ArcaMax

Dear Cathy,

My vet says my pug, Toby, needs to lose five pounds, but he acts like he’s starving all the time. I’ve already cut back on his treats and reduced his food portions, but he just stares at me and follows me all through the house with those sad eyes until I cave. How can I help him slim down without feeling like I’m being cruel? ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I need help. I have a four-month-old male Cocker Spaniel who insists on biting and nipping. I’ve tried everything and have been telling him “no biting,” and “leave it.” He went to puppy school where the instructor said to give him toys and hard chews. I’ve been doing that since he came home. He’s sociable with both ...Read more

A pet bed is more than a soft place to nap. For many dogs and cats, it serves as a refuge — a space that smells right, fits right and offers the quiet stability they don’t always find in the bustle of a human household. Yet the market is flooded with options, from orthopedic memory foam to raised cots to cave-style hideaways. Picking the ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

My husband and I have a deaf 15-year-old male black Lab named Okie. He has a lot of anxiety, which we attribute to his deafness. He likes to be in the same room with one or both of us so he can see us. When we’re doing chores in the house or yard, he invariably comes to look for us.

Recently, he has started barking in the middle ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Are there any cats that are considered hypoallergenic? I have mild dander allergies to dogs and cats. My husband and I would like to get a pet but not a dog right now.

— Robin, Bel Air, Maryland

Dear Robin,

Many people with mild allergies wonder the same thing: Is there such a thing as a hypoallergenic cat?

The short answer is...Read more

Dear Cathy,

My little dog became terrified of going potty at nine years old. It didn’t take long to figure out what was going on. On Friday and Saturday nights, about 10:00 p.m., a group of men race their motorcycles on our round-about, down to the end of our pass, then back up the street.

The noise scares the heck out of her. She is OK ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Have you seen the Savitsky cats? How did they train them to do those tricks?

— Elizabeth, Garden City, New York

Dear Elizabeth,

Yes – the Savitsky Cats, the Ukrainian mother/daughter team from America’s Got Talent, are a masterclass in positive-reinforcement cat training. Their secret isn’t force; it’s trust. ...Read more

Dear Cathy:

My wife and I have adopted a 90-lb. male GSD (German Shepherd dog) that was picked up as a stray in a Texas shopping center parking lot. He is a healthy, four- to five-year-old dog. The day he was scheduled to be killed a friend's daughter saw him on the internet and adopted him from 1,000 miles away. He stayed with her family, ...Read more