If you’ve got a dalmatian, then you may be wondering whether they’re going to live well with cats and vice versa. In this article, not only will you find out whether it’s going to be a good choice, but also what you can do to improve your chances of success, as well as what you should avoid doing!
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So Are Dalmatians Good With Cats?
Of course, it’s always going to depend on the individual dog; however, with proper socialization, dalmatians are known to get along with cats as well as other pets in your household! But, it’s important to remember that a lot of it is going to be socialization and the temperament of your dog personally!
How To Train Your Dalmatian To Be Around A Cat?
So as you can see, with the right training, your dalmatian and cat can get along. With that being said, here are some of the best ways to train your Dalmatian to get along with your cat!
Keep Them Separate At First
If you decide to bring a cat into your home with your Dalmatian, keep them apart at first.
Keep them in different rooms or regions of the house, with the doors shut between them. They will still be able to smell each other, and the goal here is to get them used to each other’s smell without them being in the same room.
Feed Them On Opposite Sides Of A Door
After you’ve separated the pets for a few days, you can try feeding them on opposite sides of a door.
You should do this for a few days until they go straight for their food instead of sniffing by the door to smell the other animal.
This helps them associate the presence of the other pet with positive things like food, which should reduce the stress associated with each other.
Face to Face Meetings With Baby Gate
You can try a face-to-face meeting with a baby gate after they have been eating calmly on opposite sides of the door for several days.
In case something goes wrong, the baby gate will act as a barrier, and you should also keep your Dalmatian on a leash at this time.
Dalmatians are extremely athletic and could easily jump the gate to get to the cat. Hopefully, this will not be a problem, but it is always better to be prepared.
If either animal shows signs of aggression, remove them from the other pet immediately. Reward the animals with treats if they calmly sniff at each other or do not interact at all.
Face to Face Meeting In Common Area
If the meetings with the baby gate go well, you can start allowing the two pets to interact in a common area without a gate.
It is still best to keep your Dalmatian on a leash for the first few sessions.
It’s a good sign if the pets interact calmly or don’t interact at all. Remember to remove the pets from the common area if they become aggressive.
Proceed With Caution
If everything goes well and you don’t suspect your Dalmatians will be aggressive, you can let the pets roam freely in the house.
When you are not present to supervise, it is a good idea to separate pets. Place them in different parts of the house or on different floors.
Tip: Sanctuary Space
Having a separate sanctuary area for each pet is a fantastic idea. This is a place they are familiar with and feel at ease in.
For dogs, this is usually their crate. When properly crate trained, many dogs regard their crate as their den and will return to it when they are stressed or overwhelmed.
A sanctuary spot for cats could be anywhere in the house. Cats may prefer a favorite bed, a cat tree that allows them to be high up and away from the dog, or even a spot in a closet or a favored cardboard box. It doesn’t really matter where they have an area to relax in as long as they have one.
Exercise Them
Make sure your Dalmatians get enough exercise. Your Dalmatian should get at least two hours of exercise per day, but more is always preferable.
It is critical to tire out your dalmatian so that they become less rowdy. And, of course, if they’re exhausted, they won’t want to disturb your cat nearly as much.
Reward Them When They’re Being Good
When your dog and cat behave well around each other, make sure you reward them. This will reinforce positive behavior. Even if they haven’t been told to be good, you should do this. The simplest approach to thank them is to give them treats, but you can also stroke them a lot!
Wondering whether Dalmatians bark a lot?
Lead By Example
Another excellent idea is to interact with both animals simultaneously in a calm and compassionate manner. They’ll start to perceive each other as members of the same family, and it’ll be far less likely that they’ll fight each other.
Doing this on a regular basis will also help them get used to the notion of sharing you and not being jealous of each other.
Make Sure You’ve Trained Your Dalmatian
Every owner should be training their dalmatian; however, if you’re keeping them with your pup, this is even more essential. Just the extra obedience that comes with training is going to help keep them calm around your cat!
So if you haven’t trained your Dalmatian properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your retriever has, whether it’s barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.
With Brain Training For Dogs, you’ll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog won’t listen, you’ll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, that’s given proven results. Not to mention the fact you’ll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.
So instead of worrying about whether they’re going to be well-behaved or not, you’ll only have to worry about how much fun you’ll have with them!
And in most cases, it’s still going to be:
- Cheaper than hiring a professional.
- Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
- And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.
Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to leave your retriever alone with your cat. Instead, you’ll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them will always be there, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT.
And the best part is it also has a 60-day money-back guarantee! So there’s no reason not to give Brain Training For Dogs a try!
So if you’re tired of your dog’s bad behavior or how they react around other people and pooches, then give it a try! You’ll be amazed by the results!
(You can also check out a full review here to learn exactly what the course has to offer!)
What To Avoid Doing?
While there are lots of things you can do, there are also some things you’re going to need to avoid doing as well! Such as:
Never Hit Either Of Your Pets
First of all, you should never hit either of your pets, no matter how they behave around each other. While hitting them may fix the initial problem, it’s only going to cause even more problems to arise in the long run.
If you hit a good-natured Dalmatian, then you may even cause them to resent and dislike you. Later on down the line, they may even become acting aggressively and biting. So never under any circumstances should you hit them!
Don’t Hold Your Cat
Cats crave independence, and if you hold them when introducing them to Dalmatians, they will not feel autonomous at all. This may even lead them to believe that there is a reason for them to be concerned. Or make them feel confined.
Don’t hold your cat if you’re not sure how they’ll behave when they meet your golden retriever. Instead, provide them with a variety of escape routes so that they can depart if they so desire. In addition, provide plenty of high locations for them to perch.
Don’t Lock Them In A Room Together
This is another bad idea. If you keep your pets in the same room, it’s highly possible that your cat may attack your Dalmatian. This, in turn, will scare them for the rest of their lives. You should always make sure that both animals have lots of methods to get out of the scenario if they don’t want to be there.
Consider this: when are animals in the wild confined together?
Don’t Use Shock Collars
Finally, some people say using shock collars on your pets, although there is no real evidence that they always work. In fact, employing a shock collar may cause your dog to associate the shock with your cat, making them even more afraid.
Recap
As you can see, with the right socialization and care, it’s entirely possible to keep dalmatians and cats together! If you liked this article, make sure you check out the rest of the website. Otherwise, have a great day!
