Patience and animals

Ok, moms with cats and dogs - come in and help me feel your positive energy about having patience with your pets.

Just want to forward that we are definitely keeping our furry babies - I made a commitment to them and they stay right here with us.  Plus, even though I get annoyed sometimes, I can't imagine life without them (I know some people like that too!)

Unfortunately, I feel like constant appropriate training and conditioning has gone out the window.  I find myself catering to the animals in ways that reinforces "bad" behavior.  I let the dog in when he barks, let him out again when he barks....we play this game for 45 minutes on the mornings I'm home.  Our cat cries when the first person moves in the mornings and until she's eaten...three times (she's had weight issues in the past so she gets small feedings - used to be 2 feeds a day, now I split it up into even smaller, more frequent to accommodate the crying). 

This of course, is just a nutshell of my animals nuances but I realize that a lot of them are created out of behaviors I reinforce with a reaction.  I want to have a good relationship with my animals...it's not horrible right now, but I hate starting every morning off with everyone barking, meowing and crying to be fed and I have yet to eat as well!  

What training or positive reinforcement have you done with your pets? Any tricks on maintaining this with a baby/small family? Are there any books out there you'd recommend?  We are open to going to obedience classes/trainers (we actually picked an instructor a long time ago)...

Hail to the pets!