Puppies at this age need social interaction more than anything
My nine-year-old dog is getting really skinny now. Is this because he is getting older?
There could be a physical problem. Usually older dogs slow down and will gain weight unless their food is adjusted. If the vet doesn’t find a problem, go ahead and feed him a little more if he will eat it. Older dogs should have smaller but more frequent meals. Dogs that are too thin may not be getting the nutrition they need. You may need to adjust feeding and exerciseto reach an appropriate balance. Since this condition can have an impact on overall health, it is important that you see your vet if you think your dog is too thin. The dog may be ill.
We recently brought a six-month-old dog home to our two cats. The cats have learned to tolerate the dog, but he will not leave them alone, he always wants to play. When they express their displeasure, he lies down. When they retreat he follows them and licks them while holding them down with a paw. But the cats are not amused. They swipe at him, and sometimes connect. But, he interprets the cats’ defence as play. I don’t want my cats to be harassed. And he will just not leave them alone!
Puppies at that age need social interaction more than anything: hours and hours of it every day. It sounds like he’s starved for company and desperate for a playmate. Can you take him to a dog park and let him play with other dogs for an hour a day? Or make friends with someone else who has a puppy and let them hang out and play. He’ll be a better dog if you spend time on his social skills. It will take time, but you will have to be do a very sharp ‘stop it’ everytime he starts to focus on the cats. It will be easier if he understands you are in charge. You can buy a baby gate that is low enough for you to step over, and gate them apart when you want the dog to chill. This will give you immediate control over the situation while you work on your dog’s training. But if your cats are just hitting the puppy, they may actually be trying to play themselves. Cats tend to be assertive. If they aren’t hiding or clawing the puppy’s eyes out, they might be fine with it. It takes time for cats to be comfortable with dogs. My first response would be ‘do nothing’. They’re not going to develop an understanding between them if you interfere. Everytime the dog enters give the cats a treat so that they start thinking of him as a treat machine and become friendlier.
My nine-year-old dog is getting really skinny now. Is this because he is getting older?
There could be a physical problem. Usually older dogs slow down and will gain weight unless their food is adjusted. If the vet doesn’t find a problem, go ahead and feed him a little more if he will eat it. Older dogs should have smaller but more frequent meals. Dogs that are too thin may not be getting the nutrition they need. You may need to adjust feeding and exerciseto reach an appropriate balance. Since this condition can have an impact on overall health, it is important that you see your vet if you think your dog is too thin. The dog may be ill.
We recently brought a six-month-old dog home to our two cats. The cats have learned to tolerate the dog, but he will not leave them alone, he always wants to play. When they express their displeasure, he lies down. When they retreat he follows them and licks them while holding them down with a paw. But the cats are not amused. They swipe at him, and sometimes connect. But, he interprets the cats’ defence as play. I don’t want my cats to be harassed. And he will just not leave them alone!
Puppies at that age need social interaction more than anything: hours and hours of it every day. It sounds like he’s starved for company and desperate for a playmate. Can you take him to a dog park and let him play with other dogs for an hour a day? Or make friends with someone else who has a puppy and let them hang out and play. He’ll be a better dog if you spend time on his social skills. It will take time, but you will have to be do a very sharp ‘stop it’ everytime he starts to focus on the cats. It will be easier if he understands you are in charge. You can buy a baby gate that is low enough for you to step over, and gate them apart when you want the dog to chill. This will give you immediate control over the situation while you work on your dog’s training. But if your cats are just hitting the puppy, they may actually be trying to play themselves. Cats tend to be assertive. If they aren’t hiding or clawing the puppy’s eyes out, they might be fine with it. It takes time for cats to be comfortable with dogs. My first response would be ‘do nothing’. They’re not going to develop an understanding between them if you interfere. Everytime the dog enters give the cats a treat so that they start thinking of him as a treat machine and become friendlier.
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