Buying a new dog or cat can be a fun experience. Many people
treat their pets as if they are members of the family. To many people, buying a
new pet is a big deal.
Cats and dogs can act very differently. Dogs can be very
playful while cats may stick to themselves more. Dogs can also be very loud.
Cats are usually fairly quiet.
However, there is one thing that dogs and cats specifically
have in common, they are both territorial. Dogs and cats love to mark their
territory and will fight anyone who comes into their territory. Cats have even
been known to do this with dogs even if the dogs are much bigger then them.
So if you recently got a new cat or dog, how do you go about
fixing this? Well let's take a look at a few ways to get dogs and cats to
co-exist in your house.
Let's start with obedience. This is a very crucial step.
This is also especially important for the dog in the situation. Most of the
time, the dog will probably be the aggressor. Training your dog to obey when
you say "No" is a great first step.
Give your cat some time to wander around the house. Cats
love to roam in new areas. This will let your car become familiar with your
home. In addition, it will scatter your cats scent around the house.
After you have let your cat roam the house, lock them in one
room, and have you dog wander around the house. He will probably sniff the
cat's scent. This basically lets your dog become acquaintedto
your cats smell and let your dog understand that the cat is part of the
household.
Now is the time to introduce the dog and cat. It is likely
that the dog will start barking when they see the cat. This is usually to try
to scare the cat away. However, it is unlikely that the dog will attack the cat
immediately. Either way, this is where the obedience training comes in. By
saying "no", you will make it clear to your dog that the cat is also
a pet, and therefore a member of the household.
Once your dog begins to calm down, let the dog and cat come
close together. Usually what will happen is the dog will sniff the cat. Once
the dog decides not to bark at the cat, then you know the introduction has been
pulled off successfully.
Finally, what you want to do is make time for the two pets
to coexist. This can be difficult since cats prefer to be alone. But you want
them to interact with each other, that way they get used to each other, and
they know that the other is not a threat. Who knows, in time, maybe they will
even become friends. :)
