BARKING DOGS BENEFIT FROM TRAINING AND ELIMINATION OF BARK TRIGGERS

At this time of year, our windows open up to sweet scents of spring -- and the headache-inducing annoyance of the neighborhood nuisance barker.

Is this dog yours? The owners of problem barkers seem to develop an ability to ignore the noise that has their neighbors thinking of legal action -- or worse. But a dog who's barking night and day isn't having any more fun than the neighbors are, and you owe it to both your pet and those who can hear him to fix this problem.

The first step is to figure out why your dog is sounding off so much. Dogs bark to express a variety of emotions: anxiety, boredom, territoriality, aggression, playfulness and hunger. Certain conditions in a dog's environment can trigger these emotions -- and the barking fits -- more frequently.

The typical neighborhood nuisance is an outdoor dog who isn't getting the exercise and attention he needs. Dogs are social animals and need to be part of a family. If your dog's outside because of poor manners or because he isn't house-trained, give him another chance. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist and arrange for an in-home consultation to fix the underlying problems.

Once you've brought him into your life, keep him busy with regular outings. Exercise, both of the body and of the mind, works wonders for all dogs, especially those who bark from boredom or to release excess energy. You'll be amazed at how much calmer, happier -- and quieter -- your dog will be!

For the barking that remains -- some dogs are just naturally yappy -- your task is to train your dog to be quiet on command when you're home and to reduce the barking triggers when you're not.

Teach your dog to be quiet by distracting him from barking, saying the word "Quiet" or "Enough," and then praising him for minding -- he'll make the connection soon enough, with repetition and lots of praise. Rattling a can filled with pennies is a commonly recommended distraction, and it works well. Shouting at your dog does nothing except make you feel temporarily better, since your dog may see your own loud yap as "chiming in."

Work to minimize barking cues to keep your dog quiet when you're not home. If your dog barks while looking through a window that faces the street, keep him out of that room while you're gone. Many dogs fire up when they hear car doors slam; other dogs bark at the mail carrier's steps on the walk. Muffle these sounds by leaving a radio playing while you're not home, and your pet is more likely to sleep than bark. Giving your dog something special to chew on, such as a Kong toy or hollow bone stuffed with a little peanut butter, will help to keep him occupied and quiet while he's awake.

For the most persistent barkers, an electric collar that shoots citrus or citronella mist when he barks may help, in concert with other strategies. The mist is harmless to the dog -- the citrus tang smells good to humans, but dogs hate it. The hiss of the mist releasing from the canister and the smell itself are annoying enough to distract the dog and correct him for barking. Citrus mist collars can be an effective alternative when someone is so desperate they're considering bark collars that shock the dog, surgical debarking or even euthanasia.

Chances are that if you bring your dog into your home and train him -- get help if you're not getting anywhere -- you'll never get that desperate. No matter what, working on this problem is well worth the effort: You, your dog and your neighbors will all be happier.

Q&A

Underweight dog

may be perfect

Q: How could a 90-pound dog be underweight? I have a dog who's probably a Labrador-Pit Bull mix, and my veterinarian says he's a little underweight. Considering I was hoping for a medium-sized dog when I adopted him as a puppy (his paws weren't big when he was little), I really am not all that interested in him getting even bigger. Is this a problem? She said he was perfectly healthy. -- via Facebook

A: If your veterinarian says he's perfectly healthy, then he's in normal range and you don't have to change a thing. That's the good news. The better news is that there are health benefits to keeping your dog just a little underweight. Long-range feeding trials of littermates fed to keep one 10 percent under "ideal" weight and the other 10 percent over have shown the health advantages of keeping your dog the lean machine he is. Lean dogs are less likely to get cancer, less likely to have orthopedic problems and less likely to suffer from arthritis.

There isn't a body mass index (BMI) chart for dogs the way there is for people. We veterinarians use a physical examination to determine what we call a "body-condition score."

You can do the same. You should be able to run your hands down your dog's sides without bumping over each rib. If you press in and slide the skin back and forth over the ribs (veterinarians call this "palpating"), you should easily be able to feel the ribs. Your dog should also have a "waist," or tuck up behind the ribcage, but not all that much. The Ohio State University's College of Veterinary medicine has an excellent graphic you can use, at vet.osu.edu/vmc/body-condition-scoring-chart.

The majority of American pets are overweight or obese, so I would bet your veterinarian wasn't chastising you for your dog's appearance. More likely she was delighted to see a lean, fit dog in her exam room!

And by the way, there are many reasons why your dog grew larger than his paws predicted. Genetics is one of them, of course, but it's also possible that his early development was slowed by less-than-optimal care before he got to the shelter. You might want to try a DNA test such as the Mars Wisdom Panel to get some insight on what breeds actually went into your dog's "canine cocktail." -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Veterinary profession

looking at grim times?

-- While it's not good news for anyone studying to be a veterinarian, or anyone just now entering the profession, the national veterinary trade group says there's an overcapacity in veterinary care. The American Veterinary Medical Association released a report in April that says supply exceeded demand for veterinary services by about 11,250 full-time equivalent veterinarians. That means 12.5 percent of the profession's capacity to provide services is going unused. The news isn't going to get any better for veterinarians soon. According to DVM360.com, the AVMA report also said the number of veterinarians will continue to increase, and with it, the excess capacity. More bad news: Veterinary salaries are going down, while student debt is going up.

-- The Winn Feline Foundation (winnfelinehealth.org) funds research that will improve the lives of cats and those who love them. Founded in 1968, the organization has awarded grants for research that has ended up saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of cats, and has proven helpful in advancing human medicine as well. The Foundation's website lists its current projects as well information on its annual feline health symposium.

-- A dog found with his paws and tail frozen to a puddle of water in an abandoned home is now walking on four prosthetic paws, thanks to a veterinary assistant who was unwilling to give up on him and a company that helped get its products fitted to the animal. Naki'o now runs and jumps on prosthetic paws made by Denver-based OrthoPets. None of it would have happened had veterinary assistant Christie Pace of Colorado Springs, Colo., not adopted the dog after his rescue. "I have a soft spot for rescue animals in general. I was looking for something different, unique," Pace said. Naki'o is believed to be the first dog to have prosthetics on all four limbs. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

NEW TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING MAKE TAKING A CAT TO THE VET MUCH EASIER ON EVERYONE

In the past, I've been less nervous about air travel than I have been about my cats' veterinary appointments. And there's a reason for it: While I can and do manage my own levels of stress and annoyance when turning myself over to the air-travel system at the security checkpoint, controlling a cat's fear of the veterinary hospital has been for many years something I couldn't manage.

Until recently, that is.

In the years between writing "Cats For Dummies" and co-authoring "Your Cat: The Owner's Manual," a huge amount of work has been done to make veterinary practices more "feline-friendly," and a lot of information about ways to keep cats calmer before, during and after their visits has become available. With wellness checkups for my cats Ilario and Mariposa on the calendar, I reviewed my plan of action and prepared for V-Day.

Everything went perfectly. The cats traveled quietly in their carriers, were relaxed if not exactly happy at the veterinarian's, passed their wellness exams with flying colors and settled back into their routines at home without a hiccup. One even had blood drawn, which in previous visits would have meant at least two with puncture wounds -- the cat and one of the humans involved.

What did I do? I started by putting the carriers out two days early and setting them in the room where the cats like sunning themselves. That meant no running when the carriers appeared. My carriers are also of a style designed just for cats by behaviorists: They're roomy and sturdy, and they break down easily in the exam room -- the top can be removed, and the cat can remain comfortable and secure in the "bed" half that remains.

On the day of the visit, about an hour before we had to leave, I sprayed folded towels with Feliway -- a substance that mimics a natural calming pheromone -- and put them in the crates. I hadn't fed the cats so they'd be more interested in treats, and so the one who always throws up wouldn't (she didn't). I'd closed the door on them in their sunning room so they couldn't hide elsewhere in the house.

About a half-hour before we needed to leave, I put the cats in their carriers, put the carriers on the bed and put towels with more Feliway on top of them. I left those towels in place when I put the carriers in the car and secured them with the seat belts.

When I got to my veterinarian's, her team was ready. We were put immediately in a quiet room so my cats didn't have to sit around other animals, especially dogs. With the room secured, an expert technician allowed them to wander and relax, or to just sit in their crates if that made them more comfortable. Every interaction was gentle and patient, with lots of praise, treats and petting.

Ilario does not like strangers, and he does not like being handled unless he chooses to be petted. While he wasn't happy to be there, he never reacted violently out of fear. He even tolerated a nail-clipping and the spot application of flea-control, which is a hard job for me to handle with just my own two hands. It's ideally a two-person job, and Ilario handled it just fine. As for Mariposa, she never stopped purring, even though she was due for vaccines and -- since I'd recently adopted her -- needed a microchip.

It was the best trip to the vet's ever, thanks to my preparation and my veterinarian's work to make her practice a place where a cat can be happy. Cats should never be treated as if they are small dogs, and I'm so glad to see so many veterinary practices becoming feline-friendly.

You'll find guidelines for pet owners and veterinary practices at The CATalyst Council's website, catalystcouncil.org. Then talk to your veterinarian about cat-friendly care. You might be surprised at how much has changed for the better in recent years.

Q&A

How best to adopt

a cat and a kitten?

Q: To my sorrow, I recently had to say goodbye to a cat I adopted nearly 20 years ago, the last of two littermates rescued from a restaurant dumpster near my veterinarian's office. I am missing my warm fuzzies, and I would like to adopt two cats again, but this time a kitten and an adult cat, as I am aware that there are a lot of both needing homes. Is there a preferable sequence in this sort of adoption? In other words, what is likely to result in an easier adjustment: adopting a kitten first or an adult cat? How much time should I allow between adoptions, or is it OK to adopt at the same time? -- K.G, via e-mail

A: Since cats are generally slower to adapt to new surroundings than kittens are, the best way to go, in theory, is to adopt a cat first, then a kitten, or both at once. Both at once, in fact, may be easiest on both cats, since neither will be feeling as if there's an interloper on its turf, and your home will be new territory for each of them.

In practice, the order and timing depends on the pets themselves. In a well-managed, progressive shelter, you'll find help from staff and volunteers who can advise you on the personalities of potential pets, and the possibilities of pairings.

Your home setup will help with adjustments. Many cats need to be fed away from each other, and some won't share water bowls or feline drinking fountains. As for litter boxes, behaviorists typically recommend one box for each cat, plus one additional box. These guidelines will help the cats share space, and help prevent litter-box avoidance, which is by far the top behavior complaint of cat owners.

We're so glad you're adopting a kitten and a cat. Kitten season is revving up in many parts of the country now. That means lots and lots of cute baby cats will be taking attention from very sweet, very adoptable adult cats. The nation's shelters have long fought to keep adult cats in the spotlight, which is why June is always Adopt-a-Cat Month. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Game on! 'Kitten Bowl'

to challenge 'Puppy Bowl'

-- If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That seems to be the plan of the Hallmark cable channel, which recently announced plans to offer programming it's calling the "Kitten Bowl" in direct competition with Animal Planet's phenomenally popular "Puppy Bowl." The shows will be fighting each other for viewers, as well as what could be called the "800-Pound-Gorilla Bowl," or as it's known throughout the world, the "Super Bowl." The expansion of the "watch baby animals play" shows does have one decidedly positive note: Like Animal Planet, Hallmark intends to feature pets up for adoption, all but guaranteeing that the kittens and puppies will be adopted after the final whistles blow.

-- Pet-foods brands including California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Innova and Karma are part of an expanded recall by Natura Pet Foods that includes all its dry foods and treats with expiration dates before and including March 24, 2013. The company, a unit of consumer goods giant Proctor & Gamble, said the products may be contaminated with salmonella. The products should be discarded and the company contacted at 800-224-6123 or Naturapet.com for a refund of the sales price. In addition to the U.S. and Canada, Natura products are sold throughout Asia and Australia.

-- Companies that use corn in their products -- including pet-food manufacturers -- are on notice to expect the worst aflatoxin outbreak in decades to peak this summer. Aflatoxin is a mold that can cause cancer in animals and people, and has been the reason for pet-food recalls in the past. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a free alert system for pet product and veterinary recalls that sends notices to any email addresses entered on the sign-up page, tinyurl.com/FDARecallalerts. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

TEACHING A DOG TO RELAX IN CONFINEMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR A HAPPY LIFE

There's nothing harder for a young puppy to learn than being alone. Dogs are social animals, just as we are. And when you bring a puppy home you're not only asking him to do something for which he isn't really wired, but also to do it for the first time, under the stressful circumstances of being in the new home.

Under those conditions, you'd scream, too. Especially if past experience had shown you that vocalizing brought your mom and littermates on the run. Alone? Scared? Scream, and you'll be surrounded by help.

And yet, the ability to relax alone is a critical skill for a modern dog. Being able to relax while isolated in a comfortable carrier is essential to riding safely in a car, resting after medical care at the veterinary hospital, and even being cared for away from home by strangers during times of disaster.

On the flip side, dogs who don't learn to stay alone are at higher risk of losing their homes or even their lives.

Veterinary behaviorists call the problem "separation anxiety," and see it in their practices constantly. Some dogs may be capable of learning not to be frantically destructive and noisy when alone through changes in their environment, behavior modification and medications such as Prozac. Others may suffer throughout their lives, even if they stay in their homes.

For all these reasons and more, it's essential to "crate train" a puppy. While crate-training has long been used to shape the equally important behavior we know as "house-breaking," the use of a crate to teach relaxed confinement is just as important.

There's a puppy at my house now, a retriever named Riley. I'm raising him for a couple of months before he goes to live with friends, and that means he's now learning many of his first, most important "grown-up" lessons at my house, including crate-training.

I know some people "cold turkey" a pup when it comes to crate-training, but I don't think that's necessary. While I never open the pen or crate door on a screaming puppy (and thus reward him for the noise), I set him up for a whole lot of "win."

With Riley, as with any young puppy, that means making sure he's tired or has just been fed before being crated, making it more likely he'll sleep.

I make the sessions short, and add a word and a treat to him going in. "Crate!" I say, throwing a toy or treat in and praising him for following the motion to go inside. Before he's ready to wake up, I wake him up and take him out for a walk.

I also alternate between putting him in the crate in my office while I'm working or the pen in the living room while I'm watching TV in the evenings. The pen is harder for him to endure, because it's around the corner from where I sit and he can't see me from there.

I prefer letting him fuss in the pen, since being distracted from a rerun of "The Big Bang Theory" is something I can live with short term. For someone self-employed, however, not being able to work because a puppy is crying is a much bigger deal. Fortunately, the crate in my office is right next to my leg, which means he's "behind bars" and learning, but not particularly isolated.

Like any normal puppy, Riley wants to be where the people and other dogs are. He's learning quickly that that's not always possible. This lesson takes time, and I'm patient.

I know that soon Riley will know that being alone isn't forever, and that's as important a lesson as any dog can learn.

Q&A

Are 'kiddie pools'

safe for dog play?

Q: Our friends keep a blue plastic pool -- the kind you buy for toddlers -- in the yard for their dog. Is this safe? -- via Facebook

A: Just as it seems that as many "baby" gates are purchased for pets as for children, the ubiquitous "kiddie pool" has thoroughly gone to the dogs as well.

Safe? If used under supervision, with both pool and water kept clean, then absolutely.

These small pools made of hard plastic are perfect for dogs of all sizes, providing a tummy-cooling wallow for an overheated retriever or a safe way to wade for a swim-challenged pug. (Be sure to choose the hard-plastic variety; the inflatable kind doesn't hold up well to dog claws.)

Kept clean and stored in a covered spot for winter, a kiddie pool will last for many seasons. Just remember in the summer that standing water is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and toxic algae, so rinse it clean after every use and refill it with fresh water every time.

If you want something bigger and sturdier, check out the selection at your nearest feed store. Hard-plastic stock tanks are excellent pools for dogs (and yes, for kids as well). Be sure to keep it small enough that you can dump it out regularly for cleaning and refilling. At my house, a Rubbermaid 50-gallon stock tank works perfectly for canine use and shows no signs of wear after several seasons. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

House bill seeks fix

for mobile pet care

-- The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2013 (H.R. 1528) seeks to fix an unintended bug in the Controlled Substances Act that marks mobile veterinarians as lawbreakers because they carry drugs used to treat animal pain and end suffering. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had historically looked the other way when it came to veterinarians doing the work they need to do. The American Veterinary Medical Association is asking pet owners to contact their members of Congress to ask for support. As it stands, the law puts at risk providing veterinary care for animals in homes (including the practice of at-home euthanasia), on farms and in disaster-relief situations. It may also keep mobile spay-neuter clinics from rolling.

-- While you can't -- and probably never will be able to -- deduct your pet as you can a human dependent, you actually may be able to deduct some animal-related expenses when figuring out your taxes. The San Jose Mercury-News notes that a landmark 2011 ruling allows people who foster pets for 501(c)3 shelters or rescue groups to deduct their related expenses. People with service animals or working dogs can also deduct costs related to the care of those animals. If you need to move because of your job, the cost of moving your pets may be deductible as part of your moving expenses. Check with a tax-preparation professional to see what deductions apply in your case.

-- Four men in the Miami area have attracted attention for a novel building project: They're replicating Noah's Ark. The Miami Herald reports the men say the project will cost $1.5 million, and they hope it will serve as a tourist attraction on the outskirts of Hialeah. While Noah built his ark without official intervention, local officials say the project needs a building permit. The lower deck has been completed, but the time frame for completion is flexible, to say the least. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.