introducing cats & dogs
Fur Baes love cats. Deep down. Even the ones with high prey drives (*cough* Ruby) learn to co-exist and eventually bond. The key, as with all rescue dog training, is patience, time and consistency. The biggest mistake made is forcing a relationship between your fur babies and rushing their budding friendship.
Our trainer, Shirley *cue a choir of angels singing*, swears by the “7-layer dip method”. Sounds weird, is quite weird, but works every time.
Diddy lurvs Mickey. Mickey is indifferent.
the aforementioned Ruby with her mate.
7 layer dip
Keep the dog and cat separate for three days (at least). In separate rooms.
Get a couple of blankets and pieces of cloth (old clothes, or whatev)
One you rub on the dogs face, the base of his tail and his chin
With the other, rub it on the top of the cats head, cheeks, base of the tail and between the toes
You then put the cloth you rubbed on the dog in the cats room and vice-versa
Do not put it in their bed or anywhere that they feel safe just on the floor in the room
They should sniff and be interested at first
When they start ignoring it you then rub the cloth that is in the cat's room on the cat (in the same places as before) and do the same with the dog
You then switch the cloths and repeat around 7 times (hence the name!)
Told you it was weird. But, it’s getting the animals used to each other's scents. So when the animals are introduced physically, they have already started to get to know each other.
Then what?
You can then do a room switch, let your pets sniff and get used to the room their future pal has been living in
The first meet should be through a closed door - keep both pets calm with treats and reassurance
Then you can let them meet through a baby-gate - or you could use your crate as an obstruction
The first official meeting
Keep your Fur Bae on their leash, ask for a sit, or a down. Keep tons of treats to hand to distract and praise. Same goes with your cat
Watch out for stress behaviour in either animal - the desired result is them ignoring each other
Repeat on-leash meets until you have two relaxed babes