August 24, 1997, Sunday
Westchester Weekly Desk
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PETS; Talking to Cats and Dogs
By SARAH HODGSON
There's more to your pet than four paws and a happy tail. Pets are as
individual as we are with personalities and moods we come to predict and
grow to love. Anyone owning a pet, however, knows there are limits to
what our language can communicate. Were that not the case, a simple
"quiet" would silence the most bothersome barker, and a "shoo" would
intimidate the most tenacious counter cat. Dogs and cats have unique
views on life and separate languages all their own. Since we're the ones
with the overactive cerebrum, it's our responsibility to understand them.
Cats
Anyone having the honor of living with a cat, quickly learns they
follow one agenda: their own. Respect that and your cat will adore you.
Order them about or impart excessive discipline, you'll wind up with
tension or fearfulness. A miserable cat leads to an unhappy owner.
Sharing life with a cat should be an experience of fascination and happy
cohabitation. Observation tells the story of an animal with tremendous
dignity and self-respect.
To judge a cat's mood simply glance at the body language. Tail raised
slightly twitching, eyes staring at you as they softly blink, ears relaxed
in an upright or side posture are all signs of adoration and acceptance-
a- high honor in the cat world. Threatened a cat will drop its tail,
whipping it back and forth, as their eyes focus into a narrow stare. A
cat also communicates mood by positioning the ears. Erect they convey
curiosity or aggression, flattened back signals either an attack mode or a
sign of fear, rested to the side communicates either restlessness or utter
contentment, depending on the situation.
Of all the ways cats "talk," perhaps the clearest message is the feline
version of: "I've had enough of you." or "This situation is below me."
What are the signs? Bodies proud and relaxed, they turn away, keeping
themselves obtrusively present or mysteriously scarce. Grooming is a
secondary sign of self-pride; a nap the ultimate turn-off switch.
Many people are put off by the presence of a cat. Why? It's well known
that cats don't respond when demands are forced upon them. If it's to
happen it must be their decision. Perhaps it's this inability to "will"
the cat to do our bidding that separates the advocates from the opponents.
Dogs
Dogs are unique in the animal kingdom. They're the only species
that will accept another species as their own. Translation? Dogs views
humans as other dogs; a compliment that also brings a challenge. To train
a dog, life must be viewed from their perspective. Communication canine
style- words don't carry the same weight, feelings cannot be discussed or
explained. Think of an infant reacting to its basic needs, learning to
repeat things based on what gets attention. Like a child, dogs are more
comfortable when someone else is in charge, but that's where the
similarities end. Dogs won't develop the same social skills or language
capabilities. Their life revolves around a hierarchical structure, with
messages conveyed through eye contact, body language and tone. Master
these elements and your dog will take note. Order a dog around with words
or emotional reactiveness and you'll be turned off like a radio with
unbearable static.
Dogs focus on what gets attention; negative or positive doesn't seem to
matter. Watching a sock thief high-tailing around the dining room table,
or shouting and shoving him at the front door guarantees a repeat
performance. Angry loud tones also inflate a dog's reaction, interpreted
instead as excited play or prize envy. Of equal importance is the message
conveyed through body posturing. Play, tension, and relaxation all have
unique poses.
If something arouses your dog and you get excited trying to calm him
down,
what's happened? Who's copying whom? A dog cannot be expected to stay
composed when you're out of control. Calm, confident postures demand
respect.
What's the moral?
Attend to bad behavior and that's what you'll get.
Focus on things like the chewing of appropriate objects or learned
responses to directional commands like "sit" and "stay" and your dog will
be more likely to cooperate. Dogs, like humans, respond in direct
relation to their environment. Chaos breeds chaos. Frustration results
in manic confusion. Aggression often leads to aggression.
On the flip side, gentle control and training lead to understanding.
Structure to a sense of belonging. Praise to a feeling of worth. Many
who own them say that dogs, blind to the failings of those around them,
are more steadfast and constant than most human companions are. Patient is
their heart, unconditional their love.
