Litter Box Talk!

I've scooped and scrubbed a lot of litter boxes in my time as a petsitter, and I have formed some definite opinions on what makes a good place for cats to poop. So today I'm talking about your cat's bathroom options.




Here's your basic sandbox: about five inches deep, about 15 x 18", plastic and rectangular. These are available anywhere pet items are sold. Cheap and easy to clean. Cats usually like them, but owners quickly discover that there is a problem: litter goes over the sides easily and has to be cleaned up, and sometimes cats will stand in the box and poop/pee over the edge, not realizing that their aim is off. So then this happens:



Back to the store to buy the snap-on wall extender. No more peeing over the edge! Now urine just hits the side and seeps into the space between the box and snap-on rim, where it leaks, dribbles, dries, and stinks. The front is cut low "for easy entry", so there's still some litter getting kicked out. So then this happens:



Okay! Now there's a vent at the top to filter stinky air, and the whole box is enclosed to keep the litter in. So this must be the perfect litter box, right? Except that you have to take off that whole lid in order to scoop, and I can tell you from experience that at least three of those four clips will break in the first few months. And there's still that snap-on space between bottom and top where urine can accumulate, and that vent on top is where the stinky cat box smell comes out. Oh, you can put in a filter to help? There's not enough air flow to make a filter function properly, so it's quite useless except for holding odor in. This box has a door flap, so it actually might also keep odor in fairly well -- a reason your cat might refuse to use it. Take the door off? Sure. Now there's more litter on the floor. 





A mat! Now you're thinking. You can vacuum it when you vacuum the floor. So... just an extra thing to vacuum, then, isn't it?

Then there are all the more gadget-y options that spin, sift, and make all sort of clean, fresh promises for you and your cat:







That last cat looks as if she were ready to go for a ride if someone would just fire up her hovercraft.


Okay, Karen, I hear you saying, so what's YOUR solution? What is the perfect litter box? 




It's a 14-gallon storage tote! Generously sized, it has walls as tall as your cat. The heavy duty plastic won't crack or break and is easy to clean, with no extra pieces or parts where icky stuff can accumulate. I've used these for years and never found anything I liked as well for simple hard-wearing dependability. I don't use the lid at all, though if you have a curious dog, cutting a hole in the lid will give the cat access and keep the dog out. Don't make the rookie mistake of cutting the side down or putting a hole in the side to let the cat in -- your cat can jump onto the bed or kitchen counter; he can certainly jump into the litterbox.

I like that it holds a lot of litter -- six inch deep litter is usually enough to let the litter clump without sticking to the bottom, which makes clean up easier. Scoop often, and every once in a while I dump out all the litter and give the tote a good wash.

Keep it fresh! Clean litter box = happy, healthier cat!

The Magic and Science of Dog Walking (Part 6)

It will take some practice before you and your dog start walking as a team with no pulling. You might feel like every walk is a struggle and there might be times you lose your cool and give a yank on the leash, or holler -- or both. I'm gonna say something here that might seem controversial: it's okay. If you have been correcting your dog's pulling behavior with consistent checks on the leash and backing up and he was doing okay at first but now he just ignores you and goes right back to pulling, it's frustrating! Let's think about it from a few different angles:

Mama dogs put up with a lot from their pups. She'll lay there, trying to have some peace and quiet in her life, and those pups will be swarming all over her: tugging on her fur, pouncing on her feet, nipping her ears, yapping yapping yapping -- and she'll put up with it for longer than you'd expect with gentle good-nature. But when she's had enough, she'll put a stop to it with a snap or a bark.

Mama human wants her child to take out the trash. She mentions it at dinner, asks the child to do it before watching tv, reminds the child again when the show was over, and finally hollers and screams until the child gets up and take out the trash.

In both cases, the youngster is learning just how far they can push or ignore Mama. What's her limit? When will she really mean it? Growing up, couldn't you always tell when your mom meant business? She'd have a look, or her voice would get a certain tone, and you knew it was time to straighten up. This "learning when someone means it" is an important part of growing up.

Now let's think about this: would you like to ask and ask and ask and ask, hoping to get a result, or is it better to ask once and be obeyed?

If your dog is confused by what you're asking for, corrections won't help him. Go back to earlier training to help him learn what is expected. But if you know the dog understands what you're asking for, and he's just not paying attention, then you need to up your game. Make those checks on the leash a little more impressive. Add an angry sound or word ("Uh uh!" "No!") to let him know you're not happy.

A quick note: please don't use your dog's name to scold him. Saying "Arthur, no! You bad dog! Arthur! Bad dog, Arthur! No!" will make him think "arthur" is one of your angry words and he won't respond to it as readily. Remember what it meant when your folks called you by your full name? Boy, were you in trouble! Your dog must always associate his name with good, friendly things.

Oof, this is hard work. Let's give your dog a mental break and let him sniff around in the grass. Stop and ask your dog to sit. Say his name to get his attention (Sparky!) so he looks at you (good dog!) then let him know it's okay to relax (Okay, go ahead.) and give him more leash so he can sniff around.  You can stand and catch your breath.

He's learning that walking is walking, and sniffing, peeing, and exploring are different. It's frustrating to walk a dog that insists on keeping its nose to the ground every step of the way, and stops every three feet to mark his territory. You're teaching him that you decide when and where he can do those things -- so be considerate and stop now and then to let him take care of that important dog business.  It makes him more willing to go along if he knows you'll let him sniff at his favorite spots. If you walk the same route daily, he'll soon learn the places where it's acceptable for him to stop for a break.

To wrap up all this magic and science of dog walking, I have one last piece of advice: take your time and don't worry. (Is that two pieces of advice? Hmm.) Some dogs learn very quickly, others take a while to figure out what you want. It's all part of your own dog's special personality, unique to him, and as you work together to figure out this whole "walk with no pulling" business, you will be building a closer relationship with each other. That's what it's all about! 

Why Crates are so Great

I was a busy, noisy kid. My imagination led me on wild adventures, and there were times when my mother must have been at her wit's end, with me running through the house yelling, sneakers pounding across the floor, leaving a trail of sandwich crusts, toys, and tracked-in dirt everywhere I went. Just like a dog, really -- except for the sneakers, I guess.

Whenever the noise and mayhem reached a critical level, my mom would yell, "Go to your room!" Lots of times I'd run in, slamming the door and flinging myself on the bed in a burst of tears -- but five minutes later I'd be reading a book or working on a puzzle or even sleeping. My bedroom, with my cozy bed, toys, books, and games was where I could settle down and relax. 

I bet you can see where I'm going with this. Your puppy should see his crate the same way: not a punishment, but a welcoming retreat. 

So let's talk about all the times you'll be so glad your dog loves her crate. 

Of course you love your dog and want to be with her always, right? Except when you're trying to finish some important work, or you just mopped the floor, or you need to vacuum the carpet. These are great times to settle pup into her crate with a chewy and shut the door so you can get things done. Maybe you need to run to the store real quick. If pup is in her crate, she won't chew up shoes or TV remotes while you're gone, and there won't be any puddles or piles on the floor. And at night, you'll always know where she is -- no tripping over a sleeping pup when you shuffle to the bathroom in the dark. 

When guests arrive for parties or celebratory meals, pup can say hello and be admired by all and then settled down with a chewy while the humans have their fun. No risk of pup eating things he shouldn't, scampering out the door, getting overexcited and nipping and jumping up, or making a nuisance of himself begging for treats and attention. This is especially useful at Halloween,Thanksgiving, and Christmas, when there are so many people going in and out the door, and so many tempting treats around. 

Crates are great for in the car. Secure it in the cargo space with some straps or bungee cords and it's the best place for your dog, keeping her in place if you suddenly have to hit the brakes or are in an accident. Dogs can be a terrible distraction in the car: climbing over seats, chewing on things they shouldn't, barking, jostling the driver, getting carsick -- it's safest if they are crated, just like a car seat is safest for a child.

Speaking of going places, crates make travel easier, too. If your pup is accustomed to a crate, airline travel will be much less stressful. If you stay at a hotel, your dog will welcome this bit of comfort from home and settle down quickly at night. If you're staying with friends, they will be even friendlier when they know that your pup has good crate manners and his own bed to sleep in. And if you are going to board your dog, think of how pleased he will be when among all the strange new sights and smells, he has a familiar, cozy snug that is his own. 

And if you're lucky enough to work at a place where you can bring your dog, well, I bet you can already think of a bunch of ways a crate at work would be good for you and your pup.