114 MAY 2019 WOMANSDAYMAGAZINE
{Training Time}
Cat,
Meet Dog
Follow these
simple steps to
help all your pets
get along.
Stock a “sanctuary”
room for the cat that
the dog can’t enter
with water, a litter box,
food, and toys. Allow
the cat access anytime.
Never hold your cat
while she greets the
dog; she could scratch
you or get injured
trying to escape.
At first, use a baby
gate to keep the dog
and cat apart. Leash
the dog and walk him
back and forth on
one side of the gate.
Reward him for being
calm; move back if he
lunges. Repeat several
times a day until the
dog is totally relaxed.
Don’t leave the
animals alone together
until you’re sure they
can coexist peacefully.
If you’re still nervous,
consult a professional
trainer.
Family / PET TALES
A talented dog makes art for charity.
S
porting a red
beret and holding
a paintbrush in his
mouth, Dagger,
a.k.a. “DogVinci,”
a 6-year-old black Lab–golden
retriever mix, isn’t afraid of a
blank canvas.
Dagger was adopted by
Massapequa, NY, artist Yvonne
Dagger in 2014. One day Yvonne
noticed Dagger watching her as
she painted with acrylics.
“I said, ‘Dagger, what do you
want? Do you want to paint?’ and
his tail started to wag,” Yvonne
says. “So I figured as a joke I’d
let him try.” She placed an easel
on the floor and used commands
like “push” and “get” to help
him spread the paint. Once she
The Pup
Who Paints
realized his interest wasn’t
a fluke, Yvonne constructed a
paintbrush holder using paper
towel tubes and duct tape.
Dagger even has a painting
routine: After a few strokes of the
brush dipped in nontoxic paint,
he pauses so Yvonne can put more
paint on it or adjust the canvas.
As Dagger’s talents grew, Yvonne
launched local workshops with
him and started selling his art,
donating the proceeds to charities
including St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital, Canine
Companions for Independence,
and local rescue groups. So far
Dagger has painted over 500 pieces,
leading to charitable donations
of about $75,000 and earning him
the nickname “Do Good Dog.”
Dagger
specializes
in abstract
art.SOURCES: Pam Johnson-Bennett,
owner of Cat Behavior Associates;
Becca Woodruff, behavior consultant,
Best Friends Animal SocietyCAT^ANDDOG:^ GETTYIMAGES.