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SPUNKY IS NOT BEING SPITEFUL 
One of the first critter stories I heard in the new year concerned a cat whose owner turned him over to a shelter. Why? Bad aim! It seems kitty was not "depositing" altogether in the litter box. A closer look revealed a cat who was dangerously obese at almost 30 pounds. Furthermore, the problem of poor placement had been going on for over a year. Perhaps this cat had some medical problem. Or maybe he's just too big for a standard-sized litter box! The most obvious and simple solutions to our pets' problems can be overlooked. One wishes the owner had scheduled an exam for kitty and then rushed out to purchase a fat cat litter box. Things like shallow plastic storage boxes or a baby bathtub would literally give this big fellow a second chance. Puppies are frequently turned in at shelters for failure to house train. The owner often says something like, "He was doing so well in the beginning. Now, it seems as if he just waits to go in the house." Again, a bit of thought and a simple approach can prevent the pup's bad timing from resulting in divorce. Younger puppies have very little bladder or bowel control. What goes in just seems to come out -- right on schedule. We might assume our ten-week-old pup is actually housetrained. After all, we only need to take him outside after meals, after naps, after play.... Things usually change during the next two or three weeks. We hang out in the back yard for twenty minutes with the little fellow. He may or may not produce a puddle, but seems far too preoccupied to deposit a pile. We eventually give up and go indoors. Within five minutes we have a puppy mess. Spunky is not being spiteful. He's just gaining sphincter control. The puppy becomes excited outside. His muscles tense up -- all his muscles become tighter. Bowel and bladder control kick in giving Spunky lots of free time to check out the back yard. He relaxes when he comes back to prowl in the familiar kitchen. Oops! One solution during this natural developmental stage is to take the pup outside for a short time -- say, three clock minutes. If he does not eliminate, bring him back in and quietly put him in his crate with a toy. Wait another three minutes. Then head again to the outdoor toilet area. Repeat this procedure until you can praise Spunky for eliminating outside -- within your set time period. This course of action can accomplish three things. Since Spunky does not have house freedom unless he's "on empty," the puppy is prevented from messing in the house. He also learns to eliminate quickly out-of-doors. You are building a solid, trusting foundation with your companion animal that will see you through many happy years together. Maggie Blutreich is an American Kennel Club Public Education Coordinator.
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