Ask Ashley: Great Plains SPCA

Sable is a chocolate lab who is almost 13 years old. Her fur is currently very dry which is not normal for her.  She takes Omega-3 and fish oil supplements and has for years. Is this because of the time of year after shedding and before getting her winter coat?  Is it age related?  - Kathy Stull

Older dogs experience different types of skin changes as they get older so this could be related to age or weather. It sounds like you are giving Sable some excellent vitamins to help keep her coat shiny and healthy. Food can also play a part in dry and coarse hair, but if this is not normal for her, then keep an eye on it for the next six months and see what her hair does. Oatmeal baths, coconut oil, and herbal supplements can also help with dry and course fur. – Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

I have a seven-year-old male tabby who has always eaten from a bowl with no problem. Recently he won’t eat out of a bowl. He will only eat off the bare floor or carpet. He has been to the veterinarian recently and I was told cats will do what they want! (I AGREE 100%) I just thought it was weird. – Tammy

It is a little strange to us, but I wouldn’t assume there is anything medically or behaviorally off with this new eating habit. A lot of cats prefer to eat off the floor and many cats will take food out of their bowl and place it on the floor before consuming it. The ancestors of our domestic kitties used their paws to hold down prey, so your tabby may be following an evolutionary instinct. – Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

I have had my dog for seven years and every night he has slept in his bed which is in a wire crate with the door open. About a month ago, my husband got COVID, and I slept in the guest room. My dog slept with my husband in our room, but he stopped sleeping in his crate. He slept on the floor at the foot of the bed instead. Since then, he hasn’t gone back to his crate, even since I came back to our bedroom. Any thoughts on why he would make such a big change suddenly? – Tracy Lewandowski

Dogs are associative learners, which means they learn in patterns. Sounds like your pup developed a new pattern and is repeating that pattern. You can train him to sleep back in the crate if you wish, but I wouldn’t worry about it he seems content where he is. If you have issues getting him back in the crate, I recommend going back to the basics of crate training. -Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

Featured Pet – ElliotElliot is a lovable lug who wants nothing more than a quiet home to relax in with his forever family. He is a Great Dane mix and has lots of love to give, almost 100 pounds worth to be exact! He loves playing fetch after he’s has played a round, he likes to settle in and relax for the rest of the day. He would do best with someone who is a homebody like himself or doesn’t mind bringing him along for the ride as he loves car rides. If this sounds like the pup for you, email foster@greatplainsspca.org about meeting this handsome hound.

Featured Pet – Elliot

Elliot is a lovable lug who wants nothing more than a quiet home to relax in with his forever family. He is a Great Dane mix and has lots of love to give, almost 100 pounds worth to be exact! He loves playing fetch after he’s has played a round, he likes to settle in and relax for the rest of the day. He would do best with someone who is a homebody like himself or doesn’t mind bringing him along for the ride as he loves car rides. If this sounds like the pup for you, email foster@greatplainsspca.org about meeting this handsome hound.

Email askashley@greatplainsspca.org for a chance to have your pet question answered here in KC Parent magazine.

Great Plains SPCA is an independent 501(c)(3) no-kill shelter serving approximately 6,000 animals annually in the Johnson County community. As Kansas City’s premium family shelter, we continue to support the seven municipalities with which we are contracted including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee, Lake Quivira, and Johnson County Parks and Recreation and unincorporated Johnson County.

Great Plains SPCA

5424 Antioch Drive Merriam, KS 66202

(913) 831-7722(SPCA)

https://www.greatplainsspca.org