Please help me!

[laramcm]

Hi, my name is Lara and I have a 5 year old female dobermann and a kitten that arrived 3 weeks ago. My kitten, Zoya, is almost 2 months old and has addapted very well in our house and family. Even Braika, the Dobermann, has accepted her very well and they are good playmates now. They even sleep together sometimes.

My problem is that my dog is very stuborn and is doing something that anoyes me very much. She eats everything the cat does in the litter box.
When i'm at home I try to correct this, but I can't wacht her every minute.

If someone, more experienced in handling cats and dogs than I, could give me some tips about this, I would be forever thankfull.

Kisses

Lara

[Nightmare]

Hi Lara,

Experience yes, answers no. The only thing I ever could do was teach the cat to go outside and not have a litter box. The dog doesn't necessarily beleive what it is doing is bad. I never could break them of it.

Good luck. I am sure someone with give you the help you need.

Nightmare http://carsue.homestead.com/files/catfly.gif

[Remy]

Some suggestions...put the litter box up high where the dog can't get into it?

Some friends of mine had a hole cut into the wall that was big enough for the cat to get through, but not the dog. The hole went to the basement stairwell, and the cat's litterbox was in the basement. The door to the stairwell was kept closed, so the dog was excluded. You could do the same with putting the litter box in a closet and cutting a cat-door hole in the closet door.

[tappajabba]

Hi Lara,
the bitch is doing what she would do if her pups were around - cleaning up after them!

you should get a litter tray with a lid, these are available in your local pet stores.
the problem then is to teach the kitten to go inside the box to do its business, but this shouldn't be too much of a problem as cats are naturally curious and will take to the new box quite easily.
to save expense of buying the new tray get an old crisp box and cut a hole on the end and place this over the tray you have and it'll do just the same with the same results.

Back to the dog...
Braika is cleaning up after Zoya as if she was one of her own young and is a totally natural thing for older bitches to do - she's not being stubborn she's being a step- parent!


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Tappajabba....
helping to promote healthy pet keeping worldwide...

[Ninja]

i have seen dogs that like to eat rabbit food. I think it's quite natural cos we are the one that determine dog food or rabbit food or cat food. To animal, as long as its edible, it's food. Try using the reward and punishment method.

[This message has been edited by Ninja (edited 07-23-2001).]