Hello everyone
We are new to the forum, and new to the world of being owned by Bengals! Loving every minute so far. We've got two boys - a snow named Oscar, and a Brown named Monty. We've had them for a week so far, and they are generally settled in and causing havoc
They were born on 22nd July, so they are 16 weeks old today. I'll put up some photos and a proper introduction in the appropriate board area later. However for now, I was hoping to get a little help and advice regarding teaching them their names and training them.
They both seem to be bonding well with both of us, will come running up to us when we come in to the house from being out somewhere, or anytime they want to be fed
. They will happily come and sit on laps for cuddles / to sleep and will often purr loudly when they get stoked or played with (which is most of the time). I am struggling, however, to get them to respond to their names and wanted to know if there is something else I should be doing, or whether it really is too soon yet for them to respond. We softly, and clearly repeat their name (and only their name) to each of them whilst being stroked, or getting a small treat, saying the name 3-4 times each time we do it. We've never used their names anything other than in happy and gentle tones. So far, they ignore their names when called - is it just too soon?
I can make them come if I mimick one of their noises - Monty was from the off the more intrepid of the two and was out exploring the house within 12 hours of being home, however he would make a sort of trilling noise like a bird to encourage his brother to come out of hiding - I find if I mimick the trilling noise they will both coming running up to me.
The other question is around how to train them - I would like to train them to stay off the dining room table etc, and have tried making a hissing noise (without staring at them directly) when they get on the table. Oscar seems to get the message and leaps off, however the hissing noise seems to make no difference to Monty whatsoever - he will keep going for whatever it was he wanted to do (trying to climb in the dishwasher, up my trousers, on the tables, through the washing machine window
etc etc). It's very early days, and we are of course getting used to being bengal slaves, so neither of us are overly worried, but is there anything else we should be doing or trying with Monty to give him the message that he shouldn't do something? they are both so well tempered and natured & there is a lot of mutual love going around and we don't want to upset him, but we want to get the boudaries established firmly and fairly now.
Sorry for the long winded note, hopefully some of you can stay the course to read it though!