DEAR DR. FOX: Six months ago, my family got an 18-month-old Husky rescue. We all think he’s the world’s best dog: friendly and happy, with a great temperament. He wags his tail, greets and licks everyone (strangers included) that come near him. I’m the grandpa, and have my own apartment in the house.

Three months ago, he started loudly barking at only me, and running away as if I were coming after him with an ax whenever I came near him. I call him and walk after him with a treat, and after five minutes of barking and running away, he’ll lie down, wag his tail, lick my hand and face, and let me rub his belly for as long as I want to. Then, when I get up and walk away, the whole scenario starts again from the beginning.

This happens all day, every day, and is especially bad when I come home late at night and he wakes everyone up with his barking. I never have, never would and never will do anything to hurt him, yell at him or scare him. What can I do to fix this? -- B.K., Manalapan, New Jersey

DEAR B.K.: My educated guess is that this dog is conflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder, most probably involving abuse from a person who resembles you. The memory flares up for no apparent reason except for your presence, and possibly your body language and scent.

Try changing your scent by having all family members share the same perfume for a week to 10 days. Essential oil of lavender is a good one, with calming effects on dogs. Also put a drop or two on a bandanna around the dog’s neck. There is also a commercially available dog-appeasement pheromone, which may also help if you put some on your wrists (dogappeasingpheromone.com). Then pet, groom or massage the dog, as per my book “The Healing Touch for Dogs.” Many dogs become addicted to a good massage!

Good luck, and keep me posted.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our 3-year-old cat has a cute habit that I have never seen before in other cats who have “owned” us. Poky will put his soft rubber ball and/or little soft “mousies” into his food or water bowl overnight. When I give him fresh water and food in the morning, I can almost always be certain of little treats from him to me.

My vet thought he was marking his territory because we have an older female cat, but I like to think it is a love offering. We have two water bowls, two food bowls and two litter boxes, which I think they use randomly.

What is your take on this behavior? -- R.W.R., Jupiter, Florida

DEAR R.W.R.: Some cats are very creative in the games they engage in. A friend of mine who’s involved with cat rescue and rehabilitation has one permanent resident feline, who will take her various toys and set one at a time on the stairs -- one step for each toy. Other cats will dunk some toys in the water or food bowl, like yours does.

My interpretation of these behaviors, sometimes confirmed by the cats’ yowling and parading around first with a selected toy in their mouths, is that they are carrying a “kitten” and then they put it in or beside the food or water bowl to get sustenance. Other cats use the toy as prey, in their feline imaginations, and make a game of catching it and batting it around in the water -- or, with my cat, under a towel or throw rug on the floor.

I would like to hear from other readers about their cats’ creativity in this regard. Siamese, in particular, like to chase thrown toys and actually retrieve them. And many cats are hoarders, keeping their toys in one place as though they have a litter of kittens or stash of food to be brought out on occasion, and then to be carefully put back.

DEAR DR. FOX: I’m writing to ask you why, when I’m on the floor and face-to-face with my rescued cockapoo, he looks into my face and automatically directs his attention to my right eye. It happens all the time, to the point that I asked my optometrist to check my right eye.

I am aware that dogs are able to scent out illnesses in humans. What do you think of my dog’s behavior when we are nose-to-nose with each other? -- J.G., Washington, D.C.

DEAR J.G.: It is good that you did have a checkup with your ophthalmologist, since dogs do have uncanny diagnostic abilities, especially in the realm of scent. Since nothing was found to be wrong with your eye, your dog may be focusing on your right eye since you may favor it for close visual focus (your so-called dominant eye).

Most dogs are very sensitive to eye contact, which they use to gauge what their human companion is communicating, both verbally and with body language/hand gestures. Some dogs are more eye contact-seeking than others, a reflection of their attentiveness. For some, a prolonged direct stare can be intimidating, especially from strangers. They may break eye contact and become submissive, or become defensive and growl. With familiar people making prolonged eye contact, dogs will reciprocate attentively and then wait for what the person wishes them to do next. Making eye contact is therefore a critical part of canine communication and training.

MOTHER’S PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO DOGS MAY BENEFIT KIDS’ HEALTH

In a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, researchers found that children whose mothers had a dog while pregnant (with at least an hour of indoor exposure per day) were significantly less likely to develop eczema as toddlers. Prenatal dog exposure was associated with lower odds of early or persistent eczema in very young children. (MedPage Today, Oct. 31)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR READERS: I am echoing the awareness postings in the U.K. by various groups such as the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, hoping to highlight what their consultant veterinarian, Dr. Richard Saunders, sees as a critical health care crisis for pet rabbits.

He says the health benefits of good-quality hay are incredible, and that some of the biggest welfare problems for rabbits -- from dental and gastrointestinal disease, to obesity and fly strike -- are often caused by poor diet. Rabbit owners in the U.S., like those in the U.K., may be feeding their bunnies mainly pellets, and not sufficient hay.

Visit rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk for more details. Readers who have rabbits or are contemplating bringing one into their homes will enjoy Marie Mead’s book, “Rabbits: Gentle Hearts, Valiant Spirits -- Inspirational Stories of Rescue, Triumph and Joy.”

DEAR DR. FOX: My husband and I adopted a schnauzer/terrier mix from the Animal League, a no-kill shelter in Green Valley, Arizona, where I volunteered for several years before we moved back to New Jersey. The dog loves people and is friendly with other dogs. The only time he’s not is when he sees someone riding a bicycle. Then, he gets very vicious.

My only thought is that, before he was found tied to a post in Tucson, he may have been abused by someone riding a bike.

He is such a loving dog and we adore him, but we’re unsure how to handle this problem. Any suggestions from you will be greatly appreciated. -- J.S., Toms River, New Jersey

DEAR J.S.: Your dog’s apparent phobic reaction toward bicycles could be related to some earlier traumatic experience involving a bicycle and rider, as you say. It could also be that, from his perspective, bicycles are simply threatening, and should be chased down or defended against.

Either way, I would borrow a bicycle for a few days and bring it into the house. Spin the wheels, and sit on it and move the pedals. Such “total immersion”/exposure should quickly desensitize your dog, who will learn that there is nothing to fear.

If you have an enclosed yard, sit on the bike and let your dog habituate to seeing you or a friend sitting on the bike, and have him come up for a treat. Do several repetitions of approach-sit-reward. He will learn to associate pleasure rather than fear with being near the bicycle. If successful, maybe after three daily sessions of 10-15 minutes, keep the dog on a leash while someone rides around on the bicycle, while you have your dog sit. Give him a few treats as long as he remains quiet.

CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE TO CATS MIGHT REDUCE ASTHMA RISK

Some children who grow up in households with cats may be less likely than those in cat-free households to develop asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory problems, according to a study from the Copenhagen Studies on Asthma in Childhood Research Center. Researchers linked the effect to a specific gene variant, and exposure to bacteria, fungi or viruses that cats carry into the home might deactivate the gene, said study leader Jakob Stokholm. (The Telegraph, Nov. 9)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR READERS: The personal enjoyment, educational and scientific value of keeping reptiles and amphibians in captivity are justifications that can only be validated by an anthropocentric view of other species. Such a view is antithetical to the principles of veterinary bioethics, because these animals are inevitably harmed and treated as commodities.

Effective international regulatory oversight of trade in wildlife species (including birds and mammals), and of captive breeding facilities to ensure basic health and welfare standards, are not realistic -- as evidenced by the well-documented high mortality rates reported in several scientific reviews. Most species bought as pets die within the first year, and the stress of capture, holding and transportation of those not bred in captivity results in unacceptable and unsustainable mortality rates.

The veterinary profession is caught in a bioethical dilemma: providing essential services for such animals kept as pets, and thus indirectly supporting the live-animal commodity market/industry. I was glad to read a recent report by Joanna Klein in The New York Times summarizing these same concerns from scientific veterinary articles under the heading, “Debate Grows About Keeping Exotic Animals.”

British veterinarian Dr. Martin Whitehead and associates conducted a survey of veterinarians in the U.K. and found that on average, vets believed pet reptiles’ welfare needs were not well met. There was overwhelming disapproval of keeping wild-caught reptiles as pets. Dr. Whitehead wrote the following to me: “Because it is difficult to recognize suffering in some species, we humans, including vets, tend to believe the suffering is much less than it is. And the less a species is like us humans, the less we care about the animal or regard it as important, so even when we see the suffering of a lizard, it doesn’t affect us -- ‘matter’ to us -- in the same way as the suffering of a dog.”

I would appeal to everyone not to support the exotic pet industry -- an industry that is not engaged in humane and sustainable business practices in accord with the principles of bioethics. Bioethics, like reverence for life, can help emancipate us, and all life, from what Pope Francis calls “a tyrannical anthropocentrism unconcerned for other creatures.” (from his encyclical “Laudato Si”)

DEAR DR. FOX: I thought I would respond to the letter from the man who wrote that he and his wife had recently rescued a Chihuahua mix, and were having a difficult time with housebreaking. I agree that the dog should be checked thoroughly by a vet, in case there is a physical reason. I also want to share our story.

We “rescued” (purchased) a Boston terrier, Mini Me, who was 13 months old. We knew the breeder, and had purchased a puppy from her a few years before. The breeder admitted Mini Me was not housebroken. As a matter of fact, I found out through a friend that none of their dogs ever gets to go outside. They all stay inside the house, and those dogs who get out of their kennels do their business on newspapers in the kitchen! I can only imagine what that house smells like!

Mini Me stunk horribly when we got her. We had met the breeder halfway between their home and ours, about four hours’ drive for each of us. Before we got there, they had taken her for a brief walk to get her to potty, but she did not go. They told us that Mini had never been outside before.

We discovered several things over the next few weeks. As soon as the food bowl went on the floor, she began gobbling as quickly as she could. The breeder had told us that Mini had to compete with one or two littermates in a small kennel, and if she didn’t dig in, she would not eat that day! She still does this somewhat, but not like she used to.

Mini had lived in that little cage her entire life until we brought her home with us. The breeders had kept her in hopes of showing her and/or breeding her, but luckily, she was too small for either.

When we got Mini home, I set her on the ground in our fenced-in yard. We had taken all our dogs on the drive, so they had a chance to get acquainted a bit on the ride home. Poor Mini did not know what to do, and it dawned on us that she had never touched grass before! Annie, one of our other dogs, began playing with her a bit, and within five minutes, she and Mini were running around and around the yard for Mini’s first taste of freedom in her life! They ran and played until they were tuckered, drank some water, rested a bit, then Mini was ready to go again!

Since Mini had lived her life eating, sleeping, pooping, peeing and “living” (if you could call it that) in a small kennel with one or two other dogs, she did not understand that living in filth was not normal. We had a tough time housebreaking her. We took her out frequently, praised her, and continued to clean the floors when she had an accident. It took over nine months, but it was so worth it. She does still have accidents, but not often. She lets us know when she needs to go outside.

I wish the folks in North Carolina good luck with their dog. All I can say is that patience, love and praise go a long way in training a dog! -- L.L., Branson, Missouri

DEAR L.L.: Your saga with Boston terrier Mini gives me hope in people like you -- and in my next breath, I feel that old, familiar despair that many people will never change, like the breeder of Mini who treated her like a mere commodity with little or no quality of life. Always visit the home/facility before ever purchasing an animal, never purchase over the internet, and ideally adopt from your local shelter. For documentation supporting these assertions, read Kim Kavin’s book, “The Dog Merchants: Inside the Big Business of Breeders, Pet Stores and Rescuers.”

You gave Mini a chance and she did recover her spirit. Good for you! I have seen dogs permanently crippled from living in small cages for years. There are many dog breeders and others out there who exploit animals for personal gain and treat them inhumanely. It is so important for the public to support local and national animal protection organizations and, like the Animal Legal Defense Fund does, prosecute these inethical people to the full extent of the law.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)