Cat and Dogs Living Together!

According to the American Humane Society, there are 83.3 million dogs and 95.6 cats in the United States. Six in ten people own a pet, and 17% of these pet owners own both a cat and a dog.
So how do these classic, supposed enemies co-exist on such a scale? Are you one of the 17%? Are you experiencing some level of discord in the house as a result of conflicts between these species? If you are, we can help. Sit Means Sit in Corpus Christi offers dog obedience training to teach your dog what you want and how he or she can give it to you. We know that an obedient dog is a happy dog.
We’ve come up with a list of some basic tips to help your cat and dog get along.

• Some dogs have deeply ingrained prey instincts and will go after anything smaller than them, especially when it moves.
• Even non-prey oriented dogs can have power struggles with their feline roommates.
• Cats are territorial, whereas dogs are hierarchy and pack oriented.
• Cats are near impossible to train, so your efforts are much better spent on training the dog.
• If you can get the dog to see the cat as part of the pack, half the battle will be won. The other half of the battle is getting the dog to accept the cat as higher in the pack than he or she is.
• Teaching your dog commands, such as “Leave it” is a good start. You can practice with the help of Sit Means Sit if you like!
  You can start this training with an enticing piece of food. Have your dog on a leash and gently pull the dog away from the food while saying the command. Reward the dog with praise. Practice this with different tempting items until the dog turns away instantly at the command.
• Use this command when your dog starts to go after your cat.

Call 361.248.5966 to talk to an expert trainer about your dog.