http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:58:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-1076 Lyndsey Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:03:08 +0000 http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/#comment-1076 My father's girlfriend recently had one, she was rather peaceful so I imagine that kind of dog will get on well with your cats, she wasn't very obedient but she was old and was not trained very well but I think overall you'll be getting a good dog. My father’s girlfriend recently had one, she was rather peaceful so I imagine that kind of dog will get on well with your cats, she wasn’t very obedient but she was old and was not trained very well but I think overall you’ll be getting a good dog.

]]> http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-1075 Jeff- <3 God <3 people Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:40:57 +0000 http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/#comment-1075 My dog loves to eat cats! Just kidding. 1. At 8 weeks a dog isn't trained. There will be conflict. 2. Lab/grey sounds like a decent mix to have around cats. I think that leashing the pup & allowing him to 1) smell the cats, 2) see your care for the cats will be a good first step. Remember dogs are pack animals, so the Alpha sets the tone. My dog loves to eat cats! Just kidding.
1. At 8 weeks a dog isn’t trained. There will be conflict.
2. Lab/grey sounds like a decent mix to have around cats.
I think that leashing the pup & allowing him to 1) smell the cats, 2) see your care for the cats will be a good first step.
Remember dogs are pack animals, so the Alpha sets the tone.

]]> http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-1074 Erika Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:16:58 +0000 http://www.greyhoundsavvy.com/care-training/introducing-a-puppy-to-cats/#comment-1074 Background: I have 2 pit bull mixes (large) weighing in at 93lbs and 82lbs, a cat at 13lbs, and a hatchling Sulcata tortoise (a few oz.). And they can all eat side by side one another without any drama or food stealing. And they’ve actually slept in the same bed together… very funny to see. We introduced our smaller pit-bull (at 8 weeks) to our cat. You don’t need to let your cats come up and smell the puppy. They'll be able to smell that puppy right when you come into the house. Our cat wanted to severely injure our puppy at first. If your cat(s) does this, just make sure you let your cats know, you would like a boundary around you puppy, say like... an invisible bubble. You can make this happen by letting your puppy run around the living room and every time the cats get too close, touch them firmly on their upper shoulder. It’s not a push, don't push your cat away...take it like a quick firm bite with your hand to your cat(s). After you do this a few times, your cat(s) will understand that getting too close to the puppy will result in discipline (not punishment, this is not meant to hurt the cats in anyway or form, its just something a mom cat would do). You must do the same with your puppy...its more important...as the puppy will out grow them quickly. You must let all pets know, you are in charge when it coming to a new pet in the family. Once the cats get use to the puppy (about a week or so), feel free to let them go up to it, smell it, even rough house with the puppy (I know most cats will just ignore the puppy at this point). This is all about building a relationship of friendship and not one of predator and prey. After about a month, let you cats do whatever, I know that sounds strange but once all parties are use to each other...it won’t be about hurting each other. It’ll be about boundaries and limitations. Generally cats will hold there own when it comes to a new animal in the house. They will want to be the regulators and will tell a puppy what to do and what not to do with small swats of their paws. This is fine (like stated earlier, after about a month or so), if you don’t let your cat (s) do this, then the puppy might see them as weak and play with them roughly when it gets older (very important this doesn’t happen). Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do fine; you have a “softer” dog breed than I do. Just think “I’m in charge! I pay for everything they have”. Background: I have 2 pit bull mixes (large) weighing in at 93lbs and 82lbs, a cat at 13lbs, and a hatchling Sulcata tortoise (a few oz.). And they can all eat side by side one another without any drama or food stealing. And they’ve actually slept in the same bed together… very funny to see.
We introduced our smaller pit-bull (at 8 weeks) to our cat. You don’t need to let your cats come up and smell the puppy. They’ll be able to smell that puppy right when you come into the house. Our cat wanted to severely injure our puppy at first. If your cat(s) does this, just make sure you let your cats know, you would like a boundary around you puppy, say like… an invisible bubble. You can make this happen by letting your puppy run around the living room and every time the cats get too close, touch them firmly on their upper shoulder. It’s not a push, don’t push your cat away…take it like a quick firm bite with your hand to your cat(s). After you do this a few times, your cat(s) will understand that getting too close to the puppy will result in discipline (not punishment, this is not meant to hurt the cats in anyway or form, its just something a mom cat would do).
You must do the same with your puppy…its more important…as the puppy will out grow them quickly. You must let all pets know, you are in charge when it coming to a new pet in the family.
Once the cats get use to the puppy (about a week or so), feel free to let them go up to it, smell it, even rough house with the puppy (I know most cats will just ignore the puppy at this point). This is all about building a relationship of friendship and not one of predator and prey.
After about a month, let you cats do whatever, I know that sounds strange but once all parties are use to each other…it won’t be about hurting each other. It’ll be about boundaries and limitations. Generally cats will hold there own when it comes to a new animal in the house. They will want to be the regulators and will tell a puppy what to do and what not to do with small swats of their paws. This is fine (like stated earlier, after about a month or so), if you don’t let your cat (s) do this, then the puppy might see them as weak and play with them roughly when it gets older (very important this doesn’t happen).
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do fine; you have a “softer” dog breed than I do. Just think “I’m in charge! I pay for everything they have”.

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