www.ShannonLHill.com

Rescues and shelters all over the United States are constantly inundated with pets surrendered by owners who “can’t keep them”.  The most common reason given is behavior, followed closely by “We have a new baby (or puppy)”.  To these people, I say this.  PETS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE.  If your child behaves badly, will you turn him in to a shelter for probable euthanasia as well? 

If your pet exhibits behavior problems, address the problems.  Yelling and whacking your pet with the traditional newspaper will not get you where you need to go.  If your pet has “accidents” in the house, then make sure your pet can go outside with adequate frequency, and make sure he actually takes care of business while he’s out there.  If necessary, keep him crated for a couple of weeks, so that he gets back in the habit of “holding it” until he is in an appropriate location.  Very young and very old pets need to go outside more often; make sure you take the animal’s age and health into account.  If that doesn’t do the trick, consult your vet, as a sudden onset of housebreaking issues can indicate medical problems, not a bad attitude. 

Likewise, if a formerly friendly pet suddenly shows aggression, try to figure out why.  Did something change in the household?  New boyfriend, new puppy, new baby?  Could your pet be in pain?  The most probable causes for sudden aggression are physical pain and stress due to change in circumstances.  Neither of these is the animal’s fault, and both can be addressed. 

If you suspect pain, head for the vet’s office; there are many safe treatments available, even for chronic pain.  If the problem is a change in circumstances, realize that your pet needs time to adjust.  New baby?  New puppy?  Introduce your pet to the baby (human or animal) under controlled circumstances, and above all, make sure that you still pay enough attention to the pet.  Many people get so caught up in the new arrival that they ignore their loyal pet.  Think how you’d feel – you’d be inclined to either act out to get attention, or else you’d resent the intruder.  It’s so easy to prevent this disaster, with a little forethought, a couple of baby gates, and some supervision.

Pets are a lifelong commitment; let’s treat them as such.