Why is our dog breaking through the baby gate?
DEAR JOAN: Our 8-year-old male Australian shepherd, Bodie, has started a new behavior.
We have a privacy screen and child’s gate to keep him and his big brother, a border collie, in the living area with us. Bodie now breaks through the privacy screen during the middle of the night, slams on the child’s gate to bring it down, and then runs upstairs to wait outside our room.
We haven’t been able to detect any triggers that would cause this behavior. He seems to recognize that this behavior is not acceptable yet persists.
Any thoughts on what might be going on with him? We love him but are troubled by his anxiety.
— Doug, Arnold
DEAR DOUG: As with any change in behavior in a pet, it’s always an excellent idea for a checkup at the vet’s office to make sure there isn’t a physical explanation.
As our pets haven’t yet mastered human language and are only so-so on a computer keyboard, they often communicate their feelings with actions that we sometimes struggle to understand. But Bodie is definitely trying to tell you something.
He could be suffering from an illness that is causing him pain or discomfort, and he wants you to help him. That’s why we need to see the vet.
It could also be that one night before the behavior change, something frightened, upset or concerned him, and he wanted to be as close to you as possible.
It could also be that he was so successful in getting your attention the first time he did it, he’s decided to keep doing it and now it’s a habit.
The way to break habits is to change how you react to the behavior. Ignore the “wrong” behavior and reward the “right.”
You can try spending more time with him before bedtime. Playing and going for a walk will give him the attention he might be needing, and will help tire him out so he’ll sleep through the night. Try adding some new toys and fluffy blankets to his bed, or leave the TV on at low volume so he has more company.
Dogs can be funny about what does and doesn’t bother them, so you’ll need to play detective to find out what has Bodie so anxious. He may overcome the fear and go back to being Bodie.
DEAR JOAN: I have a hummingbird feeder that sits on my wide fence ledge. For months, there were no sign of ants but now they’re all over and in the feeder. I even sprayed the fence with TERRO, but the ants prevailed.
Is there anything I can put down on the fence ledge, surrounding the feeder, that’ll deter the ants but not scare away the hummers?
— Bonnie, Pacific Grove
DEAR BONNIE: Please put away the ant spray, which could be harmful to the birds.
If possible, it’s best to hang the feeder, rather than having it sit on a flat surface. That will put it somewhat out of reach.
Another solution is to set the feeder in a shallow container of water, creating a moat that, for the most part, will prevent the ants from reaching their goal.
The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.