Every dog is different, no matter the type of breed

Q: We own an 8-yearold, male pug, Digger, who is smart, lovable and extremely calm. My brother-in-law always loved Digger and bought a male pug from a breeder. Needless to say, this pup is the total opposite of Digger. Blackie is like the Energizer Bunny in that he just never stops moving. He has been recently neutered, which has not changed him too much. I know there are certain breeds that are known for their energy (Jack Russell terriers) but on the other hand, are there breeds that are known for being calm? — Frank Williams, Baltimore

A: There is no right or wrong answer to a question like this. Yes, each breed of dog does have certain talents; however, what you are asking is a bit different.

A Jack Russell terrier has been bred over generations to look at situations in its environment and figure things out for itself. People that bred and kept these dogs used them to patrol farms and destroy vermin; they were independent contractors so to speak.

However, what you are describing here is different. All breeds of dogs as puppies have a natural desire to learn about their environment. So the only way to satisfy this curiosity is to explore it by sniffing, tasting and touching whatever part of its environment that it does not understand.

As the dog matures, all his questions are gradually answered through trial and error. Just like humans, there are some dogs that have more curiosity than others and those with less curiosity learn all they need to at a younger age. It really is not fair to compare two dogs in this issue.

Neutering or spaying a dog only removes testosterone and estrogen from the dog’s body and though lowers their desire to mate, it does not eliminate all levels of curiosity. This is all a matter of growing up and learning and he should not be judged for it.

Q: My Chihuahua and cat get along very well. In fact it seems they spend too much of their time together as they love to share their meals. We do our best to prevent this from happening by feeding the cat up on the kitchen counter. However, when we try to feed the dog separately by locking the cat out of the room the dog gets very upset. The vet examined them just last week and says both animals are fine and not to worry about it but we do anyway. — Randy Levy, Orlando

A: I think this sounds pretty cute actually. So many of the questions I get are about pets not getting along! Realistically speaking, if a cat was just