what are some ideas to help new kitten get used to a dog

Some dogs exercise fine living with cats; others but cannot live safely with felines. Sometimes, a dog can live with certain cats (depending on their age, temperament and activity level), just not others. Fifty-fifty if your dog has successfully lived with cats in the past, information technology is of import to recollect that each canis familiaris and each cat is an individual and therefore each introduction is different.

Trunk language of dogs and cats

When introducing your dog to a true cat, pay attention to the body language of both animals. If the cat'due south ears are pinned back or his tail is swishing dorsum and forth, this is a good indicator that he is displeased. You particularly want to exist enlightened of canis familiaris body language that could be potential warning signs. If your domestic dog has a strong prey drive (the inclination to seek out, chase and potentially capture animals seen as prey — usually smaller animals such equally cats or rabbits), she might become very focused on the cat. She'll stiffen, stare, and may first barking or whining. If you run across these signs, do not let her near the true cat. Ideally, her body linguistic communication will be loose and relaxed around the cat. It's OK if she pays attention to the cat, but you don't want to run across her fixated on him.

In addition, a canis familiaris's interaction with a cat can alter depending on the environment. Only because your canis familiaris is OK with the cat inside the firm doesn't mean she'll showroom that same behavior outdoors. She might fixate on the cat and start stalking him when they are outside together. And so, exist enlightened of her torso language effectually the cat in each new state of affairs, until you know how she is going to respond toward him.

Examples of dog body language

Methods for introducing a dog and a cat

There are many different ways to innovate a dog to a true cat. If the first method of introduction y'all try doesn't work or you don't feel comfortable with it, try a dissimilar pick. Even if the dog has had experience with cats and the cat has lived with a dog earlier, go along cautiously during the introduction. It's best to have two people nowadays — one to arbitrate with each animal, if necessary. If you have more than one dog, innovate each canis familiaris separately to the cat.

Selection 1: Slow and steady desensitization

If your dog is too fixated on the true cat, you can try desensitization, the goal of which is to reduce your dog'southward reaction to the cat by gradually increasing her exposure to him. Put the cat in a room (e.g., a sleeping room, a bathroom or a spare room) with a tall infant gate beyond the door. The room you choose should be one the dog cannot access and doesn't need to access. For example, if the dog sleeps in the bedroom with you lot at dark, don't selection that room for the cat. The thought is to separate them and but let them to view each other during specific times.

In his room, give the cat all needed supplies: litter box, toys, food and water. Keep in mind that cats are expert at squeezing through pocket-size gaps and are too good climbers and jumpers. So, make sure your cat tin can't get past the gate yous put up. The gate needs to be a bulwark that allows the true cat and dog to see one another, but does not allow them to access each other.

To begin desensitization, let the dog view the true cat briefly through the gate, and then get the dog to focus on something else, such as playing with a toy or practicing cues. Sometimes it helps to keep the dog on ternion so that you can move her away from the cat when you try to refocus her attention. Praise and reward the dog for beingness able to focus elsewhere. Go on to give the dog brusk viewings of the true cat throughout the day.

Sometimes, even seeing the true cat at first is too exciting for the dog. If this is the example, shut the door and begin feeding each creature on his or her side of the door: The cat eats his food in his room, right side by side to the door, and the dog eats her meal on the other side of the door. This allows each brute to associate the smells of the other with something good: food. You lot tin can also swap out the blankets and bedding of each animal, giving information technology to the other. That way, the dog can get used to the cat's smell and the cat tin get used to the dog's odor, without overstimulating either of them.

Hopefully, through this process of slowly letting the dog see the cat and get accustomed to the true cat'south presence, the domestic dog will eventually become desensitized and lose interest in the true cat. In some cases, the dog will lose interest in the cat within a couple of hours, merely it can take days, weeks or even months. Each dog (and each cat) is an private and will larn at his or her own pace.

With that said, though, it is possible that your dog may not ever be able to safely share infinite with a cat. If you don't experience you lot tin trust your canis familiaris around your true cat, y'all should keep them apart. Many dogs can injure or kill a cat very quickly, and your dog tin can also be injured by the cat. Your first priority should be ensuring that everyone stays safe.

Option two: Face-to-face introduction

This is a more fast-paced introduction. I person should hold the dog on a loose lead and watch the dog'south trunk language. Someone else should watch the cat'due south body language. If the cat is not raising his dorsum or hissing around the dog, he can be allowed to move effectually freely. A cat is rarely a threat to a canis familiaris, but some cats will be on the offensive when meeting dogs.

If the dog is calm around the true cat, you can enquire the dog to sit, or prevarication downward and stay, if she has been taught those cues, while the cat moves about freely, sniffing the dog if he wishes. The dog should be praised and rewarded if she ignores the cat. If the dog is too fixated on the cat (due east.g., staring at the cat, has stiff body language, volition not listen to y'all when y'all call her proper name) or if she lunges and tries to chase the cat, y'all should endeavor a unlike strategy for getting them to share infinite, such equally Option 1 or Pick 3.

Option 3: Look at That

If the quick introduction did non work and your dog is non becoming desensitized to the true cat, you might demand to endeavour some more structured training. Past playing Look at That (LAT) with your domestic dog, you can help to teach her not to fixate on the cat. Yous'll be teaching her to await at the cat and then expect back at you for a treat. Essentially, she'll learn that information technology is more rewarding to non pay attention to the cat.

Look at That training plan

To kickoff working on LAT, you need to figure out the dog's threshold while on leash: At what signal does she detect the cat, but still answer to you when you lot say her name? That is her threshold. Each dog has a dissimilar threshold. For one dog, five anxiety abroad from the cat might be her threshold; for another domestic dog, it might be 25 feet. You lot'll know you have gone past the threshold when she starts barking or lunging at the true cat. Another sign that you're getting too close to the cat is if she starts moving more slowly, staring and stiffening her torso. If yous call her name and she doesn't respond to you lot, move a few feet away from the true cat.

Once you've figured out the dog'southward threshold, grab a clicker and some really succulent, pea-sized treats. If you don't have a clicker, a verbal marker (a word like "yes" or "skillful") volition work just fine. Put 10 treats in your hand and keep the purse shut past for later.

Clicker training instructions

When you see the dog looking at the true cat, click the clicker or use your verbal marker and give her a treat. The start few times, you might take to put the treat correct in front of her nose, just adequately presently she should kickoff looking expectantly at you as soon equally she hears the marker. That'south because the marker (either a clicker or a give-and-take like "yes") e'er ways a treat is coming. Use upwardly the 10 treats, clicking equally soon as she looks at the cat.

The 11th time, earlier using the marking, wait and encounter if she volition look at the true cat and then look right back at you. If she does that, either click or use the verbal marker when she looks at yous and so give her a treat. If that doesn't happen, get back a step. Mark her 10 more times for looking at the cat and then endeavor over again. Once she is reliably looking at the cat and then looking back at you, you tin can slowly start moving closer and closer to the true cat. If the dog becomes fixated on the cat when y'all motility closer, yous've gone past the threshold and need to move dorsum.

As y'all train, her threshold decreases, which ways that the 2 of you volition be able to motility closer and closer to the cat. Proceed practicing LAT with your dog until she can be right adjacent to the cat without an issue. How quickly your domestic dog's threshold decreases will depend on you (how much y'all exercise and the types of treats you utilize), your dog (since every dog learns at a different step) and your cat's comfort level.

Introducing kittens and puppies

If y'all are introducing a kitten to a dog, keep in heed that kittens may not take any fearfulness of dogs, then yous must watch the dog carefully. Considering kittens are small and want to run and play, dogs with a stiff prey drive may be very excited by a kitten's movements. Fifty-fifty if your domestic dog is OK with your adult cats, it is important to sentinel her closely when she's with a kitten. If your domestic dog is young and high-free energy, she could hurt or kill the kitten but by trying to play. Then, for prophylactic's sake, keep kittens and dogs apart any time y'all are not watching them.

Introducing adult cats to puppies tin sometimes exist easy, since a well-socialized adult true cat might exist fine with a puppy acting similar a puppy. All the same, if your rambunctious puppy is chasing your shy cat, it is up to you to intervene. Until the puppy is erstwhile enough to have more self-command and has had some training, you lot volition want to manage their interactions. You don't want your puppy to acquire that chasing the cat is a fun game. Babe gates tin can be used to proceed the animals safely and comfortably apart. To help you proceed an middle on your puppy, you can also put her on a leash. That way, if she begins to chase the cat, you will be able to hands direct her away from that behavior.

Seeking help from a professional person

Animals with adept past experience often adjust well and quickly to a new pet in the firm. Merely if introductions don't get well, seek help from a professional person dog trainer or behavior consultant. Don't ever employ penalisation: Information technology will not help and it could brand matters much worse.

Find a dog trainer

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Source: https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/how-introduce-dog-cat

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