Well, cat and dog related chat really .....

[angieh]

This thread is aimed at those of you who have cats and dogs. My OH and I are hoping some day reasonably soon, to get a dog. We have fallen for the Miniature Schnauzer breed and hopefully will be able to find a puppy to bring into our house.

We also like to watch The Dog Whisperer - especially the new UK series and it has struck me that in a household where there is a harmonious atmosphere and a calm assertive human pack leader, ALL the animals seem to be happy - cats and dogs alike. So my hypotheses is - in such a household, are cats happier? Do they suffer less stress because their dog companions are happy? I hope you can see what I'm getting at. We all know that cats hide stress well, but can suffer from all sorts of stress-related illnesses. Do they do better in households with well adjusted happy canines?

I'd really appreciate your thoughts!!!

[Tink]

I think it very much helps when they are well adjusted. And also key to have plenty of places (vertically) for kitties to go when they are just fed up with a rambunctious pup
I think you'll be fine considering you've got a clean slate with a little puppy and he can grow up being comfortable with cats

[Shelley123]

I would say they definately would do better in well managed households were all the pets are happy. From a personal point of view i have nearly always had Cats and Dogs together. Introducing them is a bit hair raising sometimes and scary in case one of the animals hurts the other, usualy the cats scratching the dog. Tink makes a very good point about making sure the cats have plenty of places to have their own time away from the dog.
It usualy works better when the cats stand their ground and don't run but if they need a little help then a squirt with a hidden water spray is good as a deterent for the dog.
When things work out it's lovely to see them lying together, tonight Malaika and Tom were drinking out of the same bowl.

[calismum]

I had cats before I had the dogs. I made sure the cats were in before I brought the puppy home and, as Tink said, there wer plenty of safe places for them to hide.

I have to say the cats generally were well able to 'tell' a bouncy puppy where to go. I do think if all is well in the home then they will settle into order and all get along well.

I have, over the years introduced dogs to cats and cats to dogs. Each has its challenges but I've never experienced any huge problems.

[wilbar]

Originally Posted by angieh

This thread is aimed at those of you who have cats and dogs. My OH and I are hoping some day reasonably soon, to get a dog. We have fallen for the Miniature Schnauzer breed and hopefully will be able to find a puppy to bring into our house.

We also like to watch The Dog Whisperer - especially the new UK series and it has struck me that in a household where there is a harmonious atmosphere and a calm assertive human pack leader, ALL the animals seem to be happy - cats and dogs alike. So my hypotheses is - in such a household, are cats happier? Do they suffer less stress because their dog companions are happy? I hope you can see what I'm getting at. We all know that cats hide stress well, but can suffer from all sorts of stress-related illnesses. Do they do better in households with well adjusted happy canines?

I'd really appreciate your thoughts!!!

Could I suggest that you have a look at the Dogsey forum for the opinions of dog savvy people on Cesar Millan, aka The Dog Whisperer?

He is one of the most reviled dog trainers around & his methods have been very strongly condemned by many of the world's leading dog welfare & behaviour institutes. In fact I think he has been banned from taking his road show to some countries, e.g. Italy.

He uses prong collars, electric shock collars, lead jerks, finger prods etc. His methods are crul, unkind & do an awful lot of harm to dogs. I think he has also been responsible for the death of one poor dog by hanging it up by the neck

Don't be fooled by all his talk of "calm, assertive leadership" ~ it's a load of baloney! If you watch his TV programmes with sound off, & you know a bit about canine body language, then what you actually see is nothing like what he says is happening.

His TV programmes are highly edited so it makes it look like he's "fixed" the dogs in a really short time ~ but that's very different to what goes on behind the scenes! Prior to filming, the dog is often taken away from the owners, made to be extremely scrared & fearful by the use of some cruel & painful device, then, as if by magic, it appears to beautifully behaved on TV

I think it's great that you're thinking of getting a puppy. But perhaps have a browse through Dogsey before you decide what sort of dog you want, how to find out if the breeder is ethical & responsible, & whether you might like to consider getting one of the thousands of dogs in rescues?

I do voluntary work with my local Dogs Trust rehoming centre, using my knowledge of canine & feline behaviour to try to ensure that the welfare of both dogs & cats are considered when a dog is moving into a home with a resident cat. When/if you've decided on your dog, let me know & I'll be happy to help you set things up for both dog & cat.

[angieh]

wilbar ............. I'm shocked

[Elaine]

I think all of these programes are heavily edited. I have watched episodes of Dog Borstal and in one scene a dog has been wearing a spray collar, I assume it's a spray collar, and in the next scene it's gone but never once was there any explanation as to why there was a spray collar or if indeed it was a spray collar, or what they were trying to achieve by using it.

[Moli]

I would not let "The Dog Whisperer"! near any of my dogs!!!

[Velvet]

Oh i wouldnt mind him near my dogs but then we dont have problems even if we did, I would work with the dog until it was resolved

[Liz]

Cats and dogs can live harmony - my 2 Border Collies live quite happily with the Clan Cats they know they are bottom of the pack!