You have just met the love of your life and decide to take your relationship to the next level; living under the same roof. There is only one catch you’re a dog owner and she is a cat owner; how will you introduce them so they too will be able to live with one another.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association 32% of households are cat owners and 37% of households are dog owners. Which represents 72 million dogs and 82 million cats in the United States; with this many pets, the two are likely to be found in the same household.

Generally speaking, when either pet is brought up with the other as a puppy or kitten the relationship can be rewarding for both. If however, the introduction takes place when both are adults the experience is often stressful. There is a method, which has proven successful with most dog breeds in meeting an adult cat for the first time. Keep in mind that this is a process and one that will take three to six months to achieve a safe environment for both pets.

The first step is to understand your dog breed. If you have properly socialized your dog and their built-in instincts do not involve chasing pry then you are off to a great start. If however, this is not the case not all is lost, it will just take longer. One thing you can take for granted is your pets sense of smell.

No one knows for sure how much more scent-sensitive dogs are than humans, a thousand times-ten thousand?  Nevertheless, what is known is that a dog’s nose has many more odor receptors, and an olfactory (smell) center that takes up much more room in the brain. Cats are no different. Remember the last time you opened a can of Tuna fish only to look down and see your cat standing next to you waiting for the juice.

Over the course of your new relationship the odors from your mates pet is on your clothes and they will recognize the smell. The pet supplies you will need are a dog crate and a cat carrier along with a pet gate. Establish the boundaries in your house that is where your cat’s area will offer a safe haven from your dog as well a place to hide. Use the pet gate to separate the two spaces.

Let us assume that your cat will be the new comer in the home. Cats are more sensitive to a change in routine then dogs, so for first introductions leave your dog in his/her dog crate allowing your cat to explore the new space. The opposite should take place if the dog is the new comer, although your dog will get use to the new space much faster. Just add the familiar dog toys and their dog bed as long as they know you’re going to be around the transition will be seamless.

The next step is most critical to success, the face-to-face introduction. Always have your dog on his/hers dog leash and sitting at your side. Bring the cat into the room and allow the cat explore the space and see your dog. Your dog will be very alert at this point wanting to sniff the cat and see what’s up. That is the next step. While holding your cat ease off the dog leash and allow the dog to smell the cat. Your cat is not going to like this first greeting and that’s okay.

At night, you dog should be in their crate and the pet gate closed. This safe separation procedure should happen while you both are away from home. If you are going to be away from home longer than eight hours make sure someone is available to let your dog outside and able to return them to their dog crate.

Over the next weeks and months gradually increase the time they spend in each other’s company remembering to give praise when the greeting is nice and firm “no” when the greeting is not. Begin leaving your dog off the leash and your cat free to roam. The goal is to reach a balance when both pets can tolerate one another without using a leash, dog crate, or the pet gate.

The keys to success are:

• Patience, this is going to take some time
• Always keeping a watchful eye when the two pets are together
• Continued praise for both pets – Cats are territorial and dogs will be dominate

Following this method will produce results and your pets will be able to live together.

by Remarkable Dogs

Dog radio fencing in many neighborhoods and new subdivisions are gaining popularity, as many associations do not allow traditional fences. Radio fencing is available at your online Pet Store at Remarkable Dogs as well as other pet stores and is easy to install for the do-it-yourselfer or professionally. Nevertheless, do they really work?

The answer, maybe. There are shelters and dog rescues in every city housing many dogs with the radio collar still around the dog’s neck. This happens for many reasons one of which is choosing the wrong dog breed. Regardless of how well your dog is trained, how many obedience classes your dog has passed or books you’ve read from dog training experts, you cannot un-train natural born instincts.

Members of the hound group will chase anything that is smaller than they are; squirrels, other dogs or chipmunks. A Hound dog would rather accept the shock from an electronic collar then allow its prey to escape. Herding group dogs on the other hand, would do well with a dog radio fence. Their natural instinct is to herd the family together in a confined space and a yard equipped with a radio fence works well. If he/she could talk, they would like to see their human family wearing the collar…makes their job easier.

If you are new to the concept of dog radio fencing it is a wire that surrounds the space for your dog who then wears a shock collar. There is a warning signal that sounds as the dog approaches the edge of the space and then will receive an electric shock when they get to close. As the dog becomes trained and learns his/her boundaries; you can turn down or turn off the shock part of the collar and rely on the warning sound.

Another reason dog radio fencing fails is dogs are left unsupervised in the yard or have free access through a dog door. While installing a dog door can offer your pet the freedom of going outside whenever they need is a great idea, it is best suited when the space they enter has a traditional fence. Dogs with a radio fenced in space need to be monitored by their owners. As your dog fulfills its natural instinct to chase down its prey, they cannot reenter the yard when they get back home.

Some dogs become so fearful of the shock they never want to enter the yard again. It is recommended that pet owners purchasing a dog radio fence that they hold the shock collar and feel what the dog feels. This will give you an idea of which setting to use in order to avoid too strong a signal for your dog.

While radio fencing can offer a solution to a neighborhood where traditional fencing is forbidden, you must ensure your dog breed will benefit from a dog radio fence. Always monitor your dog while in the yard and ensure they remain where they belong. Remember that radio fencing can work but will never replace traditional fencing. Know your limitations, understand the natural instincts of your dog and you will have a great life together.

by Remarkable Dogs