ASK THE GOOD DOG GURU
Dear Jeffery,
I have two cats that have been with me for more than 10 years. My sister is relocating and will not be able to bring her 3 year old daschound with her. I love that little dog and would take him in an instant but am afraid of upsetting the applecart with the cats. Is it possible to make this work? . . . . .Cherie
Hi Cherie,
Thank you for writing. If only everyone had a sister like you! Bringing a new pet to the family is tricky but it absolutely can be done over time and with patience.
Start with an introduction of the dog – like say on the lanai between a slider with the cats seeing the dog. Make sure that you have some help who can give treats to both cats and the dog. We want them to associate each other with “good things”. Then try it with the screen door let this happen for a few minutes up 2 a few hours. Next step will be to allow them to walk around each other, but best to keep your dog on a leash. Finally when they are walking freely – make sure the cats have access to an escape route – or a clear path to jump up high to safety. Don’t let your preconceived notions about cats and dogs get in the way. In most chances, they will find their place in the family. There is no set time as to how long this will take, it may be just a few days or a few weeks. Only you can read their behavior but you will know when the time is right to let them meet. This is a fun project to do. Please let us know how it goes. . . . .Jeffery Andrew/K9 Korral