My Pet World: Rehomed dog seems indifferent to previous owners

Dear Cathy,

Our Belgian Malinois, trained in a dog club for obedience, reacted to a bark collar and bit me. I immediately told him, “Crate," and he got in his crate, which allowed me to get to the hospital. He nipped me one other time when I wouldn't let him go out the door when a stranger was there.

Because we have young grandchildren, we felt we couldn't keep him and gave him to a dog club member. When we visited him at club activities, he didn't wag his tail, respond to petting, or show any affection to us as he used to do before. He still obeyed commands, though. Is there any research on anger or grief for dogs?

— Flower, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Dear Flower,

Research has shown that animals experience a range of emotions. But there is no research on anger specifically since that behavior is interpreted as aggression in the animal world.

I think you are asking, though, if the dog could be angry at you for rehoming him. My response to that is, no, he’s not angry or holding a grudge against you for rehoming him. If you recently rehomed him, he could still be sad, confused, or grief-stricken over the change in his life. Animals like routine, and when those routines are interrupted, each have their own way of handling the disruption to their lives. He may simply need more time to acclimate to his new home, but he’s not angry or holding a grudge at you for the change.

Until we understand pets better, it can be challenging to know what our pets are thinking and feeling. For example, when he reacted to the bark collar and bit you, it was out of fear for what he was feeling — the shock of the collar – and not malice towards you. While he might remember that memory and associate it with you, there could be many other reasons for his indifference.

It could be a part of his personality. He sounds like a protective dog, and protective dogs tend to be very hyper-focused on their surroundings. That means he might not react to the people around him in certain settings the same way he does when he is at home with his family. He sounds like a dog who thinks he has a "job" to do. He also could be tired, sick, or anxious about something at that moment.

Next time you see him, talk to him in a sweet voice rather than pet him. Let him approach you if he wants to be petted.

Dear Cathy,

In the letter with the sloppy drinker, we have had that issue for years. We solved 90% of the problem by using a deep bucket. Drinking bowls have little water retention on the sides, so splashing and withdrawal land on the floor. The mat under the bowl may help, but only a little. With the bucket, there is no splashing and much less of a withdrawal issue.

— Dean and Bunny, Oro Valley, Arizona

Dear Dean and Bunny,

I received many letters with tips for Beverly from Juneau, Wisconsin, with the sloppy drinker. In the picture you sent, I noticed the bucket is large, wide, flared, and has handles. The handles are essential so one can pick up a water container this size for filling and cleaning, and the flared sides will likely catch more water than a regular bucket.

Marsha from Las Vegas, Nevada, suggested an extra-large washable run under the bowls and a runner where the dog leaves a water trail. Julie Doud from Winston Salem, North Carolina, suggested using a plastic-coated rubberized placemat under the water bowl and maybe "using more than one," she said. "You still have to wipe it up, but at least it's off your flooring."

Michele, from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, said, "We had a sloppy drinker, too. He seemed to drink against the far side of the bowl and left a mess, along with walking away with a mouthful of water. I read somewhere about using a glass bowl with a lid with a hole cut out of the lid. It worked! I used a regular glass bowl with a plastic lid. I cut a hole into the middle of the lid about half the circumference of the bottom of the bowl. It left about two inches of plastic around the edge of the bowl. It was a large bowl. It worked like a charm!"

Thank you to all the readers who sent in suggestions. Hopefully, Beverly can also try some of these things to see what works for her sloppy drinker.

_____

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)