Learn the 6 best ways to teach cats and dogs to get along

A familiar saying would have us believe that dogs and cats can't get along. And maybe that's true – to an extent. "Both dogs and cats are social," says Dr. Gary Landsberg, a board certified veterinary behavourist at the North Toronto Animal Clinic in Thornhill, Ont. "But unless they have contact with each other during their early growth development, they may be fearful, be unable to communicate and not get along."

But with the right know-how – and some patience – you can have them living under the same roof. Here's where to begin.

1. Social skills
A dog's optimum socialization period begins to decline at three months of age; a cat's often ends at seven to nine weeks. If a puppy or kitten is properly introduced and gets used to another species at a young age, it is more likely to adapt and learn the other animal's language.

2. Familiarity breeds contentment
It helps if the animal you already have has been exposed to the other species. And consider adopting the second pet from either a breeder or a rescue organization. Breeders often raise dogs and cats together. And if it's been done in a controlled manner, a dog will be pretty complacent about cats, and will either like them or ignore them, says Dr. Liana Mawer, a veterinarian at Brandon Hills Veterinary Clinic in Brandon, Man. And a rescue organization has likely prescreened the animals and can tell you what type of home would be best.

3. Separate quarters
When your new pet first moves in, confine one of the animals to a separate room. This will limit their physical contact while allowing them to get used to each other's smell and sound. Just make sure that the confined animal has everything it needs (toys, litter box, water, perching areas, etc.) in the room and that you're still giving it plenty of attention. Progress to opening the door an inch or so to allow a little contact.

4. Meet and greet
Once both the dog and cat seem comfortable with the animal on the other side of the door, you can do a face-to-face introduction, with the dog on leash. Teach the dog focus exercises beforehand and do them when it first meets the cat. For example, have the dog sit and show it a treat in your hand. Hold the treat in front of its nose, move it up to your eye, then back to the dog's nose. Give the dog the treat if it looked at you. Doing this keeps the dog's attention on you, not the cat, says Mawer.

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