Training guide

Short guides based on established desensitization and counter-conditioning practice.

Before you start: setting your home up for success

Before the first structured session, your home layout does most of the work. A dog and a cat who never rehearse chasing or hiding start the program fa…

Reading body language: know when to continue and when to stop

The program only works if you can read both animals in real time. Numbers on a plan never override the body language in front of you. Dog: early stres…

How the 14-day program works

The program is built on two techniques with decades of evidence behind them: desensitization (exposing the dog to the cat at an intensity so low it ba…

Setbacks: information, not failure

Every dog-and-cat introduction has bad days. A lunge, a hiss-and-swat, a session where nobody could settle — these are information about your training…

Treats and rewards: paying for calm the right way

Counter-conditioning lives and dies on the quality, size and timing of your rewards. The mechanics matter more than most people expect. Use tiny, high…

When to seek professional help

This program covers the common case: a dog with typical excitement or chase interest meeting household cats. Some situations need more than a self-gui…