Choreographing routines for your cat and dog

It’s hard work managing a full house even when everyone gets along, and for Bee, whose pets can’t be in the same space without tensions running high (and sometimes blood being shed!), it’s getting beyond frustrating.

In this episode, Naomi shares some strategies on how to adjust "baby gate hell" and teach King and Ralph how to effectively give each other space.

Key Moments

[01:48] King's increasing aggression towards the dog, who wants any kind of attention from him, even if she's getting beat up

[06:59] Using setups and cues to teach King less aggressive alternatives for seeking space

[09:50] The pets' current interactions through baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs

[11:25] Choreographing and rehearsing more appropriate "dances" for the animals to perform when they see each other

[15:38] Creating baby-friendly management

[17:50] Next steps:

• reinforcing easier versions of "cat appears, move away" for Ralph to get the hang of it, using management when King actually comes down for now
• changing up how King feels about Ralph by having him see her when she's occupied with something else
• taking note of any patterns/times of day when conflicts tend to arise, and choreographing "dances" for those sticky spots

[27:15] Switching from a negatively reinforced lack of enrichment to a positively reinforced enrichment routine

Your Next Step:

If you're awesome like Bee and want some guidance regarding your pets' interactions, come join me on the podcast for a free Dog and Cat Chat! Just go to praiseworthypets.com/chat to book a time.