Training Your Dog To Live With Cats

Dogs and cats can make natural bedfellows – quite literally. Though many dogs chase cats naturally because of their hunting instinct, it can be easy for them to co-exist. All it takes is a little patience.

Why is cat training important?

It's very important to socialise your dog with cats even if you don't have one. That way you can go to other places with cats - friends houses, pubs/bars, hotels, vets (you will need to do that occasionally of only for vaccinations!) – and know that your dog will be well behaved.

I have ex-racing greyhounds as part of my ‘pack'. In all, I've owned 6 greyhounds of my own in the last 10 years and fostered several through rescue. I've had other dogs as well, most through rescue routes. And I've still got my fat cat Hoolie who has lived with dogs all her life.

ALL of these dogs have been trained to live with cats reasonably easily. In some cases it was a matter of minutes, in others a few weeks. I know that I can go anywhere with them and they will love to meet the resident cat – even if the cat doesn't like them!

Initial tips

If you get a rescue dog, always see if the rescue centre can give you any indication of results of their own cat testing. Some places do cat testing and others do not. However remember that some dogs are so traumatised by their background that you might not get a fair reading of the situation until they have been in a home environment and settled down.

If you get a puppy from a breeder who has cats themselves, this is a good start but you should continue that cat training as the puppy matures. That will build on the good foundations they already have.

If you don't have a cat of your own, find a friend with a cat who can help out. Or maybe a local rescue centre that has ‘centre cats' (eg they lie on the reception desk) might help you. Dog behaviourists or the breeder might also be willing to assist.

The process

I thought I would describe what I do with my dogs, including puppies. This works with a cat which is reasonably well adjusted and not overly timid or nervous. This is just my system and is has worked well for me in the past.

• I introduce them first inside the house. Getting the dog used to the cat indoors means that you can then do the same training outdoors. This is so the dog learns that cats are not to be chased indoors or out.
• I always introduce the dog to the cat. It's difficult to get someone to bring a cat close to a dog if the cat doesn't want to go. Have you tried giving a cat a tablet, or trying to put it into a cat box to take it to the vets? It's like trying to untangle a very strong, slippery octopus.
• I have the dog and cat in the same room with the doors closed. There is always somewhere high for the cat to leap to, out of reach of dog nose, such as the back of a high sofa, window sill, bookshelf or similar.
• I try as far as possible to have someone else with me, armed with a squeezy water bottle or good water pistol – you'll see why in a minute (it's something to do with not quite having enough hands!)
• The cat is allowed to be free in the room. The dog is kept leaded (leashed) and muzzled in the case of ex-racing greyhounds or any rescue dog where history is uncertain. In the case of new puppies, leaded (leashed) should be sufficient.
• Keep the dog sitting or standing next to you. Hold the lead firmly. Watch the body language – if the hackles (fur on the back of the neck) rise and the dog goes stiff, it's squaring up for a lunge.
• If the dog lunges at the cat, immediately correct with a sharp pull back on the lead accompanied by a firm loud ‘NO' or ‘LEAVE' command. Don't shout or scream but raise your voice enough to make it understood this is not acceptable. (The cat might leap up high to get out of the way.)
• If you can, at the same time, the dog lunges, get the other person to squirt the dog with water between the eyes. If you don't have a friend, squirt the dog yourself as best you can as soon as the lunge starts. And it's only water so the floor or carpet will dry out pretty quickly. Greyhounds and sighthounds generally don't tend to like water so this is a great non-physical method of making it unpleasant for them to lunge at the cat. Many other dogs are the same. It doesn't tend to work so well with water dogs or working dogs such as labradors or spaniels!
• Repeat the process until you see the dog is calming down and learning that lunging at the cat = being reprimanded and squirted.
• When the dog stops lunging reward with praise ‘good boy/girl', a pat or stroke and a treat.
• Repeat the process until the dog and cat actually meet up and can sniff each other. At this point, ensure that the dog is still held very firmly on the lead (leash). If your dog is muzzled, do not take off the muzzle until you are sure they will not lunge and bite. This might take a while. Some dogs are very intelligent and will bide their time. Reward all good behaviour positively with praise and treats.
• After the dog and cat have sniffed each other, a good sign is when the cat actually rubs against the dog. This is saying ‘you are my friend'. Cats have scent glands on their heads so when they rub their heads against you it's marking you as ‘territory' and ‘friend'.
• If the dog responds well to that by calm acceptance and sniffing the cat's bottom, rather than lunging and barking, reward with treats.
• At this point, I would try letting the dog have the full length of the lead (leash) but keep it muzzled if a muzzle has been used all along, walking it around the room with the cat still in residence.
• Once all lunging behaviour, including any suggestion of lunging has ceased, I would then allow the dog off the leash. This is when having two people working together on the dog is helpful – if you do suddenly get a lunge/chase, there is more than one set of hands to grab the dog.
• Always throughout the process reinforce good behaviour with praise/treats so the dog learns ‘nice to the cat = treats' and ‘lunging at the cat = unpleasant things'.
• Once the dog and cat have accepted each other, allow them to reside in each other's space under close supervision. NEVER leave a dog and cat alone together in a room or a house until you are completely satisfied that they get along completely.

How long does it take?

Sometimes the entire process can take only a few minutes. But sometimes it might take much longer. Be prepared for this and break the process down into bite sized chunks. If you sense that either animal is getting tired/stressed, STOP immediately and give them both a rest. Half an hour at a time is more than enough. Spread those training chunks over as many days as is necessary.

Supervision and interaction

Make sure the dog and cat can have separate rooms or spaces in the house in between sessions. Some people allow the cat to be upstairs and the dog downstairs while the training is taking effect. They should not come into contact without supervision until you are happy with the cat and the dog behaving themselves correctly.

It helps if you use a crate as the dog (and cat) beds because then they can both be confined when you are not around. Alternatively, you could crate them alternately – the dog in their crate and the cat out, and the cat in their crate and the dog out.

Always make sure you fully supervise all interactions until you are sure that there is no problem.

Once this is done, move the process outside into your garden or yard and start all over again.

Final words

This is the process which has always worked well for me in the past. Different people may have different strategies. There is also information on the internet about cat training so consult that too.

The key to successful cat/dog training is to always read your own animals' body language. You know them better than me so you'll have a good idea which bits of this process work well for you and which might not.

About the Author

Beverley lives in Buckinghamshire in the UK.  She enjoys writing and spending time with her dogs Vinnie, Kylah and Blue, and her partner Robin.  She loves long distance walks and hilly places.  Beverley is a specialist in hypoallergenic dogs, and has recently published the only e-book on choosing hypoallergenic dogs.  She owns the new website www.howtochooseyourdog.com

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Anyone know of a reputable "pet resort" / dog boarding in Vegas?

Preferably not the regular kennel kind; I can't put my spoiled dogs in a cage. They're labs....and spoiled rotten. I've been surfing online but nothing really stands out for me except for the America Dog & Cat Hotel but geeze - $154/nt????
Has anyone ever used "Sleepover Rover"???

Boarding kennels (and vets) are not the best places to leave your healthy dog. I've worked in both kinds of places and I wouldn't leave my dog there unless it was an absolute last resort (no pun intended!) Like sending your kid to school, it exposes them to many other dogs and the risk of diseases like kennel cough. Most of the time, the dogs are not walked often enough and this may ruin your housebreaking. They may pick up bad habits like all-night barking or fence-fighting.

Anywhere you go, make sure that you are allowed to inspect the facility. If they won't allow this, they may have something to hide. If they give you a story about insurance rules, don't buy it. The fences should be in good repair and the place should look and smell clean. Some kennels have video hookups so that you can go online and check in on your dog whenever you want.

It's better to find someone who will care for your dog in their own home; someone who only takes a few dogs at a time. Ask your friends for recommendations - who watches their dogs? If you don't have any friends with dogs, ask people at a dog park, pet store or obedience class. Make sure they have experience with handling dogs and know what to do in an emergency - theirs or your dogs. Do they have a fire escape plan?

If you have someone watch the dog at your house, be sure it's a trusted friend or relative - or you may find all of your stuff ripped off when you come back. Or at least make sure they are bonded and insured and highly recommended.

No matter what you choose, be sure you have a written contract, stating the price that you are expected to pay and who is responsible for vet bills if your dog is injured or becomes ill. Make sure you get a copy of the contract as a receipt or you may have a hard time proving you left the dog with them if it disappears. Insist that they take contact phone numbers for you and someone else who is local in case of an emergency. It's a really good idea to have your dog vaccinated so he's less likely to get sick and also microchipped - in case he is lost, this is the most reliable way of getting him identified and returned home.

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Air Pet Hotel Dog and Cat Boarding

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