I have attempted the boys the “be nice” command. Basically, this consists of clicking and treating whenever they “kiss” each other. The idea was that if they were fighting, I could ask them to be nice and redirect that energy.

It didn’t quite work as I’d planned. They learned the command alright, but they won’t obey it if they’re in the middle of a fight.

It has come in handy in another way, though. Simba does quite well with Chester. At times it almost looks as though he’s attempting to play with him. Other times, however, it’s clear that he’s asserting his position as king of all he surveys.

I have found that asking him to “be nice” will usually translate into him leaving Chester alone. Leave it works that way, too.

I never taught the boys a formal “leave it”, but I was able to tell Simba to “leave it” while he was on the bathroom counter and I was feeding Puss on the floor — and he would stay on the counter, while Puss ate in peace.

Chester is learning a formal leave it. I will give each of the boys a treat, while telling Chester to leave it. Then I give Chester his treat and tell him to “take it” — and it works. He won’t touch their treats.

Which is not to say that he always obeys when I tell him to leave it. Dogs, and cats, for that matter, do not generalize well. That means that he learns that the boys get treats while he’s told to leave it means he waits for his treat in the end.

If a treat just happens to fall from the heavens, though, he’ll probably snatch it up even if told to leave it. It’s something we’re still working on.

Related posts: