Summarize the following:
Whether you are bringing a new cat or dog into a home that already has a cat or dog or you are trying to make your existing pets get along better, you need to create a good foundation to build on. To begin with, make sure that your home has ample space for the two pets to have some space away from each other. You will need to keep the pets separated for several days, so multiple rooms in your home are necessary.  Also, make sure that the dog will follow your commands. You will want to refresh its obedience training if it does not heed your directions well. Don't let the first encounter your cat has with your dog be a bad one because of an overzealous and aggressive pup. If you are introducing a new dog to your home or you have a young puppy that doesn't know its commands yet, then you need to be more cautious when introducing it to a cat. Do NOT just let your dog chase your cat around. Keep the pets separate at first, waiting 3 or 4 days before actually introducing the animals face to face. Animals need time to get to know each other's smells and to get to know new homes before they can deal with getting to know another animal.  Cats and dogs are much more likely to fight or be unhappy if you try to force them together suddenly. Keep them in separate rooms and out of sight of one another until they are both calm. Begin mixing the animals smells by stroking the cat then stroking the dog and vice versa (with pets in separate rooms). This is so they can sniff where each other has been without the other animal being present. Smells are a very important way that animals get to know each other. Let your animals get to know the other's smell before they actually get to know them face to face. Try rubbing a towel on your dog and then putting the towel under your cat's bowl. This will help your cat get used to the dogs smell and accept it. This will help them associate the new smells they are smelling with a specific animal, even if they can't actually see it. Try feeding the cat and dog on separate sides of the same door. This will force them to adjust to the smell of the other animal. If the cat is frightened and runs and hides whenever the dog gets near the door to their room, you need to give the cat more time. When the cat is adjusted to the smell and sounds of the dog, it may be time to let them see each other. Then ask a family member or friend to slowly bring your dog on a leash into the room. Gradually bring the dog closer in small steps, waiting for your cat and dog to both settle down as each step of the way before getting closer. Do not let the animals make physical contact with each other, just get them used to the presence of the other.  Be sure to hold the cat only if it is happy to be held. Wear long sleeves to protect your arms from scratches. Another option is to have the cat in a crate while you bring the dog in on a leash. This will guarantee that there is no physical contact between them when they first meet. Animals, like people, get jealous when 'the new kid' gets more attention than them. Show both of your pets that they are loved by you and that the other animal is not feared by you. Don't force them to interact for too long, this will just exhaust them, which can lead to conflict. Make sure the first meeting is a good one by keeping it brief and pleasant. Gradually increase the lengths of these sessions. Once the cat seems comfortable enough, keep the dog on a leash but let the cat go loose in the room. After several weeks of this, your dog should be trained not to go after the cat, as so you can let the dog off the leash as well. You can also use pheromones, available through your veterinarian, to help both animals stay calm and relaxed. Ask your veterinarian if he or she thinks that the use of synthetic hormones could help your pets during their adjustment period.

summary: Prepare for the introduction. Go slow. Alternate the rooms you keep the animals in. Let the cat and dog smell each other under the door dividing them. Wait to introduce your cat and dog until the cat seems relaxed and ready. Hold your cat in your arms until it is calm and relaxed. Show your pets equal amounts of love as you introduce them to each other. Separate your pets once again. Continue to have your dog and cat interact until they are relaxed in each other's presence.


Summarize the following:
The phrase "givens and druthers" comes from accomplished railroad modeler, John Allen. It refers to the things that can't be changed when making your model, like the size or your room, budget, and so on.  Make a list of these things on a piece of paper or a digital document to help keep these limitations in mind. Use an online document service, like a cloud based one or Google Docs, so you can check your planning elements easily with a phone or tablet. The theme of your railroad includes its purpose, setting, the type of trains or equipment you want to use, and the service the train will provide (like transporting industrial goods or logs). These aspects will influence your planning and how you actually build your layout.  A long coal train, for example, might run through the mountains and carry coal from mines to power companies, steel mills, or residential areas, to provide heat for homes. Locale should also be taken into consideration. Locale includes things like region (East or West Coast, Mountain, etc.), specific towns, or general areas, like the plains of Kansas. The era in which your model train exists will also need to be decided. A model planned for the 1920s would use a steam engine. You won't have modern cars either, in this era. The season you set your model in will change setting drastically. Fall will need to have trees with leaves changing color, winter will need snow, and so on. Grid paper is great for drawing out a to-scale design of your railroad. One of the simplest scales you can use is a 1-inch to 1-foot (2.5-cm to .3-m) ratio, where a 1-inch (2.5-cm) square on your grid paper equals 1 foot (0.30 m) (.3 m) in real life. When planning scale, keep in mind:  The space available for your model. The amount of money you can invest in your model railroad. Larger models will be more expensive. The focus of your model. Scenery focused models will be much different from train focused ones. Your personal limitations. If you don't have good eyes or nimble fingers, smaller models might be unreasonable. Display in railroad modeling refers to how you show off your model. You can arrange ceiling lights to point down on it, direct lighting to it from floor lamps, and so on. Should you be building your model for your own enjoyment, you might not want to devote a lot of time and money to display.  Railroad models built for children and grandchildren might only require a limited display. Adjust your display needs with the purpose of your railroad. If you intend on adding to your railroad and make it part of a larger design, keep this in mind while planning your display. There are many different styles you might use for your railroad track. Some common track designs include a simple oval, a figure eight pattern, and a barbell shape. You should have an overall idea for the plan of your track before drafting your track plan. When first starting out, you'll likely want to keep your train level to minimize more complicated aspects of planning, like grade (steepness) and clearances. If this is your first time building a model railroad, you may want to use a prototype track plan. These are provided by companies and take a lot of the guesswork out of your track planning. Prototype track plans can also be used as an example from which you make your own design and can be purchased online or at hobby shops.  Use grid paper when drawing up your track plan. Keep your track plan to scale with your real model so you don't have to make adjustments later on. You may find that some track plans that you thought would work in reality do not. This is not uncommon, but a prototype track plan will help prevent this.
summary: Assess the givens and druthers. Choose your theme. Determine the scale of your railroad. Identify the kind of display you intend. Plan your track. Draft the track plan for your railroad.