Dogs and Cats .. Aahh!

So you can let the cat discover the puppy in a casual way - very often simply appearing to ignore what's going on is the best policy. Let both dogs and cats know that they don't need to be jealous of one another. Feeding and fussing over the older animal first is a good way to show this. In any case, an early scratch on the puppy's nose from the cat will probably ensure that she lives a peaceful life from then on!

"Mr.Dog,
meet Miss Kitten …"

Then to introduce a kitten to an adult dog - just reverse the process! Put the kitten, with her bed and litter-tray, in your dog's old crate. The kitten is now protected from any unwanted attention when you're not around. Once the novelty of the new arrival has worn off, you’ll be able to let both dogs and cats mosey along together.

I've always found my dogs and cats fascinated by any newcomer to the household, and they're ready to play as soon as they get the chance. Of course you have to supervise any play between dogs and cats while the kitten is tiny.

If you have taught your dog that you are No.1, and the rest of the human inmates of the house are Nos.2 to, say, 4, then he'll know that the highest he can go is No.5. This means that he has to go along with the wishes of Nos. 1- 4 above him, and your wishes will clearly be that Cat is not on the menu.

The last kitten to arrive here (don't they just drift in, shortly after you've decided on NO MORE cats?) was the one to initiate most of the rough-and-tumbles with the dog she selected as her special friend. Indeed she still does. The play between dogs and cats can get quite rough at times, but it's all well-meant, and no-one ever gets damaged. If this kind of dogs and cats rough-and-tumble happens often, you may just want to move the more delicate family heirlooms to a higher shelf ...

One of the terrific advantages of bringing up dogs and cats together is that I never have to fear for my dogs’ behavior if we visit a friend with cats, and there's less chance of my cats getting chased under a car by a neighbour's dog.

The More Dogs and Cats, the Merrier

All in all, having dogs and cats in the household makes life more fun. The same can be said for chickens, goats, budgerigars, tropical fish …

There's no reason why dogs and cats can’t get on as they do with any other inmates of the house … well, there is one reason: if your dog is so aggressive and unbiddable that he won’t do what you want him to do, then you need professional help. A good dog trainer will assess the problem and know just how to work with you to correct it. That’s so worth doing – you will find your life improves immeasurably once you have a dog you can trust.

If you have a serious aggression problem with your dogs and cats, you'll find this a good resource

And here's a cat's-eye view of the same relationship from My Healthy Cat.com - a website dedicated to helping you make the best choices for your healthy cat.

Go over to Dog Training now to find some good resources, or Back to Home for more prowling round Dog-Training-and-Health.com.

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