Dear Buddy:
My 3 dogs are all very healthy and active. However, when they are outside they will for no reason start to eat dirt. They dig up the grass or go to a grassless area and start to chow down. We feed them Iams dog food and they seem to have no trouble with any bodily functions. Buddy, WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?
The Dog House – Hannibal
Hello Dog House,
Maybe they’re thinking, “Oh yum, dirt!” No seriously, I had to call my doctor to ask about this one. He says that there is no scientific reason for the eating of dirt.  It doesn’t signify any kind of deficiency or anything like that, and not to worry about that aspect. They could be looking for and eating grubs or other worms. This habit has been seen in some dogs before.
Thanks for writing,
Dear Porky:
I have an older cat, maybe 14-15, and he has kidney disease. Well, he has a bad habit of urinating in front of the litter boxes on the linoleum in the bathroom. I think the reason is because of the scent of the other cats but we have 4 cats so it would be extremely difficult to follow behind each one and make sure they all go in separate litter boxes. What do I do? PS – He will go in the litter box if we’re standing right there.
Lisa – Pulaski
Dear Lisa:
I am afraid that the only way to correct this problem would be to isolate your cat into his own space with a litterbox that is just for him. Maybe using shredded newspaper in the box would get him to use the box. I was wondering too if he is urinating or spraying in front of the box? An up and down spray is marking territory, which can happen even if he has been neutered. This often is the case when there are multiple cats. Maybe you could try to change the litter to newspaper without isolating him first as a trial, then isolate if needed. And make sure you scoop all the litter boxes as frequently as you possibly can. Sometimes a little experimentation will help you figure out what is bothering him and how to correct it.
Thanks for writing. Let me know how things turn out.
missing or outdated ad config
