Dog Training 411: Dogs & Cats

This week on Dog Training 411 I have a throwback bonus video! In 2008, a kitten the size of my hand wandered into my garage and I spent 6 hours gaining her trust. Once I realized she was a stray, I began to set up a space for her, but didn't anticipate that my dachshund beagle mix, Daisy, would try to eat her upon her first greeting. 

It was not love at first sight. 

Daisy came to me as a rescue / stray as well, and she had a fair share of issues. As I learned how to work through these issues, Daisy started to become a great companion for me, but not for this new kitty.

Fast forward the picture to three months after Java (the kitty) wandered into my garage and I got both of them to a point where they could begin to play together. Under my supervision and on set times, I recorded them learning how to play together, and recently came across these old "home videos". 

The main purpose of the video compilation I've made here is to show what body language signs to watch for in a hyper active dog; when are they submissive and when are they overbearing? 

Dogs have four behavioral / state of mind decisions at any given point: fight, flight, submit & avoid. This video highlights all areas except for flight. 

When I work with clients whose cats and dogs hate each other today, I work out a game plan depending on the specific situation, but I always reflect and share with them how my cat hated my dog, my dog tried to eat my cat, and now they are best friends. 

This, of course, doesn't guarantee success for them, but so many times it's just a lack of education and implementation from the perspective of understanding body language and state of mind. Many times, people don't see the signs of a dog about to do something, and that's why sessions should be supervised by a professional. 

Daisy is extremely nonchalant around Java now, and though they spur each other on towards wrestling in a playful manor on occasion, they're mostly just peaceful and happy around each other. Please consult a professional if you have concerns about how your animals interact with each other.

Ask A Dog Trainer: What do I do if my dog is afraid of thunderstorms?

Q: What do I do if my dog is afraid of thunderstorms?

A: Dogs are understandably afraid of thunderstorms. Their survival instinct kicks in and they often go looking for the safest place they can find to wait the storm out. However, many times our interaction with the dog during their psychological process of waiting the storm out can have a traumatic impact on their future behavior.

Here's the biggest takeaway from this video: every time you give your dog affection, you are reinforcing their current state of mind. So if your dog is displaying anxiety or fear and at the same time you're consoling them, basically what you're saying is, "yes, this is the right time to freak out. Keep it up!"

What I recommend doing instead is first: remain calm. They will look to you and feed off of your energy for how they should be feeling in the moment. You may need to leash your dog up, have them lay down at your heel, and simply sit there and remain calm the entire time.

This informs them that nothing bad is going to happen, you're near them and they are therefore safe, and that this is not something that they need to freak out about.