Dear Dr. Forsythe: I have an unusual situation with my corgi “George.” He attacks me whenever I let out a good sneeze. He has bitten me really good, once right on the butt, and I’m not sure why. This has been going on for a while and I’m not sure how to get him to stop. He also goes crazy when I take my clothes off to get into the shower and tries to attack me. I have to get a small board out and block him out of the way until I get into the shower area or he charges me. What could be going on with him? Other than this, he is the best little dog I could ever want.
Mrs. D., Sonoma.
Dear Mrs. D: It sounds like George is a bit of a brat to me, and you have a scar on your heiny to prove it. A little dog with big teeth like a corgi can be a lot to handle if the pet starts going berserk for something as mundane as a sneeze. And if you have to stop showering, the situation could become very “ripe.” A good dog trainer could probably help modify George’s naughty habits by desensitizing him to the sound of sneezing and the sight of you undressing for a shower. This might involve taping sneezes then playing them back to him while offering him treats as a reward in order to desensitize him to the sound. Disrobing in front of him may entice him to play fetch with falling clothes or scare him regarding impending water sounds. Your dog behaviorist can also work with him to decrease his sensitivity in this situation so that neither of you will be reliving the scene from Hitchcock’s famous film “Psycho” on a daily basis. Hopefully your short-legged companion can relax a little more and you can stop suffering pet-related injuries in the future. And if the pet doesn’t improve with training, there are some calming medications that may help take the edge off –of the dog, not you! Good luck.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I saw a chubby little white dog “skipping” through the alley near Murphy’s the other day. He looked really happy, but I was wondering about his little “skip.” It was actually really cute, but I wondered if it was normal. I have only seen one other little dog do that but only now and then. I think it was a Yorkie. Is that a normal way for some small dogs to move?
Having a beer and dog watching
Dear Having a beer: No, it is not normal. When you see a small breed dog “skip” as they walk, there is a really high likelihood the pet is suffering from a medially luxating patella. This is a congenital deformity where the groove that holds the patella (kneecap) is too shallow, so it slips out and drifts medially every so often. When this happens, the pet lifts up its leg to allow the patellar ligament (which supports the knee cap) to slip back into its shallow groove again. During this process, an affected little dog looks like he or she is skipping, but in reality, he is just trying to compensate for having a shallow groove. There is an orthopedic surgery that corrects the problem by deepening the groove so that the kneecap stays in place. Depending on the severity of the condition and whether or not the pet has any pain or has developed any arthritis on the affected side, the veterinarian may recommend surgical correction to repair the problem. Thanks for the question; I hope “Skippy’s” owner sees it and does something about it!
Dr. F
We welcome your feedback. For general feedback or to contact one of our columnists, please visit the Contact the Columnists Page at www.sonomasun.com.
Be First to Comment