069 Keeping your Cat Interested in Toys & Solving your Dog’s Reactivity to Other Dogs.

Does your cat get easily bored with its toys?  At first being very excited to play but then after a short while, not so much? In this episode, I’ll tell you about a research project a cat behavior scientist from England, conducted, to find out why cats are famous for getting quickly bored with their toys - even if you put them away in the closet overnight. Turns out there are four mechanisms at work when cats are hunting live animals that also apply to keeping interest in fake prey- their toys. I’ll explain the four to give you the guidelines you need to help your cats stay engaged in play. Next, when out walking your dog, are there times that it starts barking and pulling and lunging at other dogs? Looking aggressive and reacting all crazy? You wonder, what just happened and why is my dog acting this way? Dogs can become what is known as reactive to other dogs. What is this, how does it happen and what can you do to help your dog stay calm? Get the answers to these questions when I talk to dog trainer, Emily Stoddard, owner and founder of the Canine Sports Dog Training Company in Chicago, Illinois, who specializes in dog behavior issues. Plus, I’ll tell you a story about your dog’s intelligence, how they pay attention to you and the affect it has on how well they follow your commands. An added bonus, there is a built-in fun, experiment you can try at home with your dog. Additional Resources for the Show. Source for story about cats and toys: Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Cat, by John Bradshaw. Emily Stoddard’s website : Canine Dog Sports Training. Canine Dog Sports Training on Facebook. Source for the story about the dog experiment: The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods. Find the steps to follow for the down/stay command – sight experiment with your dog at www.raisingyourpaws.com.