They don’t have to fight like cats & dogs! If you have a new dog or cat or they just can’t seem to get along, then, these training tips are for you.
ALL CATS NEED A SAFE PLACE: Use a baby gate to block off a dog free zone. The laundry room is a great place for this. This gives cats a safety option. Try to keep dogs and cats separated from each other unless you are training.
TEACH LEAVE-IT: Tether dog to a heavy couch or door to free up your hands. Get a treat and put it on the floor in front of dog. Say Leave-it and wait for dog to look away. Now praise and reward. (don’t let him get the treat!) The goal is to have dog quickly BACK AWAY & LOOK AWAY from the treat after you say Leave-it once.
HELP DOG GENERALIZE LEAVE-IT: Eventually, replace the food with a toy and repeat the above training steps. Now, replace the toy with another toy, and so on… Eventually, you’ll move the toy around, while asking for a Leave-it, and then, for the big finale: you’ll call the dog past the toy while rewarding him for ignoring it.
KITTY CAT LEAVE-IT: with puppy on a leash and in the down position, encourage cat to walk into and around the room. Praise & reward your dog for staying. Now, when dog looks at kitty say LEAVE-IT and wait for him to look away, then praise and reward. The goal is for dog to ignore the cat AND remain calm.
KEEP DOG ON A LEASH: continue coaxing the cat into walking around and rewarding dog for ignoring cat. Remember to give lots of verbal praise and treats! Your goal is for dog to remain calm around the cat.
USE A VERBAL CORRECTION IF YOU NEED TO: If dog lunges or barks at kitty, remember to give him verbal feedback that says “stop what you’re doing”. Then you may need to re-think your training plan. Your goal is 100% success. Too much failure will stress out both animals and undermine your training.
KEEP TRAINING SESSIONS SHORT: 10-15 minutes 2 times a day is good; expect to spend a couple of weeks building this behavior. Then, you’ll need manage your dog and cat for several months until dog integrates the Kitty Cat Leave-it into his new routine.
NOTE: Not all dogs can live safely with cats.
If you have a high prey drive dog you may always need to manage him around small animals.