First kitten
introduction
W
hen introducing children to
your kitten, ask the children
to sit quietly and offer the kitten
tasty treats when she comes near
them. They must be told not to grab
at or hold her. This could result in
the child receiving a nasty scratch
and the kitten having a lifelong fear
of children. Children should never be
allowed to chase the kitten. However,
children and kittens generally get on
well together and form strong bonds.
Wendy Wilson, behaviouristWhat is the best way to
introduce my children
to the new kitten?
Garden digging
M
any dogs love to dig for various reasons. Some do it to find
a cool spot to lie in; others are digging to unearth prey like
moles, for example; others may just dig for fun. If they are digging
as a predatory behaviour, the only way to stop that would be to
get rid of the prey. If you feel your dog is digging for a cool place
to sleep, you can provide a bed in a shady spot or maybe a paddle
pool (Labradors usually love water). If your dog is digging just for
fun, there are a few things you can try. Providing the dog with a
dedicated digging area could help if you have the space. You can
encourage him to dig in a specific area by hiding treats only in
that area. This will also involve a bit of management on your part,
as you will need to keep a close eye on the dog, and if he starts
digging in another area, you will have to distract him. This will
hopefully allow him to learn where he can and cannot dig.
You can also give him toys to play with. Toys filled with food
work well. Freezing tinned food inside a Kong can keep him busy
for a long time. You can also take an empty 2ℓ plastic bottle and
cut holes in it, and then fill it with regular dog pellets so the dog
has to roll it to get the treats out. Just remember to factor the
food you give as treats into the daily food requirement so that you
do not overfeed your pet.
Dr Vanessa McClure, veterinarianWhy do some dogs dig holes?