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Cats can be cranky, pesky, and a bit snarky with other pets. Scolding and water spraying doesn’t teach them better behavior. Instead of reacting badly, kitties can have fun with their people by working for clicks and food.
Out-of-control lunging, barking, and growling! OMG! You’re doing your best to control the mayhem but nothing changes. And besides, punishment is no fun for anybody. Dogs need to do something else instead – like working for their leader. They can change. And we can make it fun.
A dog who obeys fast and reliably can overcome the urge to lunge and bark and lose its mind on leash walks. What if your dog automatically looked to you – instead of reacting aggressively to people and other dogs? Let’s get you both educated.
The leash walk – you’re only way of getting the heck out of the house – can be maddening and maybe even unsafe. Just seeing another creature causes your dog to growl and lurch, risking a human face plant. Jerk the leash and yell? There’s no future in it. You’re miserable, your dog is stressed, and your neighbors treat you like a pariah.
You and I are stressed by the collective anxiety of a serious epidemic. Winston Churchill was prime minister of Great Britain while his country was getting bombed by Nazi Germany. He felt a lot of pressure. His cat Nelson was by his side.
We have a lot to worry about, don’t we? Our activities are restricted, we can’t go out to eat, the kids are home from school, and your 401(k) is circling the drain. Well, Mother Nature doesn’t even notice. Life goes on in the wilderness.
We love our pets like little people in furry suits – that’s the way I feel about mine. But if we’re going to get the calm behavior we want we need to speak their language. That includes predictability. If your dog has an anxiety problem – like so many people do right now, that pupster needs a reliable structure. I know you can do this. Believe it or not, we’re actually smarter than our dogs.
Good cats can go bad when petted. Yell at him? Hose him? Just give up on sharing affection with a kitty you love? Much better – find out why a sweet cat would do such a thing and manage the cause. It may not be behavioral – or it might.
Horses and dogs communicate with us – even if we don’t notice. They can love what we do and repay us with joy or they can react badly. Smart dogs and angry horses have lessons for us.