wilburtips

Wilbur tips (Also see What's New)

• • Be firm; don’t spoil. He learns quickly how to manipulate you, so don’t give him positive feedback if he does something you don’t like.

• Walks. Two a day at any time is fine.

• Quickies. He goes outside in the evening to pee. Generally he goes once within an hour of dinner and once before bedtime. He may let you know by whining.

  • Food. (It’s a mixture of two kinds he tolerates.) 3 level cups per day. Can be at one meal or divided between two meals, whatever works best for you. He gets diarrhea on other foods.

  • Treats. Pieces of crunchy raw vegetables, cheese, or old bread are favorites. Examples: broccoli, carrots, radish, turnips, squash. Peels and butt ends are fine--no special cuts necessary!

  • Bad habits: He eats anything he finds anywhere. It’s unavoidable that he’ll find something sometime, but we try to watch out anyway.

  • Quirks: He whines when something’s amiss in his world. There are reasons we will probably never figure out, but the top four are:

1. He would like his cover (towel or blanket) thrown over him because he’s chilly.

2. He’s thirsty. Just say, “Wilbur, are you thirsty? Go drink your water.” He often doesn’t think to drink until you tell him.

3. He wants someone to tease him with a toy, rope, or ball. This often happens right after his dinner. BTW, he usually anticipates a "treat" or "biscuit" after these play sessions.

4. He wants to go outside.

“Medical” stuff

• • He has a wart on his left rear paw, which he may pick at until it bleeds—occasionally in winter, almost never in summer. So we sometimes put a bootie over that paw.

  • The Vet School is his vet