The big moment has arrived. It’s do or die at this point. On the last day for entries, I am finally ready-ish to present our hard work for your judgment.
First, I feel the need to blather.
When I first read about the Train Your Dog Month Challenge on Something Wagging This Way Comes I never intended to get The Cat involved. Sure, we’ve been working on some basic tricks, but in my mind challenges like these are for showing off. Shiva has quite an impressive roster and we’re constantly working on new things. I figured I’d just take a video of one of her more recent endeavours and call it a win. But that isn’t a real challenge, is it? So when the second post came out and Pamela suggested training with a different pet, I crossed my fingers, and turned my gaze toward the feline member of our family. I decided I was going to get Shiva and The Cat to perform a trick together.
Was it easy? Um, no. You saw my first attempt, right? The two animals are not exactly friends. But considering their relationship kicked off with The Cat trapping our newly adopted dog behind the toilet in the bathroom, they have come a long way. At best, The Cat tolerates her presence. But then, he only just started tolerating minea few years ago and I’ve known him since he was a baby. He’s pretty standoffish, our guy. Even for a cat.
Of course, Shiva adores him and wants nothing more than to sniff his butt and chase him around the house. This has done nothing to improve his opinion of canines.
Despite it all, after more than a month of consistently working to make The Cat more comfortable around the dog, I think we have pulled something fun together. He is still not cool with Shiva moving too much. When filming the video, I was worried about him getting ticked off at her and running away. Just to keep Shiva contained, I ended up luring the both of them a lot more than I normally would. For the record – and my pride – all of these tricks are on verbal or visual cues. I just chose to keep it simple to keep The Cat happy.
It’s also not the trick I originally envisioned. At the start of January I had the brilliant idea of getting The Cat to jump over the dog. Wouldn’t that have been awesome? I think I might need to teach him to actually jump first, before I get Shiva involved. Apparently this wasn’t possible within a month’s time when I also have twenty-six thousand other things I need to train. Like that handstand trick which I vowed never to speak of again.
Okay, I am finished blathering. Here is the video you have all been waiting for!
Doo doo doo doo!*
Thanks to Pamela at Something Wagging for putting this challenge together. It’s been a lot of fun and I feel like my relationship with The Cat has already improved, as has his relationship with Shiva. I like to think he now sees me as the treat lady as opposed to an inconvenient person who must be smited.**
Special thanks also to my PH for filming the video and helping me motivate the feline in question. The sacrifices he made throughout this venture have been great. I could not have done it alone.
*Trumpets. I won’t remind you again.
**Is it smited or smote? Or is there no past-tense for smite at all? I’ve never been sure.
That is just awesome! You did a great job, and I’m impressed. Shiva is so cute, wanting to respond to all your signals, even the cat’s. I also laughed that it takes the cat so darn long to eat a treat. Dogs can do that faster!!
Peggy Frezon recently posted..V is for Vermont
Yay! I am officially impressed. Especially since both seem pretty relaxed to be in the same room with each other- it definitely does seem like this has been good for their relationship. Congrats on finishing the challenge
Karen recently posted..No Longer Sick But Still Tired
Cat AND Dog, how fun!
There is “smote” : George smote the dragon.
There is also, however, “smitten”, which might be what one would use here
Jen recently posted..Monday Mischief February 6
I am really enjoy watching your video..Your dog is very smart and looks nice to the people..
Allisha recently posted..Local search seo Abbeville
My favorite part – when Shiva breaks and barges into the cat’s space and Cat remains calm and planted.
You did a great job!
That’s fantastic, Kristine! Just getting the cat comfortable in the same room with the dog would have been a success – you guys really rocked the challenge.
Amy@GoPetFriendly recently posted..Pet Travel To The UK Gets Easier
I am so impressed. I didn’t even know it was POSSIBLE to teach your cat tricks! Are you going to teach the fish something next?
I really look in to it to teach my pet “jans” a dog a kind of trick! But it doesn’t work.LOLs
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that is awesome, and hilarious! cats doing tricks is so entertaining
you did a great job – they stayed in the same room as each other and everything!
lexy recently posted..Siren Song
omg that wave is AWESOME!!! So completely, totally, and utterly impressed. I don’t have the words to describe how cool it is that you taught The Cat tricks.
*also, I’ve always wondered about the smote/smited conundrum too.
They did great together! Well done.
Pup Fan recently posted..Bella Bowl VI
Haha! That is super hilarious. Nice work! I’m not sure I’d even bother trying to train one of the cats, but you’ve made it look possible. Heck, The Cat is better trained than some dogs I’ve encountered. And children.
Jen K recently posted..I Love My Vet!
OMG! Are you sure your cat is not a dog? I can’t believe the way he came over to the training area so happily and eagerly, and then did his tricks! That is one biddable feline. You did an incredible job.
Kirsten Stade recently posted..Healing
That is adorable – and amazing! Now I want to try and train one of my cats
They have done a great job of training me . .when they are hungry, they come and sit on my keyboard 
LOVE IT!!!!
Julie recently posted..I feel the same way!
WOW! Love the way both followed you at the start. Awesome training – that cat is yours now
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Roberta recently posted..MM – Pink Floyd
Hi Kristine, yay – Shiva and the cat were great. Led of course by your pursuit for perfection and fun.
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First, big sorries for being AWOL. I’ve turned the corner from a horrible lung thing that kept me from having any interest in the things I love most. But now I’m so happy to be reading these challenge posts.
You should have reposted your original video. You have so much to be proud of. I agree with Amy that just having the two being so calm together in the room is awesome.
I hope you’ll try more fun things with the Cat.
I’m so glad you joined the challenge. I’ll choose the random winner of the donation tomorrow morning. Good luck.
Pamela recently posted..Something Wagging Train Your Dog Challenge – The Big Reveals
I am impressed, that is huge progress. The cat seems to like it a lot as well and is now more focused on you instead of Shiva. Awesome!
kenzohw recently posted..Wizard Astrid and her Hovawarts, Ayda and Zerline
I am totally and completely cracking up! I love it, and I bow to your training skills!
You do know that The Cat is going to kill you while you sleep now, though, right? It’s one thing to have the cheek to try to teach him a trick, but it’s another to film it and broadcast it on the internet! I’ll pray for you!
houndstooth recently posted..You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby
HOLY CRAP!!! BOL!! That was fantastic!! And now I bow to the master….I remember the videos of when you started working with just the cat. That is so cool!! I can’t imagine any of our dogs letting either cat get any kind of treat out of my hand. MOL!! Kristine, you’ve done it again.
Fantastic!!
24 Paws of Love recently posted..Monday Memories-Would you do it?
Thats a fantastic video..I like it..Thanks a lot..
Catherine recently posted..hojo motor download
I am incredibly impressed and I think I might have a slight crush on the Cat. For real. How do you keep from picking him up and loving on him like *all the time*? It must be hard.
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Hooray for kitty training! That was amazing!
Trude recently posted..Welcome!
If you ever feel the urge to do something wild, there’s a (former) shelter pet (variety) show at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park that employs dog/cat trainers year-round. You would be a shoo-in.
I think my favorite trick is the beg – Shiva’s whole body effort juxtaposed with the Cat’s more reserved hand slap.
Great job!
Elizabeth recently posted..Unaware, Unassuming, Unabashed
Holy cat Kristine! I am so blown away! I’m not going to lie. Being a cat and dog owner myself, I thought it would be an impossible task. Apparently not for our trainer and blogger friend (that would be you my friend)!
Add to it the fact that the cat doesn’t really like Shiva and well, I am thoroughly impressed. Wow!!!!!
melF recently posted..Wordless Wednesday #77
Lol, that was fantastic! The Cat was so focussed and you’ve taught him so much, not least of which is to tolerate Shiva:) Hmm, I see him attacking agility next. He’d look so cool on a cat walk;)
Greyhounds CAN Sit recently posted..Beryl Has Been Taken!
excuse my french, but, holy crap! i don’t know any other cat who would be even remotely interested in even just contemplating the desires of someone other than him/herself. you have skills!
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