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I have three furbabies and decided to add a new dog to the mix. I have 2 cats (ages 12 and 2) and 1 small dog (age 8). The new dog is 2.5 years old and a lab/sheppard mix - names Turtle. She is still very much a puppy, but well trained for the most part. My problem is she seems to hate the cats. Everytime she sees them she barks and chases them downstairs. The poor cats haven't been upstairs since the new dog came 3 days ago. The cats are beyond freaked out. I've tried praising Turtle when she looks at the cats, and shooting her in the face with water when she barks or growls at them. Last night she spent some time sniffing the older cat as I petted her, but as soon as I stopped she barked and barked and barked. She kept me up half the night barking everytime the cat poked its head out of the basement.

I'm at my wits end. Am I unrealistic that 3 days is enough time to begin to acclimate to the cats? I don't expect perfection, but I would like some show of improvement. I have her on a trial basis - if she can't get on with the cats she goes back to her original owner and probably to a shelter. I don't want that to happen because she is a sweet dog, but my cats were there first. PLEASE HELP!

>>I have three furbabies and decided to add a new dog to the mix. I have 2 cats (ages 12 and 2) and 1 small dog (age 8). The new dog is 2.5 years old and a lab/sheppard mix - names Turtle. She is still very much a puppy, but well trained for the most part. My problem is she seems to hate the cats. Everytime she sees them she barks and chases them downstairs. The poor cats haven't been upstairs since the new dog came 3 days ago. The cats are beyond freaked out. I've tried praising Turtle when she looks at the cats, and shooting her in the face with water when she barks or growls at them. Last night she spent some time sniffing the older cat as I petted her, but as soon as I stopped she barked and barked and barked. She kept me up half the night barking everytime the cat poked its head out of the basement.
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>>I'm at my wits end. Am I unrealistic that 3 days is enough time to begin to acclimate to the cats? I don't expect perfection, but I would like some show of improvement. I have her on a trial basis - if she can't get on with the cats she goes back to her original owner and probably to a shelter. I don't want that to happen because she is a sweet dog, but my cats were there first. PLEASE HELP!

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Acclimation typically takes a whole lot longer. These particular cats may also have problems living freely with any dog, if they get scared or run, or turn and fight--either response triggers a dog's instincts.

I have an article about Cats and Dogs and one about Introducing your dog to other animals in the Canine Behavior Series at the link below my signature here. It's a non-commercial, free veterinary-sponsored site that doesn't even require you to register. The articles will give you an idea of what you could be up against. Meanwhile, don't leave the animals alone together AT ALL, and have a leash on the dog whenever the dog is around the cats. You need to PREVENT all chasing. Correcting it doesn't cut it. The dog has to be prevented from doing it. Every chase brings you one step closer to a potential kill, and punishing the dog for chasing can actually make the kill happen faster.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

I am in a very similar situation. Dog 3 years old, cats 9 and 2 and Sunny loves to bark and bark at these cats. my youngest cat lies in front of Sunny and just goes about his business but it doesn't stop Sunny from barking at him. We are working on it but it is very slow. I truly do not think that Sunny would hurt one of the cats, however, I don't trust her entirely either. We live on a farm so the cats have many places to wander and hide from her. About 4 years ago I adopted my sister's dog and he was horrible with the cats. After the first couple days I was ready to give him back but my husband suggested we give it at least a couple weeks because we loved the dog. It took a couple of weeks to a month for him to get over the cats but now they sleep together on a chair and are the best of friends. I wish you all the best and hope you are able to keep your new baby.

In response to the dog chsing cats:

I just introduced another sighthound into my family which consists of a pharaoh hound and an 8 year old cat. At first the new pharaoh would chase the cat. I've provided the cat with plenty of escape routes. The dog was tethered to me for the first 2 days. If the dog looked at the cat without chasing I would reward. If she barked, or attempted to chase, I would use a verbal "unh uhn." The squirt bottle, while an adversive, may actually serve to increase the desire to chase/do harm to the cat. (Think of it from the dog's point of view: I see the cat, I growl, I bark at the cat and something unpleasant happens to me. It must be the cat's fault.)

It will take weeks for the cats to become used to the dog, and vice-versa. To help the cats adjust, take a towel and wipe the dog then wipe the cats then wipe the dog again. Cats are a very olfactory driven species; if it doesn't smell like something familiar, it is strange and must be avoided.

The dog is most likely driven by prey drive, if this is the case, don't punish the behavior, redirect it. Toss a ball in the other direction, call the dog to you-reward. You may not get these animals to become best friends, but you should be able to, in time, get these animals to at least pleasantly ignore and coexist with each other.
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I didn't realize you had a kitty ! I lost my 21 year old cat the morning I left for Lompoc. He was my barn cat...never with my Pharaohs...but I am at the barn a lot with the horses.Seems strange not to see him every morning when I open the grain room door...
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Winona