Boot Camp for Cats and Dogs

January is a fitting time for National Train Your Pet Month, as a new year is a perfect excuse for trying new things.

Training your furry friend isn’t just a good way of breaking their habits and stretching their mental muscles; it also strengthens your bond with them by calling for stronger trust and communication.

The overarching benefit of training is that it redirects your pet’s energy toward positive behavior.

Teach Them to Sit or Shake: Rather than barking, meowing or climbing all over you when they’re hungry, you can get your dog or cat to practice the much calmer actions of sitting or shaking your hand. The latter action is also beneficial when you need to check your pet’s paws or trim their nails.

Get Your Pet to Come to You: While dogs often respond to their names or certain words (specifically “come’), cats are more likely to respond to “feeding time sounds” such as the crinkling of a treat bag or the popping of a can. When training, pair words like “Here, kitty, kitty” with those sounds. (Your call must precede the sound so your cat starts to anticipate this food reward system.) Always reward your kitty — cats don’t respond to discipline like dogs do. But with both animals, the best practice is to use a happy, sing-song voice rather than a stern one when calling them. Don’t approach this training like a drill sergeant.

Socialize Your Furry Friend: Take your dog to a pup park or invite people over to visit your feline friend. To avoid confrontation, bites and scratches, keep this process upbeat yet gentle, reward your pet with treats and pay close attention to make sure no one seems overwhelmed.

Give Them Scratching Posts and Chew Toys: Again, training is about redirecting. To prevent your cat or dog from tearing the house apart, get some scratching posts and chew toys to keep their claws and teeth off the furniture. However, scratching and chewing could be signs of a more serious, underlying issue. In that case, it’s time to take your pet to professionals like us.

For more information about training or to schedule an exam at one of our clinics, call us at (317) 516-5921.