Hi Inger!

My puppy, Hanni, is a 9-month-old Jack Russell mix, and we’ve had her about 6 weeks now. She has mainly been in in the kitchen since her arrival and we crate her at bedtime. We also have a 4 year old cat, India. India has basically been hibernating upstairs in the bedrooms and only comes downstairs to use the litter box and eat. We’re beginning to introduce Hanni to other parts of the house, and now India is hiding in closets, under beds, etc. My kids and I fear that she’ll remain in isolation forever! We feel badly for India because we don’t want her to feel unloved and replaced. Hanni hasn’t been aggressive with India, just excited and very curious. What do we do? Should we have puppy/kitty dates where we introduce them slowly?

Best regards,

Ellen C.

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Dear Ellen,

First of all, great job on beginning crate training! That said, I have a few suggestions for you to try:

1. Hanni’s crate needs to be moved around the house at different times of the day. Use a corral, or exercise pen, to give her an area where she can relax and chill out in different areas of the house and put the crate inside this area so that she can go in and out as she pleases. Make sure you put soft music on and give her water and a chew bone. This way she is being socialized to the different sights, sounds and smells of your daily life in different parts of your house without your cat being in danger.

2. Move Hanni’s crate up to your bedroom at night so that she becomes part of the bedtime ritual. Take her outside on a leash to potty and then back upstairs and into her crate for the night. Routine and structure is essential.

3. India should be allowed to be socialized to Hanni at her own pace. It may take time, but implementing corrals and baby gates in your home allow her to feel safe while your cat and dog can still see and smell each other. These gated areas keep curious and excited Hanni in check, while India has the choice to jump over and visit if she wants to! Don’t force the integration process by having puppy/kitty dates, as this could exacerbate India’s stress and fear.

Trouble keeping Fido out of Fluffy’s litter box? I’ve witnessed and heard complaints of this dreaded situation countless times. Thankfully, The Refined Feline has come up with this innovative product to keep your dog out of your cat’s bathroom! Super chic, this hardly looks like your average litter box and can easily blend into any room in your home. A perfect example of how to Feng Shui with Fidoâ„¢! I love this product! Bravo.

The Dog Proof Refined Cat Litter Box has an 8 inch by 10 inch entrance hole on the top rather than the sides, allowing your kitty to come and go as they please. Made of ply with wood veneer, the box comes in your choice of Honey, Mahogany or Espresso. The bottom tray slides out for easy cleaning.

Not a dog owner? The Refined Feline also makes a model with a side entrance, allowing you to disguise the litter box as a trendy side table! Check out more of their phenomenal ideas at The Refined Feline.

OK, I know it’s disgusting, but unfortunately true for some dogs. Evidently, cat poop can be high in ash content making it desirable to some canine kooks. It can also become a habit. So what to do about this problem? Well, the obvious common sense works wonders.

Keep your cat’s liter box in a closet door and cut a small (cat size) cat door in the frame, preventing your dog to be able to get to it. A baby gate is another option, which allows your cat to jump over to do it’s business.

As for a training strategy, you can formalize on leash positive training in the house and heel your dog past the danger zone. If he attempts to snatch a snack, say a quick but firm, “No!” then quickly pivot in the opposite direction. When you stop, say, “Sit,” and give lots of praise! You can repeat this a few times walking past the liter box area. Do this in addition to the above preventative steps and you should master this potential dirty addiction.

Check out tomorrow’s product review on the best solution to solving this problem. I swear you’ll dig it!

For years I have considered buying stock in the lint-roller business, due to the endless tufts of hair that accumulate on my couch, bed, clothes and even as a side on my dinner plate. Luckily, our friends at FURminator Inc. sent us some cool products to help alleviate the shedding debacle!

What a simple way groom your own dog! We tried the FURminator out first on Daisy, the terrier mix (who is responsible for most of my fur covered wardrobe and household). Although the tool was a new experience in her 14 years, she didn’t seem to mind the process very much. I was shocked to see the overwhelming amount of loose hair and undercoat that the FURminator easily removed. I must admit, the thought of  lint-rolling my dog has crossed my mind several times as I’m at my wits end wearing a sweater made of dog fur. This is a must-have tool for dog and cat owners that want to vacuum less and save money on trips to the groomer!

Instead of cutting your pet’s coat like a razor, the FURminator deShedding tool pushes through the topcoat to remove the dead undercoat and loose hair. The tool only removes the coat that has already shed from the animal. The FURminator deShedding tool has a fine toothed precision deShedding edge that can be sharpened and great care should be taken to protect the teeth. You should replace the edge cover when not in use.

The FURminator equally caters to cats, decreasing their chances of developing digestion problems from swallowing too much hair. The tool is a better option and is more holistic than changing the feline diet to hairball control kibble. Royce (above) absolutely loved the FURminator, and actually wondered why he was getting such a good rub down! His coat has never been shinier.

The Paws For A Minuteâ„¢ team gives the FURminator two thumbs up! Get more details and find a retail location near you here!

We’d like to introduce Bella, our official Paws For A Minute Productions cat, who always provides us with inspiration to think outside of the box! Along with dogs, daily life and quick tips, the occasional C-A-T will often be gracing the pages of Paws For A Minuteâ„¢.

Here’s the scoop on Bella:

Nicknames: Bellz, Bellaroni

Birthdate: April 7th, 2009

Hobbies: Playing a mean game of fetch, outsmarting dogs, and practicing her vertical jump with the toy laser.

Background: Bella was adopted in November of 2009 from the South LA Animal Shelter just three days before she was to be euthanized. Bringing Bella home was the best decision her owner ever made. She is now quite the diva, living every cat’s dream in West Hollywood, California. She has even been featured as USA Today’s Paw Print Pick!

Check out this amazing video of Bella! Who said the game of fetch was only for dogs? Here’s proof that Inger’s techniques can be applied to cats too! Learn the Feng Shui with Fidoâ„¢ method to playing fetch here…

My new puppy is tormenting my cat. How can I help them get along?

Be patient! This takes time. Your puppy and cat need to acclimate to each others smells and movements. When your pup goes through his teething stage, it is best to gate him with a chew bone. This allows your cat time to walk around, and your puppy to get used to your cat’s presence.

Quick Tip: The baby gate is your best tool for helping both pets to get used to each other. This does not mean keeping your dog gated at all times. It means you can sometimes gate your cat, giving your puppy free time, and vice versa. In time, the two will learn to live together and you can keep your sanity!

Also, remember that your cat can choose to jump over the gate and socialize, or keep its privacy behind the gate.