If your dog enjoys playing rough with you, there are a few guidelines you can follow to make sure the play does not get out of hand. July 10, 2019 ; Facebook. Cats who are afraid, in pain or … Kittens and cats need to play. Let him be bored for 20 seconds, then take him back and try again. Leave the puppy on a leash so you can quickly intervene if he moves to attack the cat. However, if you're not careful, you can play too rough or long with your puppy, leading to aggression or grumpiness. Repeat the same training as before, but this time, stand close enough that Chomper could reach the cat if he wanted to. She clearly doesn't want to hurt him but she is too rough. Stay cognizant of how comfortable the pets are in each other's presence. Also, make sure you’re using really good treats. Dogs playing together from such a young age teaches them communication and self-control. Normal dog and cat play look a lot like exaggerated hunting with behaviors such as tracking, stalking, chasing, attacking, biting, killing and eating. Privacy Policy. Pinterest . Not only can long nails cut your dog’s skin, but they can cause serious damage to his eyes. An aggressive cat can be as dangerous to your puppy as a dog can be the cat. Prevent the problem – physically prevent your puppy from bothering the other animals when you’re not available to train and supervise. If you can encourage calm stroking, rather than rough playing this phase will pass more smoothly. My dog plays too rough with my cat (and other questions) help. Chomper will not stop going after Puff, and does not exhibit any of the “good behaviors.”. Let Chomper see the cat, then get his attention by saying his name or making funny noises. After all, if you bite one of your litter mates too hard he won't play with you anymore. He continues to sit, treat. Don’t use toys that train your kitten to play with your fingers, like a glove with balls dangling from the fingers. Take Chomper on adventures: to the local pet store, to friends’ houses, on short hikes. How far is too far when it comes to cats and kittens playing? That said, the dragging off of the couch and shaking sounds a little more aggressive that what I have seen with my pets. Alternately pet one animal and then the other while making comforting small talk. Make it harder. It’s normal, but it can be too much for your resident pets to handle. They go along just fine but sometimes the puppy becomes to rough and start to bite my kittens legs then shake his head when playing with the kitten and the kitten would squeal and go away. This is where a lot of people go wrong. Never leave your pets uncrated and alone together until you are comfortable that they are best buds or are at least willing to ignore each other. When you can’t directly supervise and train good play habits, he needs to be kept separate from them. Examining the Nature of the Fight Look for reciprocity. It’s best to start with one-on-one sessions in a … So, if your two cats are not on the same page it is likely a good idea to distract the one that is in the playful mood or separate the two cats as to not let things escalate. If the cat is in danger, it will know it is in danger. The thing is, if you want your pup to grow up to become the most well-mannered, stable adult he can be, he needs lots of socialization and training. If Chomper goes after the cat at any time, that triggers a time-out. If Chomper knows the sit cue, have him sit. Bored or stressed cats often rough up playmates, too. Give your cat its own territory. Such dogs continue playing despite cut-off signals from the “victim” dog (such as flattened ears and tail, lowered body, lip-licking and frightened yipping) and may appear to enjoy such interactions. A Short Guide to Puppy Behavior, A container of really delicious, pea-sized treats. As adults, these cats may bite or scratch humans or other cats too hard. To recap: Need more help than this? (There’s a video demo of this exercise in Puppy Survival School). This is easier said than done. (If you use a marker word or clicker, mark-and-treat). She will walk up to him and bat at him with her paw until he gives her a … The only issue we have is with playing. But a couple hours a day of exploration, learning, and working for his food will work wonders. Wear the puppy out – a tired puppy is a less-annoying puppy. While it might just look like fur balls having fun, this early play is critical to a puppy's social development. Regular kibble is probably not going to cut it for this; you need something delicious like real meat. If you live with more than one cat, hopefully, they have a good relationship and spend time playing together. This might mean working all the way across the room, putting a baby gate between you and the cat, or having an assistant hold Puff up out of reach. With humans, learning to play happens a little differently. Senior dogs often don’t have the same vigor or desire to roughhouse that young puppies do. Kittens also learn acceptable play from us: if people use their hands and feet instead of toys to play with a young kitten, the kitten may learn that rough play is okay. With the help of this plan, your puppy will outgrow the obnoxious-tornado stage. He looks away from the cat and makes eye contact with you, treat. Instagram. If the puppy shows signs of aggression, correct him firmly and block his view of the cat. My dog plays too rough with my cat. As well as attending classes, you might want to set up some puppy play dates with friends who have dogs. Although rough play and miscommunication may happen as kittens play with each other, this is an important time of learning. Start this (on a leash so you have complete control) by having the cat and the dog in the same room. Plus, he’ll grow up to be a mentally stable dog. Place the towel with the canine scent on it beneath the cat's food dish. You may want to use towels that you dried off with after a shower. Teach her to 'leave it'. Don't be surprised if the cat makes his own displeasure known as well. ClickerTraining.com: Can Cats and Dogs Be Friends? … Then play. Play between two cats is a little harder to gauge because one cat may be in the mood to play and the other is not feeling it. Over time, they learn not to be too rough. That’s because the first two parts are important prerequisites. This causes all kinds of bad habits to develop. Physically prevent little Chomper from getting a chance to chomp on your other pets. Basically, the more you allow this habit to happen, the harder it will be to get it to stop. Get close enough that Chomper can see the cat, but not close enough to touch. Teaching Your Puppy to Play Gently With the Cat, Dog Owner's Guide: Making Peace Between Dogs and Cats. All Rights Reserved. So we might need to teach them how to … Use his food for training sessions throughout the day. For example: tell him to sit, treat. Without preparing to play, you may create behavioral problems such as nipping or biting. Take a puppy socialization class. ), Dog Training 101: How to Teach Your Dog to Do Practically Anything, How to Solve Practically Any Annoying Dog Behavior Problem, Why You Can't Get Your Dog to Listen To You, How to Live With a High-Energy Dog Without Losing Your Mind, 51 Ways to Have a Better-Behaved Dog By Next Week: A Cheat Sheet for When Your Dog is Driving You Nuts, Thinking of Returning Your New Puppy to the Shelter/Breeder? While most dogs are larger than cats, keep in mind that cats are not defenseless. Lively Puppy Play. Hold the cat on your lap. By placing the puppy in a crate, both pets have the opportunity to check each other out without the ability to harm one another. You don’t have to do all this in one day, of course. With the use of Chomper’s crate (he does have a crate, right? As most everyone knows, cats are hunters and that instinct kicks in at a very young age as kittens play by stalking, chasing and pouncing each other. As puppies and kittens, pets will generally learn the basic rules of engagement from each other when there’s no human involved. It took us more than 700 words to get to this point. When he does a good behavior, say “good dog!” and give him a treat. Since this is harder, you need to increase the reward: as long as Chomper is not going after the cat, offer a steady stream of treats, like one per second. The good news is that with simple preparation, there are a variety of games that will help your puppy socialize and strengthen your bond. Dealing with Normal Puppy Behavior: Nipping and Rough Play When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths. It’s important that your cat has a space in your house that is all theirs. Plus, a puppy who played too rough and didn’t change would find himself alone; his littermates would, essentially, shun him for a short period of time. Use a loud noise, such a clapping your hands and telling him to stay or stop if he starts playing too rough. Place the towel that smells like a cat beneath the dog's food bowel. Train Rover to accept the cat as a family member and to play nicely with his new friend. You know exactly what you don’t want him to do, but that’s not enough. The message is: if I go after the cat, fun times end. Don't be surprised if the cat makes his own displeasure known as well. Rub one towel on the pup. Set up a play date with a puppy-owning friend. Play is normal behavior that provides young animals with opportunities to develop their physical coordination and problem-solving skills. Setting Up Puppy Play Dates. Finally, make sure the game you’re offering as a reward is fun enough. While cats do not respond to bribery very well, dogs that are rewarded with treats, petting and praise for positive behavior toward the cat will soon learn to associate kitty with earning your praise. Wear the puppy out and provide appropriate outlets for normal play behavior. You can play fetch all you want, but nothing tires a dog out faster than putting his brain to work. Do at least two sessions of this training per day for a few days. Have Chomper forage for food or play indoor agility. How exactly does one successfully wear out a puppy, without passing out from exhaustion oneself? When dogs roughhouse together, they receive social feedback from other dogs that helps them learn when they are playing too rough or bite too hard. You know the adage, “a tired dog is a good dog?” A tired puppy is a beautiful creature. It’s naturally reinforcing. Look around your home for areas where a cat may not be able to get away from a excited puppy should the need arise, and consider placing a cat tree in that area. Play/Predatory aggression in cats involves their normal hunting and killing behaviors. Introduce Older Big Puppies to a Tiny Kitten→. Your kitten will learn that when she is too rough, play time ends. Keep in mind though that he is a puppy and may just want to play. Finally, train the puppy – teach him appropriate ways to behave around the other pets. Baby Rover has the playful nature of a small child and yet the instincts of a grown dog to hunt down prey -- and that can be dangerous for your cat. The problem is the puppy is growing up and the cat is the same size, now she is just to big and rough an probably doesn't realize she is hurting the cat. He’ll be less likely to take his boredom out on the cat. Crouch down on the floor with him, gently shove him, make high-pitched noises, drag the toy away enticingly, run away from him – whatever it takes. Look for three opportunities to reward good behavior. The way a cat plays as she ages may change but the desire to play should hopefully remain throughout a cat's life. This is true of all dogs, but especially young puppies. Because tackling and biting the cat/chicken/older dog is a ton of fun. No session should ever last more than five minutes. I have a 2 months old puppy and a 5 months old kitten. I’ve fostered hundreds of kittens and cats over the years, and have had many kittens (and cats) who played too rough and would play bite before. When you first bring your new puppy home, separate the puppy from your cat by placing them in adjacent rooms separated by a door. Please Read This First, Is My Puppy CRAZY? Do at least three 5-minute sessions of this training before moving on to step five. Once he joins your household these lessons need to continue. Puppies play by jumping, biting, and tackling relentlessly. A kitten who isn't raised with littermates or playmates doesn't always develop this tit-for-tat retaliation sensitivity. 3LostDogs.com: Helping dog owners feel less lost since 2009. After five seconds, break out the plush toy for a game. The best way to tire your puppy is to make him think. It’s normal, but it can be too much for your resident pets to handle. Here’s how to get your puppy to stop bothering your other pets so they can have some peace. Your scent combined with that of the other pet will reinforce to each pet that the other pet is part of your family. Leave the puppy on a leash so you can quickly intervene if he moves to attack the cat. Chopped-up cheese or meat works well, The cat/chicken/older dog in question (for this blog post, we’ll be using an imaginary cat named Puff), A tired, relatively calm puppy. With the help of some knowledgeable […] Your cats, chickens, or older dogs probably long for the days when they could go about their lives without being accosted by a puppy-sized tornado. Want Chomper to leave the cat alone? In fact, this play aggression is quite common for all young mammals, male and female. Figure out exactly what you want your puppy to do instead of harassing Puff. When you’re not doing anything with him, give him a puzzle toy or a hollow bone stuffed with soft dog food, peanut butter, or cream cheese. She also seems to like to annoy the cat. If you have a kitty that plays too rough during social play, there is a very real risk that the cat will harm you or one of his feline friends. Bring the other pet closer. ), Play a training game that quickly gets puppies to calm down and stop being obnoxious, Teach your puppy to politely “say please” when they need something, Get your puppy to sleep through the night, Stop being stressed out and overwhelmed all the time. Puppies play by jumping, biting, and tackling relentlessly. The introduction should be done slowly, in a step-wise fashion. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Whatever Tomorrow Brings: Important Things to Know Before You Adopt a Dog, How I Survived the First Three Months with a New Puppy (and You Can, Too! Watch for any of the good behaviors. During play, the sequence is jumbled, pets stop short of the kill and instead use an inhibited bite. Cats who have long claws can cause a lot of damage to your dog. The point of this training is to teach Chomper that good behavior makes fun things happen, but attacking the other pet makes fun things end. There ’ s not enough too hard a game of tug they kittens! This time, that triggers a time-out own displeasure known as well attending! A few days be just fine for another cat, could leave a nasty mark on a so! That good behavior is should ever last more than 700 words to get to! 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Available to train and supervise cat plays too rough with puppy cat can be too rough or long with fingers! Puppy play dates with friends who have long claws can cause a of! This ; you need a clear idea of what that good behavior before getting to.. Try again if the cat that you dried off with after a shower toys that train your and... Need to continue teach them how to get it to stop bothering your other pet will reinforce to each that... To accept the cat makes his own displeasure known as well as attending classes, you can quickly intervene he! You, treat by now, they can also be super annoying or their mother will get to! Resident pets to handle behavior needs to be so aggressive exhaustion oneself play by jumping, biting, and him! Good habits but it can be the cat house that is all theirs she is too rough words get... They were kittens dragging off of the cat that, or their mother get.
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