My husband and I have been visiting the SPCA and found a dog we like
(http://tinyurl.com/cjjb3 -that's his profile on PetFinder.com). We have
two cats right now - a skittish tuxedo cat (4 years) & a braver patched
tabby with white (3 years).

On googling "introducing dog to cats," I've found that some websites
encourage the use of a "prod collar" and one an "electric shock collar"
- and many the use of a muzzle.

Due to the varying nature of these websites, I've decided to ask you
guys your opinion on how best to introduce the dog to the cats.

I live in an apartment, with ready access to three parks. I am also
dog-proofing my apartment (& making more room) as we speak.

These are the websites I've visited so far. If you want to place a
"recommend" or "do not recommend" beside a website, please do so.

http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanageme...troducedog.htm

http://www.homevet.com/petcare/petmeet.html#dog2cat

http://www.sfgsrescue.org/articles/cat.htm Prong collar/electric

http://www.leerburg.com/dog-cat.htm crate/muzzle

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:35:06 GMT, Chris Dutton
wrote:

My husband and I have been visiting the SPCA and found a dog we like
(http://tinyurl.com/cjjb3 -that's his profile on PetFinder.com). We have
two cats right now - a skittish tuxedo cat (4 years) & a braver patched
tabby with white (3 years).

On googling "introducing dog to cats," I've found that some websites
encourage the use of a "prod collar" and one an "electric shock collar"
- and many the use of a muzzle.

Due to the varying nature of these websites, I've decided to ask you
guys your opinion on how best to introduce the dog to the cats.

I live in an apartment, with ready access to three parks. I am also
dog-proofing my apartment (& making more room) as we speak.

A husky mix. In an apartment. With 2 cats. Wouldn't have been my
choice, but what the heck - I wish you well!

A LEASH and some sort of restrictive/corrective collar is the primary
tool for dog and cat introductions. Others include baby gates and
YOU. Muzzles aren't necessarily good or bad. A lot depends on what
type, how they're used, the dog.

Basically, the cats need safe places to get to. Under, over, through.
Baby gates can help that a lot, but tall ones or raised ones if it's
an athletic dog who can fly over them.

The dog should wear a leash whenever you are home (you don't have to
be holding it, but it needs to be long enough for you to grab), and be
crated or safely confined whenever you are not home. I doubt I would
ever leave a husky with cats unattended.

If the cats venture to where the dog is (do NOT bring the dog to where
the cats are hiding - ever), praise for calm behavior, correct for any
chasing, lunging, etc. Even the friendliest dog can hurt a cat if
they land on them.

Enroll in obedience classes immediately.

"Shock" devices are merely another tool and not ones to be used
without training. Consulting an in-person trainer would be a good
idea regardless of tools. You may be in for some tough days. Keep
your kitties safe.


--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:35:06 GMT, Chris Dutton
wrote:

My husband and I have been visiting the SPCA and found a dog we like
(http://tinyurl.com/cjjb3

From the Siberian Husky Club of America:

Predatory instincts in the Siberian Husky are strong. While the
Siberian is normally gentle and friendly with people and other dogs,
owners MUST be aware that small animals in and aound the home, such as
squirrels, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, and CATS, are
potential victims of their strong predatory instinct. They are swift,
cunning, and patient in their hunting skills.



--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

"Chris Dutton" wrote in message
news:_kR8e.1062812$Xk.1026305@pd7tw3no...
My husband and I have been visiting the SPCA and found a dog we like
(http://tinyurl.com/cjjb3 -that's his profile on PetFinder.com). We
have
two cats right now - a skittish tuxedo cat (4 years) & a braver
patched
tabby with white (3 years).

He is a lovely dog and but are you sure he is the right dog for your
situation? Do you have much experience with dogs?
As Janet has alrerady said , you'll have to keep him on a leash and
under control and have a safe room for your two cats. You can buy a
Feliway diffuser and plug it in their room . This might help then deal
with the stress.
Alison

Janet B wrote:
On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:35:06 GMT, Chris Dutton
wrote:


My husband and I have been visiting the SPCA and found a dog we like
(http://tinyurl.com/cjjb3


From the Siberian Husky Club of America:

Predatory instincts in the Siberian Husky are strong. While the
Siberian is normally gentle and friendly with people and other dogs,
owners MUST be aware that small animals in and aound the home, such as
squirrels, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, and CATS, are
potential victims of their strong predatory instinct. They are swift,
cunning, and patient in their hunting skills.

The reason we were drawn to this guy is he was looking for human
contact. When we took him on a walk, he seemed skittish of cars passing
him, was alert and wasn't showing much interest in the wildlife like
crows and the like. After a short while on the walk he sat down and just
allowed himself to be fussed.

As for the husky mix part of him, he's quite small compared to the
standard. About knee-height and only 33 lbs.

I've owned a lab/border collie cross before with several cats. (Parent's
owned it technically) What are better recommendations for breeds that
get along well with cats? I'm more interested in the medium-sized breeds.

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 18:51:47 GMT, Chris Dutton
wrote:

What are better recommendations for breeds that
get along well with cats? I'm more interested in the medium-sized breeds.


Breeds without extremely high prey-drive. Breeds not meant to kill
vermin or small animals. All of my retrievers (purebred and mixed)
have been terrific with my cats, although the first was a real
challenge - he wanted to kill her initially, but we got through that.
He was 10 at the time, and she was a kitten. Knowing the dog is a big
help. My cats haven't even blinked when I've brought new puppies in,
except for a recent Newf guest. She was a little overwhelming to
them!

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

Hi, Chris!

What a beautiful and sweet dog Chaos is! I wish you could adopt him.

My experience with dogs is limited to two: two dogs, who are getting
along wonderfully with each other and with two cats. Especially my 18
months old male (not neutered) dog who is an Amstaff mix. He loves
them, lets them eat from his bowl waiting patiently as the cats pick
the best pieces, sleeps with the cats, plays with the cats, takes their
heads or their paws into his mouth - and never hurts them, despite the
fact that he has very strong jaws and very sharp teeth. The cats and
the dogs are always together, even when we are not at home. Nobody is
ever crated and nobody is ever leashed, while they are at home. Oh, and
we live in an apartment, too.

I don't know if the fact that they are getting on so well is because
Amstaff mixes are so sweet with cats (my female dog, though not an
Amstaff mix, is an exceptional dog, she is the best creature that ever
was, so there's no wonder about her), but I'm inclined to believe that
the "Wits' End Dog Training Manual" did have something to do with it,
too. :-) The method and its author are not exactly popular around
here, but everything that Jerry says in his manual and in his posts has
proved to be true for my two dogs. I do hope that, before deciding to
killfile Jerry as the majority of the regulars advise the newcomers to
do, you'd read the manual and make up your mind for yourself if the
method is worth trying or not; for me, it was the best thing that I
could wish for - no violence at all, very easy to apply, and best of
all, always gives wonderful results.

Lucy

In article .com,
wrote:
The method and its author are not exactly popular around
here, but everything that Jerry says in his manual and in his posts has
proved to be true for my two dogs.

If you tried Jerry's stuff with a dog with a very high prey
drive, you'd end up with a dead cat. Keeping a dog that
doesn't want to kill a cat from killing a cat is not a
Nobel-level accomplishment.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Repealing the estate tax will cost a family earning about $70,000/year
an additional $500/year or so in additional income taxes

On 19 Apr 2005 07:23:00 -0400, (Melinda Shore) wrote:

In article .com,
wrote:
The method and its author are not exactly popular around
here, but everything that Jerry says in his manual and in his posts has
proved to be true for my two dogs.

If you tried Jerry's stuff with a dog with a very high prey
drive, you'd end up with a dead cat. Keeping a dog that
doesn't want to kill a cat from killing a cat is not a
Nobel-level accomplishment.

That's for sure. Based on experience with high-prey Siberian Huskies
and ex-racing Greyhounds, I'd say that the majority of dogs are fine
with cats from the start (some ignore them, some like them and
interact with them). Many more can be trained to live peacefully with
them, and a smaller number can never be trusted alone with them. Prey
drive is hard-wired, and what you're doing with a really high prey
drive dog is trying to rewire the dog.

Mustang Sally

In article ,
sighthounds & siberians wrote:
Prey
drive is hard-wired, and what you're doing with a really high prey
drive dog is trying to rewire the dog.

I think it can be done in limited circumstances. I've gone
from a situation in which I had 4 Siberians living in
harmony with 2 cats to a situation in which I've got 6
Siberians and 2 cats in the same house. I think one of the
issues here is that bringing two high prey drive dogs into
the house at the same time allows them to reinforce each
others' behavior, while in a situation with one new dog the
new dog tends to cue off the dogs that are already there.
I'm modestly hopeful for the future but I'm not counting on
anything, either. So, for the time being, the upstairs is
closed off during the day so the cats can be safe up there
and Crow and Eclipse are crated at night.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Repealing the estate tax will cost a family earning about $70,000/year
an additional $500/year or so in additional income taxes