"That's No Fool" - How to Make Dogs and Cats Become Friends

22-07-2022

Many of our customers are, just like us, dog and cat parents. It is not without reason that we have a separate collection on Dogguardian.nl, especially for cats . And although there is complete harmony within most families, in some cases the communication between cat and dog is not going well. This miscommunication can cause the cats in some households to live separately from the dog, often the cats upstairs and the dog downstairs. In this article we explain how you can get them used to each other.

Stitch is crazy about his brothers and sister (and vice versa). The cats get a good wash from him every day. The ears have to be cleaned and that other spot just under the tail, Stitch also loves to clean 🤭 They have developed a good language among themselves. For example, he corrects them when they are too naughty and they correct him when they think they are clean enough now. Now our cats are practically experts in dealing with dogs, they have now taught more than 60 dogs during our dog-cat training.

The biggest obstacle in communication is mainly the difference in body language between the two species. A wagging tail in a dog is a sign of friendliness, but in a cat it often means stress or hostility.
Cats also have a staring competition with each other before they fight, hoping that one of them will back off first. But a staring competition between dogs is often an invitation to play. So if a cat stares at a dog, the cat will think the cat wants to play, when what it really means is 'go away or we'll fight'.
Most cats will however flee and run away much faster. And what is more fun for a dog than chasing something? Our cats have learned to move very slowly, then there is less chance that the (unknown) dog will come at them.
But how do you teach them this? And how do you make it clear to your dog that the cat is not a fetch toy?

NB Many owners think that their dog cannot be trained with cats, because they always chase them outside. However, there is a difference between inside and outside. If Stitch meets a cat outside, he will just walk past it. But if the cat runs away, it is irresistible to run after it. We also have a few permanent guests, who have total respect for our cats inside, but will bark or rush at them outside. We call that 'a hero in socks' 😄

Observation
With us, dog-cat training starts with an initial introduction. The safety of our cats is paramount, so this is purely to determine whether the dog has malicious intentions. There are dogs that naturally want to kill cats. Just like there are cats that kill mice and birds. If this tendency is there, it is very difficult to train it out. You are training against nature. So if we see that the dog wants to hurt the cat, we will not continue with the training.
With a hunting instinct it is a different story. This can be guided well and even a hunting dog does not chase everything. There is Youri, a greyhound, who loves to chase rabbits in the dunes, but at home he is curled up on the couch sleeping with the house rabbit.

NB If you are unsure whether the dog has bad intentions, it is advisable to hire an experienced dog trainer who can guide you through the process.

Smell
Do you want to bring a new four-legged friend into your home? A good way to get them used to each other is by scent. Let them get used to each other's scent first, before they actually see each other. So keep them in separate rooms or floors for a certain period of time. Every morning, put the dog bed or toy in the cat's room and the cat bed/cat basket/rug with the dog and put it back in the evening.
You can also put them in each other's spaces, but then separate from each other. Take the dog with you to sniff the cat's spot extensively and the cat where the dog sleeps.

Introduction
Then it is time for the first face-to-face contact. If you want to do it as safely as possible, you can put the cat in the cat basket and the dog on a leash. This way they can look at each other very closely and smell each other, but not come near each other. Keep this session fairly short, especially the first time.
After repeating this a few times, you can eventually let the cat out of the basket, but make sure the dog stays on the leash. The cat can determine the rhythm, and the dog will adapt to it. It is important that there are always escape routes for the cat, or that it can hide somewhere. They often seek out heights for safety, for example on top of a cupboard or somewhere at the bottom where the dog cannot reach. So don't stand in a doorway with the dog, but somewhere in the middle of the room.

NB Is your dog crate trained? Then you can also use the crate well in the introduction, especially at times when you cannot supervise. Make sure that the cat cannot get between the bars.

Eating together, sleeping together
The concept of eating together to build social bonds is a very powerful one. Just look at how we often have business meetings over lunch or dinner.
In animals it also strengthens the bond, because they are rewarded in each other's presence and they also learn to leave each other's food alone.
It is also a good way to 'lure' the cat to come closer to the dog and not to run away immediately. Again, we keep the dog on a leash to maintain full control.
By the way, we use our trainers , which we give to both the dog and the cats in turn. They are reward snacks, made of 1 type of meat and also small enough (or breakable) to give to cats.

Sleeping together is also a fixed part of the training in the Engel household. The whole family together on the couch. If the dog is still very enthusiastic, the dog stays tied to Joe on the leash. I also sleep on the couch myself, because the cats come to the couch sooner. By sleeping together, the dog learns to be in a relaxed position at a very short distance from the cats. A few dogs needed an extra night, but with most of them we were able to take the dog off the leash in the morning, with the cats walking between the legs. With a very surprised look from the dog, but also with a wagging tail.

Points of attention:
- Be patient and take your time when introducing dogs and cats. It can sometimes take weeks for them to get used to each other;
- Never force it, this will only create tension. Let them determine the rhythm themselves. Also do not pick up your cat in your arms to take it to the dog. They will not be able to move freely and will panic, with possible scratching or biting as a result;
- Pay close attention to body language. If one of the animals seems scared or very stressed, keep your distance and try again another time;
- Is the dog standing there, staring at you? Try to shift her attention to you and give her a treat if she succeeds, because this is a good sign! If she is too focused on the cat and you are not making contact, take her to a separate room to get her emotional level down. Try again later in the day or the next day;
- A good command to use in training is 'leave it'. Or another word that means the dog should leave something alone;
- Don't forget to reward good behavior! Speak softly, encourage them positively, and reward them with praise, pats, and treats ❤️;
- Always stay calm yourself, even when things are going really well. If you get really excited, your voice goes up or you pet too exuberantly, the dog's energy level will also go up. This can result in the dog associating the cat with playing and that is exactly what you don't want;
- Keep them in separate areas when you can't be there to supervise. Only when you are sure they are a pack, can you leave them alone.

Tips:
- Put the cat food somewhere the dog can't get to it. The cat should be able to eat quietly, without being disturbed;
- This actually also applies to the litter box. Put it somewhere where they can do their business in privacy. We humans like that too, right?! Moreover, it turns out that cat poop is the tastiest thing on earth, but certainly not healthy. So don't let the dog eat out of it, position the box so that he can't get to it;
- A great aid in training, especially for anxious or sensitive four-legged friends, is the Relax Compositum . This is a natural supplement with a calming effect. It works on the basis of calming plants, such as Valerian, Hops and Linden blossom. If you expect your pet to have a lot of trouble getting to know another four-legged friend, you can drip the supplement over the food beforehand. This way they are in a calmer state from the start. You can also drip it over the furniture or cat bed;
- For cats or dogs that could use some reassuring support for a longer period, there is Adaptonium . This is also a natural supplement from Groene Os. This is based on Ashwaganda, which can help with physical and mental stress and is also an antioxidant.

Below you will see a video of one of our dog-cat training sessions.
➡️ Splinter is a young Visla of 1 year old. Lives with a cat, but it has withdrawn upstairs since Splinter's arrival...

Splinter has become much calmer in the house and no longer chases the cat. As a result, the cat dares to come downstairs more often. The beginning of a friendship has been created 🐶😺

Source:
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/pets/introducing-dogs-and-cats
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2012/06/cats-and-dogs.html

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