SIGNS OF STRESS IN YOUR PET Pet owners should understand the signs of stress when introducing pets to each other.
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“Separation is a very big part of it,” Fisher says. “Give them separate eating areas so they don’t think they’re in competition with each other.” But they can be fed at the same time. The new pet should be allowed to sniff around the new home while on a leash while the resident pet is elsewhere to get used to the other pet’s scent, Fisher says. Trade spaces so the pets can get used to each other’s scent. This allows both pets to feel less confined and can decrease anxiety. Then, Fisher recommends what she calls “station training.” “One pet will perform whatever command it already knows while the other one watches from a separate area. Maybe keep one on a leash, across a baby gate or across the room to keep them separate. If the dog that is watching stays still while the other is moving, reward that dog. If they can keep calm, reward them,” she says. “We can teach cats station training by having them move to a vertical space, such as the top of a kitty condo or onto a shelf.” The resident pet may fear the newcomer or it could see something to chase or maybe just want to have play time. “If they are relaxed when they are around each other, that’s a good thing,” Fisher says. “You start doing this in short periods, then extending that time (until they no longer need to be separated).” But pet owners should understand the signs of stress when introducing pets to each other. “Licking lips and side-eye show levels of stress in dogs. For example, dog humping is often a stress thing. It’s not a sexual or dominant thing,” Fisher says. “For cats, their eyes dilate or their whiskers go straight out to the side. When
When cats wag their tails, they’re showing signs of stress.
18 MATURE
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