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Old January 10th, 2019, 08:37 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2007
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I've read to keep them separated behind closed doors for a day, or so. They will each know the other is there. Then let them see each other and sniff but not make contact. Then be sure there are safe places the cat can escape to and let them meet. That could take 3 to 4 days and I confess I never did the day stages but I did do the rest, but my cats were always used to dogs when a puppy came.

Oh, and trim the cat hooks as short as you can. I never had a cat deliberately, seriously hurt a puppy, they know the little devil is a baby. But I have had a few yelps and I do worry about puppy eyes.

It's gone both ways for me, depends on puppy confidence. One very old cat laid down the law and puppy said, Ok, cat, you're the boss, you rule. Oban was too bouncy and it took him a year to learn cats rule and in that year the cat most bonded to the previous dog hid. They became friends, but just to let you know, it can take that long, longer I bet.

I supervised all encounters for about a year.

A puppy training trick at 5 months old for the puppy really helped, I think. Our trainer told one lady to use her other dog to teach the puppy. I used one of the cats. SIT, too slow puppy, cat gets a free treat. This had a two fold effect. That little black puppy bum hit the floor so fast the next time it smacked. And the puppy looked at the cat with new respect, obviously the cat had some mysterious control over treats.

Nearly forgot, I made it a point to speak to, feed, pet, interact with the one who was here first, that was the cats. I'm not sure this made any impression on the cats but I think it did on the puppy, and it made me feel better about introducing the new hooligan.
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