Sit, Kitty! Stay!

Playing fetch — it’s not just for dogs anymore.

Sit, roll over, shake hands — and this coming from an animal that takes 20-hour naps? At the UC Davis Companion Animal Behavior Service, you can learn how to train your cat just like a person would train a dog.

“Some people have a notion that cats are aloof or unfriendly,” said Melissa Bain, assistant professor of veterinary medicine and epidemiology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, “but they’re not!” Bain, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, has trained her own cats at home for the past 10 years. “It’s not mainstream, and most people haven’t done it, but that doesn’t mean they can’t,” Bain said.

She said in the past, she’s seen cats play fetch, roll over, get in a box and shake hands, to name a few tricks. This is opposed to the usual tricks cats perform on a daily basis — eat, sleep and shed fur. And while animal trainers in Hollywood have been training cats for decades, this is a fairly new phenomenon for the common cat.

According to Bain, it’s important to use positive reinforcement when training cats, like rewarding them with treats, instead of punishing them, which makes them much less likely to want to participate in the training process. She also uses “clicking training” to help her cat recognize what she wants him to do. “It’s not magic — the clicker is a tool, and it can’t be used as punishment unless you throw it at them,” she said.

When I was a child I made a concerted attempt to train my cat to perform tricks. I can’t remember what tricks I wanted to teach her, but I do know that my attempts at cat training failed miserably. Obviously Dr. Bain has better credentials than I!

Photo: Lily gives five.

Boosters of various training forms and methods have long pointed to theoretical advantages of their tactics. But rigorous studies into the efficacy of each technique have been lacking until now.

A paper in the November, 2008 North American Veterinary Conference Clinician’s Brief outlined one recent study. Here is what the study found.

Dogs trained with positive reinforcement showed significantly fewer behavior problems than those disciplined by other training aids [any form of punishment]. A fear of other dogs was significantly more likely in dogs whose owners used any type of punishment in their training. Dogs trained at home demonstrated significantly more problems than those that attended classes and home training was more likely to be associated with use of physical corrections and inconsistent interactions between dog and owner. Attendance at agility classes was significantly associated with reduction in problem behaviors.

The study implies that the first and most important step to training your pet (especially your dog) is to commit to a formal training program led by an expert. When selecting a program, choose one that focuses on positive reinforcement of good behaviors, rather than correction or punishment of bad ones.

Kittens and puppies, definitively, are most socializable and trainable when they are young. But this has led to debate among veterinarians. Young animals are most socializable when they have not yet received their full complement of puppy or kitten vaccines.

Some veterinarians discourage early socialization. They worry that young pets attending puppy school or kitten kindergarten may be at increased risk of contracting infectious diseases. Others (myself included) generally feel that the benefits of early socialization outweigh the risks.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) is an organization of veterinarians dedicated to promoting healthy human-animal bonds through appropriate behavior training. They recently released guidelines recommending that puppy and kitten socialization begin early in life–when pets are seven or eight weeks old.

These guidelines have led to an interesting debate in the pages of the North American Veterinary Conference’s Clinician’s Brief. The November, 2008 issue of the Brief contained a letter to the editor that outlined one vet’s concerns with this policy.

How can the [AVSAB] in good conscience recommend socialization (I assume classes) for 7- to 8-week-old puppies prior to completion of their vaccination series? Apparently the AVSAB has no fear of puppies getting distemper or parvovirus and no regard for their legal liability or that of any veterinarian who follows their advice. I see many puppies with parvo at 8 to 16 weeks of age. I know most of these puppies received lots of socialization (contact with other dogs and people) to their detriment. I have to feel this is poor advice until proven otherwise.

Jiim Kinnerly, DVM
Santee, California

Dr. Kinnerly’s letter succinctly sums up the concerns of many vets. However, I felt that the AVSAB’s response to the letter was very powerful.

They state:

The sad reality is that more dogs are euthanized because of behavioral problems than due to infectious . . . diseases.

Kate Hurley, MPVM, DVM also offers some steps that people can take to minimize the risk of infectious disease in young animals as they are socialized. Her recommendations include quarantining new puppies for two weeks after adoption and limiting exposure to other puppies during this time (although puppies can be “socialized with fully vaccinated dogs and . . . people, vacuum cleaners, etc.”) Puppy classes should take place in clean environments that are regularly treated with agents that kill parvovirus. Puppies and kittens should benefit from a medically approved regimen of vaccinations during the socialization process. Puppies should not go to high-risk areas such as dog parks until their vaccines are complete.

I have told many clients that I support puppy school and kitten kindergarten in general because these classes are filled by self-selected responsible pet owners. The sort of people who work hard to socialize their pets also generally follow their vets’ vaccination guidelines. This reduces the likelihood of disease outbreaks.

Certainly, puppy school and kitty kindergarten have risks. But my opinion is that failing to socialize your pet properly is much riskier by far. And E. Kathryn Meyer, VMD, President of the AVSAB seems to agree.

As with most things in life, the recommendation to allow young puppies to socialize together prior to completing their vaccination series is based on a risk-benefit analysis. Review of the scientific literature regarding the behavioral development of dogs and the real-life practical experiences of those who have aplied these principles suppport AVSAB’s position that the benefit exceeds the risk in these controlled environments, provided the guidelines noted above are followed.

Hat tip to Sugar Plum for the photo.

Marilyn
Bossier City, LA

When it is done correctly, crate training is not cruel.

The purpose of a crate, when used for training, is to provide a safe haven for a dog or puppy. Confining a canine companion in a crate is one of the most effective ways to house train him. It also protects him from chemicals, electrical cords, chicken bones and countless other household hazards when no people are home to watch and protect him.

Crates should not be like prison cells. They should be comfortable, welcoming environments. A properly prepared crate will be viewed as a private den by its occupant. Many dogs willingly retreat to their crates when they want some alone time, or if a disruption (toddler birthday parties come to mind) occurs in the house.

To help ensure that your dog is happy in his crate, follow a few basic rules. Never use the crate as punishment. Leave the door to the crate open when it’s not in use, so that the dog can enter it if he pleases. Limit each confinement to a reasonable period of time. Choose a crate that is appropriately sized (dogs should be able to stretch, stand up and turn around in the crate). Keep comfortable bedding, water, and safe toys in the crate. Finally, consider feeding your dog in the crate–that’s a sure-fire way to create a positive association.