Ideas On Teaching A Cat To Jump A Dog Gate

[NewYork1303]

We're going to get a puppy sometime this winter or spring, so we are working with the cats now to make sure they have personal space to get away from the dog. We are going to have a dog gate in the hall so the cats will have access to their bedroom and the office without any dog being around. The dog will have access to the living room, dining room, and master bedroom at night. The cats also have a cat walk up by the ceiling and a tall cat tree in the living room so getting away from a corgi should be no problem for them.

My mom's dog is going to come live with use for a while soon, so this is something that they'll have to deal with soon. They've lived with this dog before, but I still want them to have access to private space away from the dog.

One issue, Carrot and Angua jump the dog gate without any trouble at all. Ruby on the other hand is frightened of the gate. She hates jumping it. Any ideas on how to encourage her?

 

[abyeb]

Can she go through the bars? If not, is there any way you can lower the gate for training purposes? That's how I got my Charlie to jump through a hoop, starting low, then gradually increasing the height. If this isn't possible, you can simulate a lower gate with a piece of cardboard or plywood. Have Ruby stand on one side of the gate, and you stand on the other end with a treat. Start the gate at a height that she can jump comfortably, and then as she gets more confident you can make the obstacle higher.

 

[NewYork1303]

Can she go through the bars? If not, is there any way you can lower the gate for training purposes? That's how I got my Charlie to jump through a hoop, starting low, then gradually increasing the height. If this isn't possible, you can simulate a lower gate with a piece of cardboard or plywood. Have Ruby stand on one side of the gate, and you stand on the other end with a treat. Start the gate at a height that she can jump comfortably, and then as she gets more confident you can make the obstacle higher.

She knows how to jump that high already and used to jump the other dog gate that we had when we lived with my mom. This one is just a tiny bit higher.

It is this specific gate that scares her. The bars are not quite wide enough for her to squeeze through (I think she could if she really wanted to, but it would be very tight).

She's not very food motivated, so I've only managed to get her to jump it for her raw food in the evening, but she still is really anxious around it, even if it is open.