Saturday 9 March 2013

Training my Devon Rexes to Walk on a Harness

Bowie smelling the spring flowers for the first time ever
As I mentioned before, my Devon Rex twins are indoor only cats for the time being... but that doesn't mean they don't like to get out and about. I started getting my boys used to wearing their harnesses a few weeks ago, just after they first arrived.

I wanted them to associate their harnesses with nice things so started by quietly putting them on them while they were eating. They were so distracted by the food that they barely seemed to notice and as soon as they finished eating, I took the harnesses back off and gave them lots of fuss. Gradually, I started leaving the harnesses on a little longer each time and my boys seemed totally laid back and relaxed about it... it's kind of how they deal with everything in life and I love them for it.

Up until now it has been chilly, wet and miserable here and Devon Rexes really do feel the cold so I've been trying to get them used to being out and about with me by putting their jumpers on, bundling them up in a blanket and putting them in a rucksack strapped to my front with their heads peeping out. They really seem to enjoy these "walks" and it's been a great way to gently get them used to the outside world.

Blue climbing a tree for the very first time
Yesterday, spring finally arrived, the sun came out and the temperature rocketed to 20c so I decided to take them out on the leash for the first time. We'll be moving into an apartment in the city in a few days so I wanted to make the most of the fact we have a well-fenced garden for now to try out the leash for the first time.

I was a little nervous to begin with but my boys had a great time! Both of them climbed their first tree, explored every inch of the garden and watching a Devon Rex kitten chase butterflies through clover has to be one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

I have elasticated leads for them which are even better than I'd expected. There's no harsh, abrupt jerk on the lead to scare them if they get a bit over-excited and run too far and they seem to have learned pretty quickly that if they feel the tension starting to build up on the leash they need to stop and come back to me.

After a while I felt so relaxed with them I let them off the leads completely and they raced round and round the garden after each other, chasing insects and generally having a brilliant time.I hope you enjoy the pictures almost as much as we enjoyed our day out in the garden!

Bowie in the clover

Blue climbing his first tree









Bowie chasing butterflies


Brotherly love
Playtime!
A mad five minutes racing each other round the garden



7 comments:

  1. Love your blog. We're hoping to get a Devon and its lovely to find out what they are really like. Thank you :)

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  2. I stumbled across your blog quite by accident while researching the Devon Rex breed. Your boys are beautiful :) It's such a pleasure to read about their antics and your experiences together.
    I've learnt so much about the breed from your blog and soooo looking forward to popping by again to read more. Thank you so much for sharing and i'm now excited about owning my first Devon Rex

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  3. Hi guys,

    Sorry but I've been offline for absolutely ages. This is exactly why I set up the blog and I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it. I remember researching the breed but couldn't really find anyone out there to tell me the real truth about life with a Devon which is why I wanted to share my experiences. I'm now 10 months into owning my boys and am totally hooked and can hand on heart say I will alwys, always have at least two of them in my life!

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  4. Hello, I stumbled across your blog last night and I love it. I adore the Devon Rex breed, but can't have one just yet so I am living vicariously through your stories thank you! You are a captivating writer.

    Jessie

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  5. Hi, I've been researching lots of cat breeds because my parents do not want a cat that sheds too much. So far the Devon Rex seems like a good breed. But I've come across a lot conflicting information. Some sites say that a Devon Rex can be ok on its own, others say they can't. I am a college student and can be out of the house for maybe 4 hours max I also plan on having a part time job. I currently have a dog but we leave him outside in the yard when we are gone and I don't think my parents would let me get two cats. Would a Devon Rex still be a good idea? thanks.

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  6. Hi, I've been researching lots of cat breeds because my parents do not want a cat that sheds too much. So far the Devon Rex seems like a good breed. But I've come across a lot conflicting information.

    http://onedaytop.com/good-human-food-dogs/

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  7. Thank you so much for writing this blog! I have my eye on a little Devon Rex kitten and this has given me a real insight into their temperament :)

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About Me

I'm not a Devon Rex expert nor am I a breeder. In fact, when I set up this blog (early Feb 2013) I'd had Devon Rexes for just 9 days. I'm just blogging about my life with my Devons and writing the kind of blog I wish I'd had access to when I was researching the breed. I hope you find it useful and/or entertaining. I'm already head over heels in love with the Devon Rex Breed and especially with my two beautiful boys, Blue and Bowie