it? We love our cat, but we are tired of cleaning the laundry room floor every morning.

A: I assume your cat is able to get into the litter box without any problem if she is defecating inside it. If she is having this issue only at night, maybe she has developed vision problems and is having trouble finding the box to get into it. Can you leave on a night light or other light? You may also want to set down pee pads next to the litter box for easier cleanup.

As your veterinarian mentioned, cats can lose housetraining if they are experiencing cognitive decline. You may want to ask about a drug called selegiline (Anipryl) that is used in dogs with dementia. It is not labeled for use in cats, but some veterinarians prescribe it off label. It has a similar success rate in cats as it does in dogs: Approximately one-third benefit from it, one-third see slighter improvement, and one-third experience no change.

Read more in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.

Giving dog a treat

Video: When your dog’s misbehavior isn’t your fault

Fear Free, , ,

How many times have you heard that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners? How often do you blame yourself for your dog’s persistent bad habits like jumping, digging, or destructive chewing?

My daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, is here to tell you that you may not be to blame at all. It’s part of her ongoing myth-buster series with our friends at Bissell.

Check it out below:

(This post is not sponsored by Bissell, but they are a valued sponsor of Fear Free.)

Mold in the home puts pets at risk

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine

If you’re wondering if mold in your home is as bad for your pets as it is for people, here’s the answer: It may be worse for them than us. Here’s how I explained it to a reader.

Q: We discovered three weeks ago that our house has black mold, thanks to all the rain we’ve been having. Can that affect our pets? I’ve noticed that our 12-year-old pug has puffy eyes and is coughing and sneezing.

A: You bet! In fact, pets may be more susceptible to the ill effects of mold because they are often closer to it, being lower to the ground.

Evidence shows that in humans, exposure to indoor mold is linked to such symptoms as coughing and wheezing. While there’s no proven association for pets, they can experience similar signs. Humans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or asthma may have difficulty breathing when exposed to molds. It makes sense that pets with shortened muzzles, such as pugs or bulldogs, could also have difficulty breathing in this situation. Pets with allergies or suppressed immune systems may be more susceptible to the effects of molds as well.

Different types of molds are common in moist indoor areas. They come in through open doors or windows, heating and air conditioning systems, on clothing and even on pet paws, so there’s no real way to avoid them. If indoor moisture is excessive — say you have leaks from rain, or your home floods — molds can grow out of control.

Your veterinarian can determine if your dog’s signs are related to mold or asbestos exposure, some other type of allergen or asthma, and prescribe an appropriate treatment.

For long-term health of humans and pets in your family, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mold can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water or a solution of 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water (more bleach is not better). You will likely have to remove and replace carpets, insulation or wallboard in which mold is growing.

Read more in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.