There’s no denying it, cats and dogs have a history of fighting like, well, like cats and dogs. Dogs seem to be unable to keep from chasing cats, and cats either run in terror or lash out with scratching and hissing. Dogs have even been known to kill cats in a fight. However, the peaceful coexistence of cats and dogs is not an impossible dream. Following several steps will go a long way in helping dogs and cats get along. In a few occasions, the relationship problems between a cat and dog cannot be solved with these measures and a certified veterinary behaviorist should be consulted.

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In the early days of his life, your puppy’s whole world consisted of his dam’s quiet, nurturing warmth and the close comfort of his littermates. As his eyes opened and his hearing developed at two to three weeks, your puppy’s world and puppy’s experience began to broaden- he learned to get his tiny legs under him, and began to wrestle with his brothers and sisters.
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Trying to figure out which chew toys are safest? Assume that your puppy is going to do all he can to rip the object apart and swallow whatever pieces of it that he can. Therefore, do not give him items with swallowable parts that might tbe harmful.
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Fear is a strong emotional response to a preceived threat. Dogs typically exhibit fear when confronted with unfamiliar people, animals, or situations. This normal emotion is a protective mechanism that prompts the dog to either fight or flee the danger.
There are limitless circumstances that may prompt fearful or anxious behavior in the dog. Anything outside the dog’s experience is typically preceived as a potential threat, particularly by submissive dogs. Strange noises, being left alone, or a stranger’s approach are common triggers of fear. Dogs may react fearfully to unfamiliar animals, children, or babies; people in uniforms or wearing hats are common fear inducers.
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When choosing a dog or cat, pick a breed that suits your lifestyle and preferences. Both dogs and cats vary widely in their temperaments and their needs, often along breed lines. Every day humane societies must euthanize healthy animals turned in because their uphappy owners did not anticipate certain issues. For instance, a mild-mannered person would be unwise to select a large dog from a breed that tends to dominate the owner. Similarly, a family with toddlers in the house should choose a breed less likely to snap at children. Those who live in an apartment with no yard should pick an animal suited to smaller confines, such as the korat cat.
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As your dog ages, attention she previously disliked but tolerated can turn into conflicts due to the senior’s decreased stress tolerance. A lack of positive reinforcement for cooperation often adds to the problem; many owners take their older dog’s good behavior for granted.

Modern methods that help puppies form more pleasant associations with disagreeable necessities also work with senior dogs. When a friend’s elderly dog started balking at ear cleanings, he began feeding her special treats as he cleaned each ear to redirect her focus away from worrying toward something she enjoys. This “counter conditioning” method simultaneously reinforced cooperation.

Soon this dog willingly accepted ear cleanings again and anticipated her special ear cleanings-only treats, illustrating that older dogs benefit as much as puppies from a positive approach to problems. So if your senior digs in her heels next time she faces something distasteful, “teat her” like a puppy. – by Chris Cox-Evick

Just like people, dogs go through puberty, which is a problematic stage. Small dogs enter puberty at 5 to 6 months, and it lasts until they are about 1 year old; for large dogs, puberty lasts from around 7 months to 1 1/2 years. You will know when your dog enters puberty, as female puppies will begin menstruating, and male puppies will begin urinating with one leg lifted up.
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In any pack of dogs, there is always one top dog. This phenomenon is an expression of their survival instinct. You may, in fact, think of it as a natural wisdom coded in your dog’s DNA.

Dogs today have little choice but to live in human society, but this wisdom still functions. Dogs will consider any collection of humans and other animals they live with as constituting the “Pack.” If a dog lives in a household with four humans and a cat, the pack consists of six member, including the dog, and each member has a rank. Canine society is hierarchical, and a dog will observe the group’s dynamics to evaluate where it stands.
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