Animal behavior experts explain how to build a good relationship between pets and newcomers. The adaptation of animals with children is also cited by professionals
From the saying ‘one is small, two is good and three is too much’, some “pet parents” go a long way. rule that will never cease to exist. Whether it’s a cat or a dog, the pet introductory and exchange phase is a stage that requires patience, more attention, responsibility and financial resources.
To provide a healthy environment for animals, canine and feline behavior experts give directions to those who want to have a new companion and explain what this relationship is like when there are children in the home. When it comes to adaptation, factors such as the age of the animals, the breed and the level of socialization interfere in the relationship to be built between pets.
According to Samara Viana Rufino, a veterinarian specializing in feline behavior, the decision to adopt a new member involves much more than the desire to expand the family. “When the tutor is willing to make the adoption, she has to remember that it comes with a series of responsibilities. If she doesn’t plan on her own, she may face difficulties,” she points out.
In addition to providing food, the tutor must prepare the environment for welcoming the dog or cat. Adaptation, according to the veterinarian, involves both the exchange between pets in the home and with the environment. In the case of cats, Samara remembers that they are arboreal animals and love to climb structures, so having resources for the animal to hunt, play, climb, and sleep will help it adapt to its new home.
To introduce a new pet into your home, be it a cat or a dog, the vet explains that the first step is to investigate their health so as not to put others at risk. After these conditions have been regulated, the process of adaptation begins through visual and olfactory exchanges between the animals, initially at a distance. Samara points out that during this phase each animal has a response to the stimuli offered, so they need to be seen as individuals for the uniqueness of their behavior.
The ideal, according to the professional, is that this phase is accompanied by a specialized professional. “Usually the indication is that a professional accompanies them, because he will give structure to this whole process of adaptation until they can live together. The process does not mean that these animals will eventually love each other, they will have that dream relationship, but we he wants them to at least tolerate each other, “he says.
“For the cat, for example, territory is everything and it suffers much more during this process when it fails to understand that that individual did not come to steal space, but to add to the routine and improve the quality of life”, guide Samara.
And the dogs?
Doctor of animal husbandry, specializing in animal behavior and welfare, Tarsys Veríssimo works with dog behavior analysis and explains that it is very important to know the dog at home in deciding how to approach the new animal. “If the owner has a very responsive dog that hasn’t been socialized well, he has to take some precautions. If he knows that the dog is extremely sociable, that he is too docile with other dogs, that’s not a worrying factor.”
According to Tarsys, the first adaptation task is presentation. In a hypothetical scenario, if the owner has an adult dog and adopts a puppy, acceptance may be quicker. “Oddly, the adult dog has the perception that the puppy is actually a puppy. So, he usually takes better care of the new member, when he is an adult dog, if he is a reactive or antisocial animal, there may be, so the way to deal with it is a bit different, “he comments.
“If the dog that arrives is a puppy, the ideal is always to present it in my arms. I arrive with the puppy in my arms and I do not go to the place where the dog is already at home, I call him, I wait for him to leave the place and I present the puppy supine with the tail part so that he can do the recognition After the recognition the tutor will observe how the older dog is and all this must be done with caution.If it is an adult dog that returns home, during the presentation, both must be accompanied by a guide “, guides the specialist.
As Tarsys explains, the show allows dogs to communicate. After the meeting, the animals should remain in separate places to avoid fights. “The ideal is to leave it separated by a gate or door where they have access to each other so that they can smell, hear, be a little closer, but safely. If they are small dogs, they can be separated by gates from the small ones or bars on the doors, because they cannot pass, but they can see each other “.
Subsequently, the approach of the animals will depend on the level of interaction they are having during the withdrawal period. “If the tutor observes that the two are extremely calm, they are already playing, calling the other to play, the next day they can release him, but if the person notices that one of the dogs is a bit reactive in the presence of the other. , or even the two are together, it is best to leave at least two days apart and gradually get closer. Whenever the two are together it is good to have some supervision, ”says Tarsys.
Check out the tips
- Investigate the health of the new pet so that it does not transmit disease to dogs or cats in the house;
- Prepare your home for the pet’s arrival. For cats, provide an environment in which they can climb, dig and scratch;
- Allow the animals to experience moments of supervised visual and olfactory exchange, with gradual evolution;
- Try to find out more about the personalities of pets who already live with you and observe their behavior;
- During the approach, remove the toys that the older dog / cat likes to avoid a dispute over resources;
- Reward good interactions and distribute equal attention to animals;
Adaptation with children
In homes with small children or babies, the adaptation process must also take place. This is because, according to experts, children must be taught that dogs or cats are not toys, so they can establish a relationship of care and respect. “On many occasions, parents buy dogs and give gifts to their children, but they don’t limit the relationship. So what happens? The dog starts to see the baby as a toy and vice versa,” explains Tarsys.
According to Samara, the adaptation of a cat to a newborn is similar to the process that occurs among animals. “In the same way that we do a positive increment with a new cat, we will adapt the cat to the baby’s room, to the structures the baby will have, to the sounds, such as crying, even before it has contact to get used to the sound and understand that that new being is also an advantage. “
According to Tarsys, the adaptation of the dog to the child and of the child to the dog depends on the age of the two. In the case of the puppies, the specialist explains that there are no problems, as the two will grow up together. In the case of adult dogs coming from the street, the tutor must introduce the child or infant to the animal, initially from a distance, and always favor the approach on a leash.
“Leave the dog about two meters away from the person with the baby on their lap and observe the behavior of the animal. If he reacts aggressively this is already the case with a professional. good sign, so we can start promoting rapprochement “, explains Tarsys.
Also according to the specialist, close contact between the child and the dog must be carried out with caution and responsibility. “The person bends down, the other with the dog on a leash gradually approaches and begins to promote the possibility of him [o cão] smell the baby by the feet, because the risk is lower. She sniffed and wagged her tail is a good indication, ”she teaches.
A guardian and ten animals
Entrepreneur and student of veterinary medicine, Prissioni Cunha lives with ten animals, including cats and dogs who live with her and in her mother’s home. Resident in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, Priseno has already gone through several adaptation processes. The most recent occurred in late 2021, when she rescued two cats that had been abandoned on the street, one was adopted and the other remained with the owner.
Two dogs and two cats live in the house of the businesswoman. To accommodate the newly arrived feline, she says she separated the animal in a room, she studied her health to see if she had any illnesses and gave him a wormer. After this phase, Prissioni shared the sheet that the new member spread with the older ones so that they could initially recognize each other by smell.
“After a few days I opened the bedroom door and placed a gate so they could start making eye contact with the kittens. And then everyone got curious, I have a dog that gets along with everyone, but she is very electric, so the cats were scared and for the novelty she barked a lot, her behavior changed a bit because she was a little anxious about the novelty, she wanted to get closer, she wanted to see, smell, lick and he would stay a while a little scared, “explains the student.
Despite the euphoria of the initial exchanges, Prissioni says that the animals currently maintain a good relationship and even sleep together. “I have lost count of how many adaptations I have made because I rescue animals, so I turn and move there is a new animal here at home. My dogs always accept it very well, but every time I introduce them to each other by their sense of smell. , then I keep them separated by a grid so as not to suddenly introduce a new animal because we never know how they will react, “he comments.
Though she’s already made numerous adaptations, Prissioni says she once welcomed a street dog and had to contend with adaptation failure. The rescued animal did not fit in with a dog she had and, therefore, went to live with its mother. “They became friends for a while and everything went well, they lived together well until one day Maria [cadela que já era de casa] he decided not to love Lupita anymore and the two started arguing. They had a fight once and I managed to get them dissolved, but they didn’t get hurt. “
After the first fight, Prissioni tried to insist on the adaptation process, but the dogs quarreled again. In the last fight, they ended up getting hurt. “It was a very bad fight and the two got hurt for having to score points. Then I said: ‘no, it’s the limit. They are fighting a lot and they won’t stop fighting.’ I don’t have, because you have to insist and if I insisted it would work, but I couldn’t do it and hiring a trainer would be super expensive, “he says.
“Today all my pets, except Maria, get along very well. So there are nine animals that get along very well with each other, the four dogs and the kitten living in my mother’s house, the two dogs and the two kittens that I live here in my house, I am my mother’s neighbor, so it is practically the same house, only Maria who lives separately in the backyard because she is really very angry, very difficult “, concludes Prissioni.
Source: Terra
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