Living with both a cat and dog can wreak havoc on your home life. If you are looking for ways to get them to get along you have come to the right place! Below are some great tips and tricks for working with your pets to create a more loving home environment.
1. Create space for each pet
Both cats and dogs can become territorial. This is especially true if they feel threatened by one another. The best way to eliminate this issue is to create space for each of them. Make sure each pet has their own space. Their space should be where the majority of their toys are kept. You should also keep their beds and food and water close by. Cats especially will sometimes need more space due to larger toys such as a cat scratcher lounge. Ensuring sleeping arrangements are separate for each can also keep problems at bay. Over time you can reduce the amount of space that belongs to each of your pet family members. However, reducing territorial space should be done slowly and only when they have started to develop a better relationship.
2. Train them separately
Training each of them separately will help to create boundaries and set rules. Each of your pets should know exactly what type of behavior is appropriate for your household. You are the master, and you have to instill in them rules for your home. Once they know the boundaries, it will become easier to reinforce them when they come into contact with one another. Be mindful of each of their temperaments. Their temperaments will play a key role in training them to live peacefully together. Remember to supply each of your pets with treats during training. This is positive reinforcement, and it will help them to remember how they are supposed to behave long-term.
3. Encourage some playtime together
This part can be rather difficult. You want to make sure that each of them knows that you care for them equally. Through playing with them together you demonstrate that it is important to have family time. You also send them signals that working, playing, and living together will be part of their daily routine. If your cat and dog are just getting to know each other, you will need to keep the time they spend together short in the beginning. Start the process by having them together for a few minutes at a time and increase the time span at each meeting. Make sure to keep your dog on a leash during together time in the beginning. And create a separate place for your cat in case a time-out is in order. Once you are confident they can get along you will no longer need to take these precautions.
4. Take things slowly
No matter where you are in your furry family journey, remember that it will take time for your cat and dog to adjust to one another. And while some pets will only take a few weeks to fully adjust, it might take several weeks for yours to be in the same room with one another. Try to be patient with yourself and your pets. The ultimate goal is to get them to get along for the good of your family. Working towards and obtaining this goal is what matters most.
5. Enlist professional help
If you find that it has been several months and your pets still are not getting along, it is time to get professional help. Visit a pet trainer to see if they can assist you for a few sessions. Often trainers are invaluable and can spot small changes that you can make to reinforce positive behaviors. They can also help you with correcting bad individual behaviors. If you don’t already have a trainer in mind or do not know where to find one, this article provides more information on how to find a dog trainer.
Now you have some great tools at your disposal to help your dog and cat get along. Good luck as you embark upon your journey to train them to become loving family members. Hopefully, they will l be best friends in no time!
