Opal got to be offleash a few feet from Niko being fed treats. They hadn't been fed dinner (the dogs) so the treats were especially appealing. Opal couldn't have cared less about the cat. Niko thinks she's big and moves fast and was on alert in case a reminder "hey, I'm a predator too" was needed. It wasn't. Opal didn't even react when he hissed at her when Mother moved him. I had them start in the living room then move to the loveseat and will probably go more places to help generalize that cat equals treats in the house period not only in a few places. I spaced out my treats a little. Opal glanced at Niko when she hadn't been before but I think that was because she thought that would get her a treat. Then I gave Opal a phaux Greeny and she took it into my room to eat. Mother got Niko to walk past my room. Opal looked up and I ran in to give her ground turkey. Then the bone was less interesting and I threw it around some with Niko thinking that dog is insane and Opal not paying much attention to him.
Opal is not resourceful! She tossed the Greeny thing behind a chair partially under the radiator and wasn't able to retrieve it. It would have been easy to get with some twisting and lying down. She also doesn't get the concept of lifting a paw when the leash gets caught under her leg. Tom understands that one well.
Tom came out. He's not as far along as Opal. I did get him close to Niko offleash feeding constantly but he payed more attention to Niko and would look at Niko. I gave him a Kong with turkey and he was engrossed with that three feet from Niko. To the point where he rolled it closer and closer to Niko and Niko hissed. Tom alerts. I body blocked him and redirected him to the Kong which he was happy to return to.
Worked some more on finishes and going from a sit to a down. Tom is getting the sit/down thing. He wants to turn the other way for the finish and that needs more work, definitely.
Over the weekend I started putting the easy button on cue and that's pretty close. Then to harder tricks. I should be able to train these quicker, I think. Hmmm.
There was a weekend session of cat counter conditioning in the living room off-leash getting closer and closer.
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I am shocked at how much work this takes. Good lesson in intense work that comes with a dog/cat household. Mental note for future.
ReplyDeleteThis must be a million times easier with a puppy. In reading ethologist Ray Coppinger now, I'm really struggling with my fierce commitment to adopting animals who need homes and working with their issues, contrasted with how critical the early years are for socializing and training animals who you can live in peace with. It always surprised me when people were fearful of 100# Stella, whom I got as a pup and spent most of each day with & who was so easy to live with and take out into the world. She wasn't as solid on obedience and didn't know the range of tricks and commands that our current dogs do, but she was bombproof and trustworthy. I don't think it's entirely coincidental that she was the biggest dog I've had and the nicest all around. Back to cat-dog conditioning, it also must be exponentially easier with only one dog AND if you're introducing a dog into a cat household rather than the other way around.
ReplyDeleteYes! From reading Elizabeth Marshall Thomas's The Secret Life of Dogs the animal who lived their first usually remains at the top of the heirarchy and new animals respect that. So having a cat first would be easier.
ReplyDeleteIf it were just Opie I think it would be much easier. She backs off easily. Tom worries me more because he harrassed Sophie even though she had the upper paw in most situations. Opal approaches the cat playfully.
Ray Coppinger does make you think a lot about getting dogs after the critical period (up to 14 weeks) when you don't know if they were well socialized. If you do go for mutt puppies you can get some surprises! It would be sad to have a mutt puppy who only grew to be 20 pounds