Introducing pets to each other can be challenging. Here are a few tips to make the introductions go smoother.
- Pick the right personality. Always consider the personalities of the animals you are bringing into the home. For example, if you have a dog who likes to chase, you will want a cat that doesn’t run away in fear or to be playful.
- For the first week or so, keep the dog and cat separated. You can switch between confining one to a certain room or area for a couple of days, and then switch which one is confined. This will give them each time to get to know each other’s smells and become familiar with them.
- Don’t leave the animals together by themselves until everyone has settled into having new friends in the house. You want to be able to keep an eye on them, so lock them in separate areas when you are out of the house.
- Keep the dog on a leash so it can’t chase the cat while allowing them to be in the same room together. Allow the dog to see the cat moving around. Watch the dog to make sure it doesn’t try to chase the cat and that it isn’t too fixated on what the cat is doing. You can also feed the dog some treats when the cat is around to have them build up a positive association.
- Practice obedience with your dog. You can then use obedience commands to help keep your dog calm and focused when the cat is around.
- Make sure the cat has a place to jump up to if it needs to. You always want to make sure that your cat has a safe place to get away from the dog in case the dog does try to chase it.
Courtesy of Heidi Ganahl, CEO and founder of Camp Bow Wow