DEAR READERS: We no longer take our gentle, playful 40-pound dog, Kota, to our local enclosed dog park after an altercation with a young woman regarding her 60- or 70-pound young neutered male dog, who was an intimidating bully. He would engage in playful, high-speed chasing with other dogs, body slam the dog at the head of the pack with his tail up and hackles raised, and then he and the other dogs would pile on top of whichever dog went down. This dog displayed this dominance behavior, which could result in injury and over-excited dogs turning the melee into an aggressive altercation, while a dozen other dog owners stood by as though they were watching a football game.

There was a sign in the enclosure that dog owners should have their dogs under control at all times, but this assertive dog was clearly out of control. When I asked the owner to leash her dog and let the others run and play without her dog constantly interfering and turning it into a violent scrum, she turned on me, proclaiming that I knew nothing about dog behavior and that this was a dog park for dogs to be dogs. She threatened to call the police if I caused her further harassment.

So we left, and Kota was very sore that night from her two body slams by this assertive young dog. What also disturbed me was that the other dog owners standing around said nothing to support my concerns and seemed oblivious to the body language and sequences of behavior this dog was manifesting. In my professional opinion as someone with a doctoral degree in animal behavior, this dog should have been under more control or not allowed into the dog park.

This event has left me wondering how illiterate many dog owners and keepers of other animals are about body language, the signals of emotion, intention, temperament and character displayed in various social situations. This may in part account for the high incidence of people, including uninstructed children, being harmed by animals in their own homes.

I also wonder, given so much exposure on television, how certain individuals whose body language does not lie about their temperaments and character -- but which many people evidently are incapable of reading -- have been recently elected to political office.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am a new pet owner of a 7-month-old Shih Tzu named Oreo. She is smart, energetic and very entertaining. However, I have two problems.

The first problem: As soon as she sees a person, she starts nipping them.

And the other problem: After she had her last shot -- about four months ago -- I started trying to walk her. She refuses to walk on a leash. She runs around anywhere and everywhere so long as there is no leash, but as soon as I put on the leash, she lies down and won’t budge.

Any advice you may have on either of these issues would be greatly appreciated. -- D.C., Brooklyn, New York

DEAR D.C.: Your dog is young, playful and attention-seeking, which is what all the nipping is most probably about. Set up regular play sessions -- chasing a ball or stuffed toy and pulling on a rubber or rope tug-of-war toy -- to give her the attention she desires.

Teach her self-control by learning to sit and stay on command. This can easily be done with patience and tasty food rewards. When visitors come, have her sit and stay, and give her lots of verbal praise and treats. She may also respond well to a squeaky toy that you squeeze to distract and re-motivate her whenever she starts getting nippy.

MORE FOOD WITH POSSIBLE FATAL AMOUNTS OF PENTOBARBITOL

Evanger’s Pet Food is recalling additional lots of pet food. Here are excerpts from the statement sent to retailers on Feb. 28:

"We are aware that these recalls have caused a great deal of justified concern, mistrust and anger among pet owners and pet food retailers. The Evanger’s family, like many families, is also incredibly angry and upset by these recalls. We’re angry not only because we let you down; but we’re furious that we allowed ourselves to be lied to and deceived by the supplier responsible for introducing pentobarbital into our meat supply. Sadly, this company was once one of our most trusted meat suppliers. But they are solely responsible for the pentobarbital-tainted meat found in some cans of Evanger’s Hunk of Beef and Against the Grain Pulled Beef. We of course immediately fired this unscrupulous supplier, and have undertaken steps to address this matter in a lawsuit on behalf of our customers and retailers. ... Out of an abundance of caution we have decided to issue an immediate recall of the products in which this supplier’s meat may have been used."

Suppliers of the various ingredients that go into manufactured cat and dog foods are ultimately the responsibility of the manufacturers, since it is unrealistic and costly to expect the government to effectively monitor the quality and safety of the byproducts from the human food and beverage industries that are used in most pet foods and livestock and poultry feed. This includes a significant quantity of imported from abroad, including countries like India, where I have worked with my wife and where the humane and sanitary treatment of animals in slaughterhouses are generally extremely deficient. For further details, see our recent book, "India’s Animals: Helping the Sacred and the Suffering."

Since corruption and malfeasance are commonplace in the global marketplace, I urge pet owners to either make their own pet food or seek those brands using human-quality food ingredients, ideally certified organic and produced in the U.S. For more details, visit truthaboutpetfood.com.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: My letter concerns the euthanasia of our pets. Our animal companions will suffer tremendous trauma simply due to their deep love for us, plus their ability to understand our need for them.

During euthanasia, stay beside your pet and stroke them lovingly as they leave this world. Speak familiar words of love as the injections are being administered, and say your goodbye then. I was blessed in having our well-trained, kind veterinarian make that suggestion and guide me through those difficult moments.

Make plans for taking care of your pet’s remains, too. In our case, the date was set, my working husband dug the grave the night before, and I took care of the rest. It’s just something we must learn to deal with. There may be times when one must leave a deceased companion with the veterinarian, or times when the weather doesn’t permit digging, there’s no one to do it for us, or our health problems prevent what our hearts long to do.

I still cry from the loss of Tater, Cujo, Harley Ray, Sophie Jordanna, Tia Xena, Prancer, Sally Ann, Tommy Tom, Pookie Tootie, and many more. Humans, be proud, and speak out for those dear and loved companions. Learn more from your veterinarians. Ask questions. -- M.L., Humboldt, Tennessee

DEAR M.L.: Many readers of my column will appreciate your concern and encouragement to be with their animal companions at the time of euthanasia administration.

It can be emotionally challenging for some people to be present with their animals at this time, but I agree with you that courage is called for to be with the animal -- to hold and comfort them. Not all veterinarians will allow every client to be present for a variety of reasons. Others offer in-home euthanasia and in-home palliative/hospice care -- humane, compassionate services which I advocate for those who can afford them.

Taking the deceased animal home and allowing surviving animals to view the body may help with their grieving and sense of loss. Some animals may seem indifferent, just as with some people after the death of a family member. I wish that more people understood how deep the grieving experience can be, for both animals and humans, after losing a beloved animal companion.

Burial on one’s own property may be prohibited in some municipalities, so do your research. Cremation services and legal burial plots are available in most communities.

DEAR DR. FOX: My husband and I are vegan. We feel bad having to feed our newly adopted cat, Timmy, meat and fish, but the vet says that is right. I have heard that there are special diets you can make or by so that cats will be healthy on a vegan or vegetarian (eggs and dairy) diet. Can you send me more information? -- Y.T., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR Y.T.: This question often comes up in my column, and I must reiterate that cats are obligate carnivores, and that we should not impose our own values and dietary choices on them. They must have a daily intake of animal protein and fats, ideally from various organ parts and different animal species, preferably organically fed and humanely raised.

As for your own diets, I applaud your veganism. In today’s world, with over 7 billion people, vegetarianism is an ethical imperative. Vegetarianism and veganism occupy the higher moral ground over daily meat and fish consumption for people in most parts of the world, where there are nutritious alternatives that do not involve the slaughter of billions of animals.

There are sound, scientifically documented reasons for such enlightened dietary decisions, including humane concerns over animals’ suffering and the economic, ecological, environmental and public health costs of a meat-based diet. But, as with those who deny climate change and global warming (to which the livestock industry is a major contributor), the politics of meat go deep in Western culture, much of it being subsidized at taxpayers’ expense in the U.S., where denial and disinformation continue to keep unacceptable industries in business.

For detailed documentation, see my review “Changing Diets for Health’s and Earth’s Sake“ on my website (drfoxvet.net), especially the postscript: “The Vegetarian Imperative.”

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR.FOX: I’ve got an odd question for you. As I was talking to my housemate, we got into the subject of schizophrenia and dementia. I wondered if all mammals can have such problems. And what about reptiles or birds? -- M.W.F., San Francisco

DEAR M.W.F.: Behavioral changes in animals caused by various factors can produce symptoms that resemble conditions seen in humans. In 1968, I brought together experts from around the world to contribute to the first textbook on the topic, entitled “Abnormal Behavior in Animals.” It served as a catalyst for more research and clinical studies of behavioral problems in animals captive and wild, including any and all mammalian and avian species. Reptiles and amphibians are more difficult to “read,” behaviorally. A more recent text on this topic was edited by veterinarian Franklyn D. McMillan in 2005 -- “Mental Health & Well-Being in Animals” -- again including chapters by experts from around the world.

In summary, many abnormal behaviors seen in humans are virtually identical to those seen in other animals, such as obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCDs, including self-mutilation and repetitive movements like crib-biting in horses), anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, catatonia or seizures -- even with hallucinations. The latter may be interpreted as a form of dementia triggered by some intense, often fear-evoking stimulus, especially when there is no escape. Many dogs developed “air-snapping” behaviors (also called “fly-snapping”) after air raids in England during World War II, and dogs in Pavlov’s Leningrad laboratory, terror-stricken during a flood, remained traumatized long after. These reactions can be interpreted as a form of dementia, mania or OCD, and are often triggered by fear and the inability to escape or hide.

Certainly, many captive species become demented as a consequence of extreme confinement, separation anxiety and boredom, a problem in dogs caged or crated all day in so many homes, as well as in sows on factory farms. Degenerative changes in the brain related to aging, and possibly genetics and nutritional deficiencies, can lead to dementia in humans and other animals; one form of dementia in cats shows virtually identical changes in the brain to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Changes in brain function and behavior in humans and other animals have an organic, rather than a psychological/emotional, origin. They can be attributed to various external environmental factors such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, viral and parasitic infections, adverse vaccine reactions and poisoning from mercury and lead.

An organic, biochemical basis for abnormal behavior which may be interpreted as schizoid is seen in some dog breeds with sudden, unpredictable, impulsive aggression, which may be improved by medications and nutraceuticals that increase serotonin levels in the brain.

As more studies are done on abnormal behaviors in animals, I predict there will be a significant change in how non-humans are regarded and treated. For centuries, animals have been treated as though they had neither emotions like ours, nor ways of suffering analogous to our own; we are beginning to learn how wrong those ideas are.

DEAR DR. FOX: Help! Our 20-month-old cockapoo has terrible separation anxiety. We put her in her crate at night downstairs, but when she wakes up (sometimes as early as 3 a.m.), she barks continuously until we let her out. We’ve tried letting her “bark it out,” but that isn’t working. Perhaps we are too impatient.

Obviously, we’ve not taught her well. Any ideas on how to change this behavior? -- J.H., Oak Hill, Virginia

DEAR J.H.: The problem is not that you are being impatient or that you’ve failed to train her properly. The issue is that dogs are pack animals. This means that your dog needs to be with the family and not put in a crate for the night.

Proper crate-training is a gradual process of helping the pup adapt to being in a confined space for a short period, gradually increasing in duration. Treats and toys in the crate often help. The goal is to help the young animal feel that the crate is a rewarding place of security, her den, and not some kind of punishment and deprivation of being with the family.

Try moving the crate into your bedroom, making it like a cozy den, with the crate door open so she can enter and leave as she chooses. She may prefer to sleep on the bed with you, or on your floor in a soft dog bed, if not in the open crate. This is normal behavior for a pack animal. I hope these are feasible options for you and your family.

SAY NO TO TRENDY ‘MUNCHKIN’ CATS

Veterinarians and animal welfare advocates in the U.K. and U.S. are alarmed by the deliberate breeding of cats with unnaturally short legs. So-called “munchkin” cats have a genetic mutation that predisposes the animals to painful osteoarthritis, and some also have spinal malformations and rib abnormalities, says veterinarian Carol Margolis of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxVet.net.)