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  #31  
Old October 19th, 2008, 10:42 AM
likeakristin likeakristin is offline
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Help! Physically ill with worry about my cats! Just brought a puppy home.

I have two cats, 5 and 6 years old. One can be a total brat, but can turn around and be very loving, and the other is the sweetest, friendliest, most trusting cat I've ever met. These are my babies and I'm worried sick about them right now!

My husband and I have been wanting a puppy. We just brought home a boxer mixed with some sort of hound dog last night. Was this a really big mistake?

We were told the puppy (who is 6 months old) was a boxer mix, and didn't find out until we picked her up that she was mixed with some kind of hound dog. The poor baby has been through so much (parvo, coccidia, broken leg) in the past 6 months, and now that she's over her viruses and the cast is off and the broken leg gaining strength, we brought her home.

But it didn't hit me right away that it might be a problem that she's part hound. She lived with cats in foster care and while she chased after them, and plays rough, she seemed to only be interested in playing. The cats would hiss or smack, and she would leave them alone for a few minutes.

We took her on a walk this morning, she did the classic hound stance several times, and tried to eat a dead bird that we found in our path. Are my cats doomed to be eaten if we keep this dog? I'm so incredibly attached to them, it would really break my heart if we lost them! Or am I just freaking out a little too much?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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  #32  
Old October 19th, 2008, 10:50 AM
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Chaser Chaser is offline
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You may want to start a new thread in order to get more responses to your question...

But IMO, you do not need to worry so much. If your dog lived in a foster home with cats, then I think all should be well. I would recommend using a baby gate to block off an area of your house so that the cats have a safe space away from the dog - let them get used to each other from a distance and at their own pace. Also make sure you keep your pup as well exercised as possible (based on any limitations that may still be present from the leg injury). A tired dog is less likely to focus excessive energy on the cats. Make sure he has interesting toys to play with as well. If he begins playing too rough with the cats, I would clap your hands loudly to interrupt him, tell him "NO!" firmly, and redirect him to play with one of his toys. Praise him when he listens and leaves the cats alone. He'll need you to teach him that playing rough with the cats is not acceptable. I do not think he will eat your cats, but you'll want to avoid any accidental injuries from him playing too rough. You may also want to start working on the "Leave It!" command on walks so he'll learn to leave yucky dead things alone!

A first pup can be a pretty overwhelming experience, but I assure you it does get easier! There are a lot of experienced members on this board and I would encourage you to keep asking questions of any problems you encounter with your new puppy - people will always be happy to help! I would also recommend attending obedience classess to strengthen your bond with your new pup and to learn to work through issues like the ones you've mentioned. Although breeds do have some common traits and tendencies, breed isn't everything, and the behaviour of your dog is more a result of how you teach it than the instincts that it was born with.

Congrats on rescuing your pup, and I'm sure members would love to see some pictures of your fur gang!
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Chase (Friendly Resident Wigglebum) - Border Collie/Lab/Shepherd X
Kailey (Misunderstood Gentle Beauty) - GSD & foster failure #1
Rupert (Gold-Medal Winner of the 3 a.m. Kitty Destruction Olympics )

Heidi - RIP my sweet baby girl

Last edited by Chaser; October 19th, 2008 at 10:56 AM.
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  #33  
Old October 19th, 2008, 05:28 PM
likeakristin likeakristin is offline
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thank you so much for your response! i am beginning to feel better about this situation, i just know that it's going to take a lot of work! but we're more than willing - we've treated our cats like family members for years, and are excited to give such a sweet little pup who has been through so much a home!

also, thanks for making me feel welcome on the board. i'm sure i will come back for more info, and post some pictures soon as well!
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  #34  
Old October 20th, 2008, 03:27 PM
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usf5678 usf5678 is offline
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We had a 3 year old tabby before we adopted our beagle/basset hound puppy 6 months ago. They don't get along, but they can tolerate each other. The cat is slowly realizing that the dog is here to stay. It takes time.
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  #35  
Old October 21st, 2008, 06:32 PM
bmxman bmxman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chase_Mom View Post
Although breeds do have some common traits and tendencies, breed isn't everything, and the behaviour of your dog is more a result of how you teach it than the instincts that it was born with.
I agree my 2 cats are a lot more comfortable with my new puppy and it's only been 3 weeks...both my cats are over 8yrs old and now they pretty much have got it all figured out. We have had no fighting or injuries at all. We did have to spend a bit more reassurance time with the cats but so far everything is going well. The only thing that's really come up is when they surprise each other turning corners or walking by.
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  #36  
Old November 16th, 2008, 03:02 AM
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erin_e_123 erin_e_123 is offline
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I'm so glad I found this forum! I rescued my now 7 month old kitten from a humane society in June and today my boyfriend and I brought home a 4 month old shizh tsu/poodle cross. We thought it would be a good idea to get a dog and cat when they were both small, but so far it hasn't been good. My cat keeps trying to hit the puppy and the puppy is growling at the cat and I'm not sure what to do. We live in a small apartment, so there isn't much room to keep them away from each other to slowly transition them together. I feel like if I seperate them, they will feel like they are being punished because I can't be with them both at the same time. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Is it just going to take time for them to get used to each other?
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