Animals and Summer: 4 Tips to Socialize with Ease

Warmer weather usually brings more visitors to your door but some pet owners might dread this. How will your boisterous dog behave around excited children? Does your cat like to ambush people and bite their ankles? Well, you can lock your pets away for the evening, send them to a friend’s place or even to short-stay boarding.
Moving your animal out of a situation where they can scratch or bite is a temporary way to avoid conflict. And, there are other longer term ways of creating change. What could you and your animals do or be that would alter your pack dynamics?

The games we play with cats
Many years ago I had a cat who loved to ambush people. She thought it was the best thing ever to grab them by the ankle and bite. The person would scream and she would run off. You never knew when she was going to pounce. (She ambushed the dog too but he didn't even flinch!) This wasn't much fun for me, so I began looking at how to funnel her energy in a different direction.
One day we discovered that she loved a particular ball game. We'd take a ping pong ball, lift an area of the rug and throw the ball underneath. She would dive under the rug and bat the ping pong ball out. Once we started playing that game she stopped going after our ankles.

Your house, your rules
Not every cat is a social being; some prefer to be in a quieter space away from the laughter and conversation. One way for a cat to get "banished", so to speak, is by biting someone's leg. If it worked one time, the cat will continue that behavior.
As the leader of your pack, you create your household the way you like it. With my dogs, I say, "Be calm, be peaceful, be friendly". Additionally, with my dog Charlie I would say, “Relax, dude! I've got your back, I am here.” Let your animal know what you are asking for — it’s amazing how much this simple tool can change.

Let sleeping dogs lie
Many little kids are irresistibly drawn to dogs to the point where they climb all over them and play rough and tumble games. Kids can easily miss your animal’s cues so remember to monitor the energy in play. If it gets too wild, quickly usher them away. Encourage kids to leave dogs that are sleeping alone — not only is that a great life lesson but it will also avert confrontation.

What is really going on here?
Sometimes an animal will act out because a physical issue is making them grumpy or they don’t know how to handle a situation and lash out. As the pack leader, don’t assume x or y is the root cause of their behavior. Look beyond the obvious clues until you find what is actually going on.

Learning to communicate with your animal is a journey; there will be ups and downs in your relationship. Fortunately, using tools like this makes every step more rewarding.

And, if you would  like a more personal approach, please book a session here.