Dogs and Cats
One of the most frequent questions dog trainers hear is “How can I help my dog get along with my cat?”
Things get complicated when dog trainers try to answer that question. First the trainer must start with another question, “What is your dog doing now when he sees the cat?”
If your dog is growling, snapping or snarling at your cat – it’s safety first – no contact. A dog who is behaving aggressively toward a cat will not be “getting along” with it any time soon.
But if your dog is simply trying to play with your cat, there’s hope.
First and foremost, make sure that your cat always has an escape route and that she always has access to her litter box and food – no dogs allowed.
Let’s take a moment to examine why dogs and cats getting along is problematic. Most dogs who have grown up with cats will get along with them. But dogs who meet cats later in life will need to learn to communicate with them. This is no easy task, because dogs and cats communicate through body language and the body language of cats and dogs are not the same.
For example, a “play bow’ (chest down, butt up) means “let’s play” when displayed by a dog but it means “go away” when displayed by a cat.
A high tail displayed by a cat often means “I’m interested” while a high tail displayed by a dog usually means “I’m on guard.”
Think of it this way: if you meet a person from France who speaks no English, and you speak no French, it’s going to take quite a while before the two of you can communicate. It’s the same with dogs and cats who were not introduced to each other at an early age. They will have trouble communicating.
Obedience training for your dog can help, because it helps dogs to look to their owners for feedback. Obedience training also helps owners control the movements and activities of their dogs.
