Cats and Dogs!

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]

You've also got to let them have their scrapes. They need to work out their own pecking order like any animals living together.

My kittens attack each other all the time, but it's just part of how they socialise. You just watch and listen to see how serious it is, and if it goes beyond the rough and tumble of sorting things out and becomes serious and loud, deep "AH AH AH!" Usually shocks them into breaking up. Soon as they've broken up and walked away, praise them.

But it does sound viscous D: so I get scared and jump in.
Poor Baileys ear was bleeding earlier where Jazz caught her.

[Robert Pratt]

Yeh, they'll get scratches and cuts and stuff. Cat has to make sure she's seen as the boss, and as he's a puppy, he'll be pushing his luck a bit until he learns.

And there's very def, different noises between play and actual fight. But yeh, that article is pretty good. You've just got to take it slow and at the animals pace, watching their body language all the time so you can pre-empt any issues. I'm sure I told you before what it was I used to do?

[Alexandrea]

True but for one small thing I tend to disagree with. The noise I make that has always stopped my kitties cold is a low "Hissssssssssss" much like a mama kitty makes to her kittens. Never fails on a cat. With dogs tho~ I always have to lower my 'octive' (sp?) so my voice is deeper like a man's (I sound like Minnie Mouse irl >.<) to get them to pay attention, lol.

[Robert Pratt]

It's different for everyone, what noise they make. The pet just relates the noise you make to them doing something wrong after a while. I babysit for someone regularly whothinks that telling the dog 'no' is too negative...... don't get me started...... so they've decided intead that you have to bend down to his height, into his face and go "Bahhhhh" in a firm manner.

Yeh..... I know.

[Alexandrea]

O.O >.<

[Robert Pratt]

Dog looked at me as if I wer nuts when I did it. Then licked my face.

So now, when the kids are in bed and can't 'tell on me' - if he's bad, I tell him no. He stops immediately and goes to his bed for a minute. lol

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]