The Animal House | WAMU 88.5

Dr. Weitzman helps a cat that has a “displacement disorder,” and a listener seeks a solution to her dog’s persistent licking of a sore that won’t heal.

Author and Dogster.com editor Maria Goodavage talks to Sam Litzinger about her new book "Soldier Dogs," which describes the heroism of military canines. read more

Dr. Gary Weitzman of The San Diego Humane Society tries to find a solution to a cat’s perplexing lack of social skills. A goat’s protective nature becomes a problem for its human companion.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What is my dog thinking right now?” there is new research that promises to take you one step closer toward the answer to that question. Sam Litzinger spoke with the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Gregory Berns about the exciting possibilities for using MRI technology with canines. Then, we learn how to understand avian behavior in this week’s edition of BirdNote. read more

Dr. Gary Weitzman meets a listener who just moved to a wooded area with lots of snakes and who wondered if getting an outdoor cat as a snake repellant is a good idea. A bulldog's human companion would like to introduce a new kitten to the household and is seeking advice on the best approach. Finally, the story of a cat-loving foreign service worker in Rabat, Morocco. He and his wife have acted as an impromptu cat shelter during their time there and now have 20 domestic felines in and around their home. read more

Musician John Fulton combined his talent for song and fancy for felines to become a successful TV host. Fulton stopped by The Animal House to give us a cat's eye view of his show, Must Love Cats which airs on the Animal Planet cable network. read more

Dr. Gary Weitzman, president of the San Diego Humane Society speaks to a listener who recently added a stray cat to a family of two cats that seem to be reacting adversely to the new cat--but they are directing their hostility toward each other, not the new cat. Another listener has three dogs and one of them, a 17-month-old Puggle, bullies the other dogs. She can't figure out a solution to the bullying. read more

Travel Expert and author Andrew Mersmann joins animal advocate Allie Phillips to discuss the numerous opportunities for animal lovers to give their time for the sake of pets and wildlife via world travel and community activism. After that it's BirdNote. Music: The Animal House Theme; "Animal Dreams" by Bob James;

Fred the dog is too protective of his house, as he barks at mail trucks, visitors and family members. Two kittens, Somerset and Caroline, play aggressively, and their owners wonder how to set limits. A listener with a pit bull wonders whether sugar is bad for dogs. Dr. Gary Weitzman discusses how to deal with the loss of a pet and hospice care for animals. Music: Dr. Gary’s theme – “Road Dogs” by Acoustic Alchemy; “Bee School” by Mark Isham

Animal intelligence has been debated for centuries, and the discussion continues with two university professors who have written much about the subject. Alexandra Horowitz speaks with Sam Litzinger about new information pertaining to perception and sensitivity. Anthrozoologist John Bradshaw talks to Sam about his new book “Dog Sense.” After that it’s "The Loh Down on Science with Sandra Loh.”