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Well, after several weeks, our quiet, low energy puppy just came out of her shell. And, we are all in shock!
No one is more shocked than our small cat. The big cat quickly laid down the ground rules and all is fine there. The little cat, though, crouches in fear and hisses, which the puppy interprets as an invitation to play. There was also a tug of war over a hotdog the kitty snatched from my son. That did not improve relations.
So far, I am training the puppy to stay out of the kitty's favorite room and off her favorite chair. The kitty is also able to navigate large parts of the house without stepping on the floor. And, I am trying to spray the puppy with water when she bugs the kitty. They are just too fast for me, though, to make a direct hit.
Any ideas on how to get the puppy to realize this kitty is not a play pal? I hate to crate the puppy all day just because of this. The puppy is also entering her bitting phase and I am really concerned she might hurt the kitty.The irony is that before the puppy came, the kitty bugged the daylights out of the other cat in the same way.
Best suggestion I can give is exercise, exercise, exercise. A tired puppy is a happy puppy. You don't mention it in your post....how old is the pup and what breed?
Best suggestion I can give is exercise, exercise, exercise. A tired puppy is a happy puppy. You don't mention it in your post....how old is the pup and what breed?
She is 13 weeks old and 13 pounds. We don't know what breed. She came from a puppy rescue. They think her mom had some german shepard, but she was only 35 pounds.
I agree about the exercise. She has the run of our large, hilly, wooded backyard, which is usually filled with kids. The downside is that she gets so riled up, she chases the kitty even more! She was so funny this weekend - she litterally played until she fell asleep standing up.
I would also start working on the "leave it" command. If your not home then I would keep them separated. Or at least make sure the cat has some place to escape. But if you have a crate that may be the better way to go. Not only keep the cat safe but the pup as well.
She is 13 weeks old and 13 pounds. We don't know what breed. She came from a puppy rescue. They think her mom had some german shepard, but she was only 35 pounds.
I agree about the exercise. She has the run of our large, hilly, wooded backyard, which is usually filled with kids. The downside is that she gets so riled up, she chases the kitty even more! She was so funny this weekend - she litterally played until she fell asleep standing up.
She- is - ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!!!!!! By the size of those paws she is going to be a big girl. At 13 weeks you can start to do some simple training with her. I agree with the leave it command and would follow with a sit followed by giving her a treat. It will take some time but with patience it will work. In the mean time its an excellent idea to give the poor kitty a safe room where she can get away from the pup. Close the room off with a baby gate so the kitty can get in and out but the pup can't follow.
I would also start working on the "leave it" command. If your not home then I would keep them separated. Or at least make sure the cat has some place to escape. But if you have a crate that may be the better way to go. Not only keep the cat safe but the pup as well.
Thanks! We'll start on that. So far, she has been easy to train, so it may work.
She is crated when we leave or she will be unattended even if we are home. For the days that someone is here and able to watch her, though, we prefer to have her around as much as possible ("we" meaning everyone except the cats.)
And, I am trying to spray the puppy with water when she bugs the kitty. .
Just saw this. Water isn't a good tool for training. It is confusing for the pup and can actually excite her more. Redirection and praise will work much better and you won't have to worry about wet walls and furniture.
Just keep a few treats handy and when you see the behaviour, redirect her (leave it and sit) and then reward with the treat.
Just saw this. Water isn't a good tool for training. It is confusing for the pup and can actually excite her more. Redirection and praise will work much better and you won't have to worry about wet walls and furniture.
Just keep a few treats handy and when you see the behaviour, redirect her (leave it and sit) and then reward with the treat.
Thanks for your insight! We were told to do that by both the puppy rescue and her vet. And, it worked like a charm to stop her biting and getting on furniture she isn't allowed to. I realize there are many different ways to work with dogs, so even if I disagree with you, I still want to hear suggestions.
Thanks! We'll start on that. So far, she has been easy to train, so it may work.
She is crated when we leave or she will be unattended even if we are home. For the days that someone is here and able to watch her, though, we prefer to have her around as much as possible ("we" meaning everyone except the cats.)
I was referring to crating the dog when no one was home.
My sister always had dogs and cats, and whenever she brought a new dog into the house the cats would always seem to look at her like "God, not another one" She had St Bernards, but the cats ruled.
Thanks for your insight! We were told to do that by both the puppy rescue and her vet. And, it worked like a charm to stop her biting and getting on furniture she isn't allowed to. I realize there are many different ways to work with dogs, so even if I disagree with you, I still want to hear suggestions.
Yes unfortunately, a lot of people still believe in negative reinforcement for training. It does work but it can also invoke aggression in some dogs and fear in others. The trend toward positive reinforcement techniques is due to the fact that it works on all types of dogs without creating new problems.
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