Training Cats And Dogs To Live Together

By Patricia Ramsey


It is cute to have two or more kinds of pets around. It is easy to talk your family out of it but the real challenge here is how you can get an existing dog or cat in the house to like the new pet of the opposite species. Cats and dogs are known to be fierce enemies and because of this, it would take a lot of patience before you can get them to like each other. If you are thinking of bringing a new pet home and you have an existing one, knowing the right rules and steps for introduction is very necessary.

Preparing for the Meet Up

There are important things that you have to do and remember before trying to bring a new pet home. This will save the cat, the dog or you and other members of the house from getting harmed if an unexpected brawl had occurred. It is best to introduce the kitty and the pooch to each other when both are still young. This is when they are trying to familiarize themselves of their surroundings. If both or one of them is an adult, it can be a real challenge but you can overcome it if you prepared well.

The pet that has been living with you for a while is the king or queen of the castle. If the adult pet is a cat, the newcomer will be seen as an intruder. For adult dogs, they might chase the cat and make them go outside of your house on first instance while they can be gentle sometimes. It is normal for cats to mark their territory when threatened while dogs have the instinct to chase small things that run around. Before the meet up, focus on training the dog since cats rarely follow commands. It is important that they learn to sit, stay and leave something alone when told. Do not let the new pet wander around the house to avoid fights.

The Encounter

You will have to let the new pooch or kitty to adjust to the surroundings before the meet up. A change of environment must be stressful enough and forcing them to meet the boss of the house can scare them off. Bring the new member of the family in a separate room that is not being seen by the other. Keep him there for days or a week before the meeting or visit. The introduction should go on for days as you can't expect them to be comfortable or like each other at first visit. Be there to supervise every move that the two are making.

When you let the two guys meet, be prepared to restrain them from attacking each other. Let them sniff each other and watch out for the next step that they may take. Give a sharp "no" to your dog whenever he does something wrong but do not scold anyone. Remember that no one should get disappointed in front of the other and making the visit a pleasant experience is the key for them to like each other's existence. Provide rewards in every meet up and this has to go on for days and weeks until you are certain that they are fine with the other one around.




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