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How to introduce a new dog to established pet cats

By Marc Morrone, Tribune Content Agency on

Q: I have two cats and I am about to bring a new puppy into our home. The larger cat does not seem frightened of dogs but my little female's hair 'stands up' just at the sight of them. What is the best way to socialize everyone and minimize the stress on my younger cat? -- Jennifer Kessler, Hartford, CT

A: It is a lot easier to socialize a full grown cat to a puppy than it is a full grown dog to a kitten. However, it's really not that hard when you think of it as every farm in almost every culture. Dogs and cats have been living together harmoniously and there is obviously many different ways to have them get acquainted.

The only universal rule here is to remember that animals never accept our word that a situation they feel unsure about is harmless to them. Only the animal itself can come to that conclusion and it can only happen if the animal is exposed to the situation for themselves.

First of all the cat needs a safe zone that it can choose to be in that the puppy cannot enter. This is pretty simple as most puppies are contained in their new homes via gated doorways or training crates. The cat needs to be in the proximity of puppy so it can see and smell the dog, yet the dog cannot be in the cat's flight zone. Every animal has a flight zone -- a distance they feel is needed to be safe from a perceived threat -- when the flight zone has been breached then the drama occurs.

It's best to keep the puppy on a leash when it is in the same room with the cat. That way everyone can feel safe about the situation. The puppy also gets to learn about the cat and when the cat no longer feels defensive, then you can allow them to interact.

However, do not do this until the cat is calm while being in the same room as the puppy. When you do allow them to interact, then I would suggest you trim the cat's claws just as a precaution.

Q: We just got a Labrador puppy and we want to teach her to ring a bell tied to the wall by our front door so we know when she has to go out. Our previous dog would scratch at the door and he ruined the wood work. We have guided our puppy's head toward the bells by leading her to it with her collar and then when the bells ring we praise her and let her out, but she does not seem to be able to put them together. We wondered if the dog was at fault as a student or if we were poor teachers? -- Frank Charles, Chicago, IL

 

A: There does seem to be a lack of communication between student and teacher.

First the bells should be hanging on the door rather than the wall next to the door. They should also be at nose height to the dog. Then when the puppy is standing in front of the door you should not touch her or lead her to the bells, just wait until she touches the bell on her own. She will be inclined to touch them because all lab puppies want to play.

As soon as she touches a bell then praise her and open the door and let her out. Since she touched the bell on her own and the door opened, then she will figure the whole thing out on her own.

Once the dog gets the idea that touching the sash of bells gets us to open the door, then you can gradually move the sash away from the door and hang it on the wall so there is no jingling as you open and close the door. Since the dog learned what the bells mean on her own, she will seek them out when she needs to go outside.

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(Marc Morrone has kept almost every kind of animal as a pet for the last half-century and he is happy to share his knowledge with others. Although he cannot answer every question, he will publish many of those that have a general interest. You can contact him at petxperts2@aol.com; please include your name, city and state.)


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