How to introduce a puppy to a (blind) cat
When introducing two animals, how do you know when to move onto the next step? What are potential red flags that tell you to slow down?
In this chat with fellow pet professional Sammy Hyde, we talk all about her blind cat Murdoch, the "king of the household." We broke down the ways Murdock made it clear that he didn't want to live with another cat, and how things progressed differently when new puppy Freja came into their home.
What you'll hear in this episode:
why you have to be an objective observer of your pets’ behavior when they AREN’T with the other animal
what makes the direction of behavior change, and not the speed, the most important aspect of a training plan
why the animals showing a lot of interest in each other (even if it seems friendly) isn't the green light for them have free access to each other
how you decide which animal to call away when they need space from each other
To listen to the full episode, click here to open it in your podcast player or press play below:
This episode’s guest: Sammy Hyde (B.S., UW-AAB, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP)
Sammy and Freja on a hike
Sammy received her B.S. in Physiology and Neurobiology from the University of Connecticut. After working in medical education and research for several years, she decided to put her passion for science and animals together. She attended the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Professional Program, where she received her certification (KPA-CTP). She is also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. She was awarded the Certificate in Applied Animal Behavior from the University of Washington in 2021. Sammy is currently perusing her MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Edinburgh.
She currently teaches at The Pet Republic in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She specializes in juvenile dog development, behavior, and training. She also has a special interest in fearful and reactive dogs, rescue adoptions, and shelter work. When she isn’t training dogs, Sammy enjoys hiking in the mountains, conducting gluten free baking experiments, attempting to grow low-maintenance plants, and reading all the books on behavior she can find!
You can get in touch with Sammy here:
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