From teaching dogs tricks with super-friendly cat that brings home mice – your pet queries answered

HE is on a mission to help our pets  . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.

Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.

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He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”

Q: IS it true you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

I have an 11-year-old rescue Labrador, Dan, who thinks he’s a pup and I’d like to try doggy dancing. But do you think it’s too late?

Sarah Bryant, Liskeard, Cornwall

Sean says: You absolutely can, and I don’t know where that saying comes from. I suspect it’s more about us humans set in our ways, to be honest.

The only concern I’d have with doggy dancing for Dan is his age, and what condition his joints are in to take on a high-impact activity.

Labradors are prone to joint issues, especially arthritis in later life so I would ask your vet to assess him and then, if suitable, by all means get dancing. But take it slowly and let Dan set the pace.

He may not be the next Strictly contestant, but he can probably still shake his money-maker nonetheless.

Q: MY horse really shies away from lorries on the road.

I try to avoid it where possible, but I need to get in and out of the stables. Is there anything I can do? I use blinkers but Bob still shies away.

Cath Dark, Birmingham

Sean says: Just as with cats, dogs and other animals, anxieties such as these are very common and usually tackled in much the same way.

It’s a fear of the unknown, or at least unfamiliar, so the first step is habituation — creating familiarity.

If you know anyone with a lorry, maybe they could park it up when not in use near your yard, then bring Bob past it regularly to get him used to it over time, rewarding calm, curious behaviour.

Then maybe you can mock up a few encounters out on the road, with the lorry driving by very slowly at first, and gradually (over days and weeks) going by faster and with a more normal sound.

It’ll be a slow process but with careful, gradual exposure to whatever causes a horse to spook, they should learn it’s not something to fear. But remember: safety first when training horses, especially on public roads.

Q: I WANT to get two house rabbits for our eight and nine-year-old daughters.

I know rabbits can be taught to use litter trays. Do you need one per pet, as with cats?

Steve Pearson, Barnstaple, Devon

 Sean says: It’s great you want two rabbits as they are a social species and ideally need company.

And actually that also applies to their toileting habits. They are communal poopers, as the toileting sites in the wild act as signals to other rabbits.

Basically, it’s bunny social media.

Provide them with a large, deep litter tray they can easily hop in and out of, with a ramp if necessary.

Also, bizarrely, provide them with a suspended hay rack of clean hay that they can access and chew while in the litter tray. Put a few layers of newspaper in the tray and some of their soiled litter from their hutch or cage’s toilet corner, and they will be litter-trained in no time.

Obviously if they have a full, free run of the house you might want to think of another tray elsewhere.

Generally one shared tray between two rabbits works well.

Q: MY three-year-old cat Ben is super-friendly but a real mouser who brings them home all the time.

I have a bell on him. Is there anything else I can do to stop his hunting habits?

Carly Stephens, Manchester

n Sean says: Two bells side by side are much better than one, as cats learn how to stalk with one bell and remain silent.

The single greatest thing you can do to stop this habit, or at least reduce Ben’s impact on local wildlife, is to keep him indoors from dusk til dawn overnight, when small mammals are most active.

Star of the week

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TIKTOK star Dolly thinks she’s a dog as she can sit, give her paw and even do tricks.

At home, the Maine Coon cat is a pet called Dolly Wolly Woo Woo, but she’s also a successful model with pet agency Urban Paws, even appearing in ads and on TV.

Owner Karen Murray of Royston, Herts, said: “She can high-five, give her paw, sit, twirl, go to a mark and she is clicker-trained. She is special and clever.”

See Dolly at tiktok.com/@dollzuki_ maine_coons

TOP TIPS FOR VET VISITORS

UP to two thirds of pet owners find visits to the vet difficult due to their four- legged friends’ anxiety.

New research by insurer Petplan has highlighted that 65 per cent of dog owners say they are affected.

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Meanwhile, a study by the University of Pisa found that 71 per cent of visiting cats showed signs of stress.

Petplan’s latest figures have led their vets to share their top five tips for an anxiety-free visit to the vet:

1. Create a calm journey. Dog owners could try walking to a local surgery. If walking isn’t a possibility, work on arranging a calm car journey instead.
2. Limit your time in the waiting room. It may help to wait outside with your pet until closer to the appointment time.
3. Take treats with you. Use treats to praise and reward actions that your pet may not enjoy, such as having their temperature taken. If your dog likes squeaky toys, use these.
4. Try mock examinations at home. Feed them tiny treats one at a time as you very gently check their teeth, lips and ears as well as massaging between the toes, and massaging the stomach to raise their tail.
5. Be in control. Your pet may pick up on your emotions, so try to keep your own stress levels low.

• See petplan.co.uk/pet-information.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk