Stuffed Animals

Despite the indisputable benefits of having a pet around, prospective pet owners need to consider a number of issues from the animal’s point of view before they commit to a furry friend, particularly a long-lived one like a cat or dog. Many people fail to think about the practical aspects of life with a pet before they take a trip to the pet store or the Humane Society. In some cases, this lack of foresight can result in unhappy pets and unhappy owners if the situation isn’t well suited to both parties. This danger is particularly acute for those who live in apartments.

Many apartment buildings have restrictions on the type or number of pets that tenants are allowed to keep. Most commonly, apartment dwellers can have cage-bound pets such as fish, small reptiles, or small birds, but are forbidden from having cats and dogs. Although this might appear to be a selfish move on the part of the apartment managers, there are other, very sensible reasons for this type of regulation. Not only does it save money on cleaning and repairs when tenants move out, it also prevents serious problems that can arise if pets escape. Because apartment and condos are characterized by a high resident density, an escaped dog can be a real threat to neighboring children or individuals with allergies.

Considering neighbors isn’t the only reason to think twice before inviting a dog or cat into your apartment. Consideration should also be given to the animals themselves. Unfortunately, such inter-species empathy is fairly rare. Many people think about the benefits they themselves will receive from having a pet, never dwelling on how their individual living situations will affect the pet. If you live in an urban area of a large city, you have probably seen apartment-dwellers walking their dogs around the local park. In some unfortunate cases, this could be the only exercise the dog gets, having to spend the rest of its time cooped up in a small apartment where it’s unable to engage in the level of physical activity it needs to stay healthy. Read the rest of this entry »

Deviant behaviors have rarely straightforward causes, and the same logic applies for canine activities at night. Two underlying causes are:

Separation Anxiety
Night anxiety in dogs could be a form of canine separation anxiety. Dogs are highly social beings and their loving and loyal nature makes them very attached to their owners. But an unusual amount of attachment can cause a dog to behave very erratically in the absence of his loved one. While dogs are not as independent or aloof as cats, they can make do on their own, at least for sometime. A dog anxious at separation, cannot stand being left alone. And when the owner returns, an over-abundance of affection is displayed. Separation anxiety can be triggered or created. Some situations like the loss of a familiar figure, new house or neighborhood and change in schedule, where the dog is used to his owners coming home at a time and suddenly the timing changes, are known to cause anxiety problems. Abused dogs, or shelter bred and pet store pooches with a difficult early life, are more susceptible to separation anxiety.

A mental problem it may be, but separation issues result in very physical and rather crazy behavior from a dog. And such behavior patterns can assert themselves at night, when the owner is around, but not with the dog. So the dog is more anxious at the thought of being kept apart from his master. If your dog shows any of the following signs as nocturnal antics, it’s likely he’s suffering from separation issues:
•Scratching and pawing at closed doors or windows to try to get into your room
•Very vocal in distress – whines and pants incessantly, howling loudly
•Pacing throughout the house in a disturbed manner
•Defecating and urinating in random places
•Erratic acts of destruction, like chewing and biting stuff, or emptying dustbins
•Tries to harm itself by biting its tail or scratching at its face with claws out
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS)
We share so much in common with our dogs, even diseases and disorders. In older dogs, age can take a toll on mental ability and reasoning. This results in a change in the way a dog behaves. A normally active dog might sleep the whole day away and instead spend nights in a disturbed state. This sort of pattern is described as sundowning, a common symptom among people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Night anxiety in dogs is the one of the key symptoms of CDS or cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Read the rest of this entry »