Teaching Woof to Respect Meow's Space

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Tanner and Oliver Learn to Give Patches her Privacy

This photo above was a major catch. I just happened to be coming into the laundry room from the garage, holding the camera, when I saw this sight. With a quick command to STAY for Oliver and Tanner, I snapped a few shots looking through the laundry and the adjacent powder room, into the hallway where Tanner and Oliver were observing their feline housemate. Yes! they got a terrific treat along with a lot of praise.

While preparing for the #LitterChat Twitter Party, I pulled together some tips for helping your dog respect your kitty's space and thereby working wonders on their relationship. Today I'm sharing some of what I Tweeted on Tuesday. I'd love to hear your ideas for working on this very tough task as well.

1. Cat poo smells like protein to dogs. To reduce their interest in the litterbox, clean daily.
2. Try Treasure Hunt barriers like cat doors if you have large dogs with great interest.
3. If you have a small dog, there are cat doors that operate only when a kitty with a special collar passes nearby. Check out Sureflap.
4. Baby gates will deter Fido, while allowing cats to jump over to their private area. 
5. When using a baby gate, work w/Fido to train him to watch and not approach, treating when successful.
6. Training Fido not to enter kitty’s private area will protect her food and litter from invasion. 
7. It's also good for Fido's health to learn to leave the Treasure hunt behind.
8. Some feline families create raised areas for litterboxes and feeding spots, just to keep dogs out of trouble. 
9. Selecting a single room for kitty’s food and litterbox allow all pets to have access to the rest of your home. 
10. Curious dogs can be trained to respect the cat’s area. Have your dog SIT or DOWN. Praise and treat when successful. Practice frequently!
11. Try using a rug or towel as a spot 4 your dog 2 observe from. Again, use praise and treats when Fido complies. 
12. Still having trouble? When Fido is in position, offer a whiff of a favorite, high-value treat; watch him be more willing! 
13. Keep practicing by filling kitty’s water, cleaning her box and so on, as Fido watches. Praise and treat! 
14. Practice the above tip daily to continue getting Fido used to seeing kitty in her space--less excitement from "same 'ole, same 'ole".
15. Troubling Fido? Try leashing him while practicing SIT STAY as you watch kitty in her area.  Sit with your dog and praise when he remains calm.

I hope you joined us for the #LitterChat Twitter Party. We had a blast! One thing's for sure, there was a lot of information flying around. If you were having challenges keeping up, here's a couple of tips for next time:

• Read my post on the day of the Twitter Party to see which handle will be offering what information. This will help you decide in advance what handle to participate with in conversations. 
• Read the posts under "Twitter 101" in my left sidebar for help with other ways to keep up with the pace. There are many techniques to select from. 
• Finally, if you have specific questions, I'll be happy to answer them here. Just leave them in a comment and I'll answer them as they come in. Thanks for your interest!

Senior Cats and their Dog Housemates

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Patches Enjoys Chilling Out

Wordless Wednesday is generally not wordless around here, but today I'll keep it short. With my whole family in town for my daughter's college graduation, the pets were enjoying some bonding time with my visiting sons. I just love this snapshot that captured the relaxation of Tanner and our senior kitty, Patches, with my son, Brent. I suppose the message is not forget to include your furry family when you have reunions of the family sort. Obviously these are special days for Fido and Fluffy as well. Happy tails!

Pet Solutions Helpline

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© All Things Dog Blog
Patches Private Space:
Off Limits to Tanner and Oliver

Dear Carrie:


I have had cats all of my life. We now have 2 dogs and 5 cats! They are learning to coexisit, sort of. What's the trick to stopping the dogs from eating the cat food and vice versa? We try to separate them but thay always find a way! Any ideas? 

Thanks, Sheila

______________________________________________

Dear Sheila:
Cats love high places. I would choose a shelf, the top of the dryer or some other out of the way place to put the cats' food dishes. This will keep Fido out of it.  
 
Also, only feed them twice a day. Don't leave food out. They will learn to eat their food all at one time and then the dishes will remain empty throughout the day. 
 
Taking ownership of the food will help allow you to be in charge, rather than the pets taking over every dish. 


Teach your dogs to give your cat's food and litter area space. Practice frequently and soon they'll get the idea, when paired with reward and plenty of praise.
 
Happy tails,

Do you have a question for Carrie about making your multi-pet household more amicable? Write to me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com.

Dog Owner Guilt: Understanding How to Cope

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko

Every Dog is a Unique Individual

Dog owners are among the most compassionate people you'll ever meet. Sometimes this compassion brings on guilt, often needlessly. Today I would like to share a letter from a reader that I hope will help you to avoid the guilt that can come with loving your dogs. For privacy, I have changed the names in the story:


Dear Carrie:


I lost my dog, Chocolate, over a year ago to cancer. It was really hard for me: I lost her six months after I lost my Dad. Most people say their pet is their baby. Well, in this case, she was my sister. My family adopted her when she was 8 months and I was 5.


When we first met her, she was so scared she peed herself, but of course, when we brought her home we couldn't get her to sit still for what felt like the first 5 hours! Once she got used to our routine she calmed down a lot, but she'd still have her moments :).


After I lost my Dad, I noticed she got really depressed. She didn't want to go for walks or eat as much. I knew he was her favorite, but I didn't know it could get that bad.


About two months later, she went blind. My mum and I just thought it was her age, but when she was laying down and refused to get up, even for her favorite meat, we knew something was wrong.


We took her to the vet and they referred us to a clinic a couple towns over. At first the vet said she was improving. She even snapped at one of the nurses (which was considered good news), but when the vet did scans of her body and then told us she had cancer all over, I didn't want to believe it. She'd been my best friend for so many years. I didn't want to lose her, ever!


I was there when she was put to sleep and so were all the nurses and other vets from that clinic. I realized how lucky she was to have people that truly cared about her around her when she passed. I know some animals don't get that. I knew I've wanted to be a vet since I was little, but at that moment I knew I wanted to be there for the animals that were dying just as much as for the ones that were living.


Later on, when I wasn't grieving as much (I still miss Chocolate a lot, but I've accepted it), I started volunteering at the city shelter (and I still do) where I adopted another dog, Slinky, just recently. I believe Slinky chose me. She's a Chihuahua mix (Chocolate was a Rottweiler), but sometimes I feel like I am comparing Slinky to Chocolate or I am trying to replace Chocolate. I know no dog will be able to fill those shoes, not that i would want them to. 


I just find myself saying or thinking something like, "Chocolate used to do that" or "That reminds me of Chocolate." I even find myself doing that with dogs at the shelter. I don't want to keep doing this; I know each dog is different and that there is no need to compare and contrast, but I still find myself doing this. Do you know of anything that might help?


~Annie

--------------------------------------------

Dear Annie:

It is so timely that you have written now, as I just read an article about dog owner guilt. It sounds like you are having a touch of this, something we all experience. No parent or pet owner can honestly say they have not compared and contrasted their various children or pets at some time. I'll be the first to admit that I do it, if only in my head.

I believe it is natural for us to note and then compare the differences between personalities and characteristics of our pets. And what is really wrong with this? No pet is PERFECT; no child is perfect. Each will have one or two behaviors or quirks that are bothersome at times. Yet each will have their endearing behaviors that bring us to love them so very much.

So, what is the difference between compare and contrast, and simple guilty feelings? A fine line, I suppose. Yet, as I read many years ago in a manual for new moms:

 "Guilt is a useless emotion"

It makes us feel bad about ourselves, even as we are only being human. Humans are intelligent, caring beings that cannot help but see the differences in others--canine and human alike. That is one of the unique things about us. We need to learn to see this as a gift.

Chocolate and Slinky are very different, for sure. These differences should help you to enjoy Chocolate's memory in a framework that is apart from your current experience with your newest pet, Slinky.

Celebrate Slinky's uniqueness by doing different things with her, using different accessories and food and nicknames. Feed her in a different location, take her to different parks, and enjoy her different looks, all in a way that will help you to appreciate her for what she is, rather than what she is not.

You'll get there. All dog lovers do. If I can help again, please fee free to write. It is always good to hear from a reader. My hat's off to you for adopting two homeless dogs and loving them with all your heart.

Happy tails,

Carrie

P.S. Feeling guilty about other aspects of pet ownership is common, as well. If you need help with your cat and dog relationship problems, check out our Woof and Meow series at the Best of All Things Dog Blog. You'll also find this link just under out header at the top. 

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The Woof and Meow Wrap Up: Photos, Prizes and more...

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Did you see your Meow in there? The pictures in the collage above are some of the many that were sent in. You can hover your cursor over each one and it will pop out so you can see the whole thing. Your Meow's name will appear at the top of the photo collage. Ya gotta love Photobucket! Thanks to all of you who sent pictures in, even those that weren't quite clear enough to show here. I love them all!


What a great time we have had during the last 8 weeks with this Woof and Meow series. Never have I seen such enthusiasm and excitement from my readers. Thank you all!

Before I announce the winner of the prizes that I know you're dying to hear about, I'd like to share a little of Patches' journey to loving her new, sweet-smelling World's Best Cat Litter and, of course, her Litter-Robot. Despite Patches' interminable shyness with the camera, I did manage to catch a few images of the path to her private boodwa (does anyone know how to spell that word?!!) Enjoy!

The transition from the old-fashioned blue litter box, that you see in the background of many of these photos, was not terribly difficult for Patches. She simply needed a little motivation to go inside. The catnip helped her explore, and serving meals inside helped her bond. Then I removed her own litter box and the decision was a logical one for her. She used it immediately upon my disappearance! Soon we received notice of her first solid deposit, as you can see from the last photo in the show. Success! Congratulations Patches! You're a Litter-Robot success story and spokes-model. Great job.

Would I buy one of these Litter-Robots for Patches? Absolutely! Does it save me time? Totally! Is it sweeter smelling and cleaner? Completely! Should we announce the winners now.....YES!

The first 3 names to come from the box will receive a sturdy, World's Finest Cat Litter Tote Bag, with an 7 lb. bag of litter, a trial bottle of NoDor Litter odor spray from Hartz, a sample of Rachel Ray's Nutrish brand dog food for Woof, and a surprise or two for you and Meow. These winners, listed for privacy by first names only, are as follows. Each will be notified.

1. Debbie 
2. Beth 
3. Angela 

The grand prize, a Litter-Robot, will be delivered to this lucky winner:

Darcey

Congratulations, Darcey! Now comes the fun. First, you'll need to visit the Litter-Robot website to decide which color you'd like to choose. Then you can email me your address for your package, along with your color choice. It's quite a big box, so consider that when you decide where to ship it. Congratulations again!

For those of you who are drooling, you can order one right here and have it at your door in a week or so. What are ya waiting for?

Did you miss any of the earlier posts in this series?:

• Woof and Meow: Can they Coexist Happily?
• Woof and Meow, Part I: Stop the Treasure Hunt
• Woof and Meow, Part II: How to Win our Prize Packages....and a Sneak Peek at What's to Come
• Woof and Meow, Part III: Strategies for Stopping the Treasure Hunt and Keeping the Peace
• Woof and Meow, Part IV: A Little Training in Respect
• Woof and Meow, Part V: Exploring New Options with the Litter-Robot and World's Best Cat Litter
• Woof and Meow, Part VI: Considerations Regarding a Second Pet's Adoption
• Woof and Meow, Part VII: Socializing Your Dog to a New Cat or Kitten
• Woof and Meow, Part VIII: Socializing Your Cat to a New Dog or Puppy

Be sure to check out the commentary at
5 Minutes for Fido. Tanner and Oliver are in  mourning, not to mention exhausted from all this work. And worse yet, there's no more litter box raids! Poor boys!


And Patches, well, she's ready to retire. Enough of this blogging stuff. She just wants to be left alone. 

Full disclosure: The Litter-Robot and World's Best Cat Litter described in this series have been donated to All Things Dog Blog for an independent review. I have not been paid to provide my opinion of these products, and the opinion provided is my own.

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