I hope some pet lovers out there can give me some advice! I have 2 cats, and I love them to bits. I have always been a cat person and have never owned a dog, but my kids have been asking for a dog, and I do like dogs, I just dont have any experience looking after one. My main concern is how my cats will react to a dog being introduced into the family? does anyone have any advice on the best way to go about it? I am happy for the kids to have a dog, just not at the expense of upsetting my cats. what do you all think?
i'd first suggest finding a dog that is already known to be good around cats. adopting from the shelter is the best thing to do...and the kyndest thing! petfinder.com is a great site if you havent checked it out yet. some cats will get used to dogs being around and some never will...but so long as they will tolerate the dog, things should work out well. when introducing them, its best to either put them in seperate rooms and let them sniff each other thru the door, or even better, seperate them thru a baby gate while they are being introduced that way there can be no attacks if one of the cats or the dogs get too peeved. and its always a good idea when you are introducing them to bring treats along, or something they would like so that way they associate each other with a positive experiance right away.
my friends had 9 cats. well two of them died over the first year i knew them. so now we have 7 cats. ok so they decide to bring into the home 2 puppies, from our friends dog. theses two puppies are brothers, and were litterally raised in the wild. (and throughout thier lifetime theyve taken down 2 deer, and several things smaller than deer.) well the cats scattered at first, but slowly after a month or two, they started getting used to the dogs.a couple of them never fully recovered, and wouldnt really come in the house much anymore.
Gixer, yes. It's different with every animal, but here are some things that usually work: First, pick a dog that is recomended to get along with cats. Often at shelters (especially no-kill) and resue groups for specific breeds the workers will know more about the individual dogs and their personalities than they will at pet shops and large breeders. Also take your cats temperments into consideration. If you have a calm cat, you'll want to look for a pretty mellow dog. If you have a psycho kitten (like one of mine ) you should probably look for a dog that's a little more rambunctious. When you first let the dog into the house, it helps to have the cats segregated in one room that they feel comfortable in. Let the dog get used to the scent of your cats, and let them get to know each other through the door. A couple of hours is usually good. Next, put the cats in carriers where they can see the dog, but it can't reach them, or vice versa, with your dog in a crate if you have one. Let whichever animal is out hang out in the room with the other animals for another hour or so. It may, sound cruel, but truly it's not. It helps them get used to each other while having a sense of security. Finally, let them all out together-- in a small location for the first few minutes, then with free reign of the house. Watch them carefully at first. Expect a few moments where they become miffed with each other. Don't stop minor getting to know you scuffles, but on the same token, don't let them tear each other apart. If that happens, seperate rooms again for a while. Things may be rough for a few days, but all should pan out eventually. Again, it depends on personalities. Even if they are never best friends, it's almost a garauntee that they will learn to live together peacefully. Don't introduce the cats to the dog seperately, it will give them comfort to be together, and the dog can get used to both scents at once. One more tip:crate training dogs is extremely useful. If they ever need to go to the vet or an overnight kennel, it will help them feel safe as well as making life easier for the workers. If all goes well, the dogs eventually begin to see the crates in their house as their cave, and in time profit from being able to go in and out of them at will. I truly wish you the best. GOOD LUCK!
