How to help dogs and cats get along with each other

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Zazie and Kristi talk about how to help dogs and cats get along, and why it all starts with thinking about the cat's feeling of safety.

We talk about:

• the need to manage introductions between dogs and cats
• what that means from the dog's perspective, and the cat's perspective
• the importance of letting them vote with their feet
• the need for safe spaces, and how to make safe spaces for a cat
• the idea of training the dog to be safe around cats
• how to keep the peace at mealtimes
• placement of the cat's resources
• whether dogs are ever scared of cats
• how some dogs cannot be trusted to live with a cat

The books we recommend in this episode are:

• Dog Affirmations: An Illustrated Journey Through Your Dog's Thoughts by Andrea Cáceres
• The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules: A Novel by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg

Previous episodes mentioned in the show:

• Caring for dogs versus caring for cats
• How to help your reactive or fearful dog

For more on how to set your house up for your cat, check out Zazie's book Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, which is available wherever books are sold. Learn more about Zazie's books here.

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About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky