After
welcoming a pet into your home, it can be hard to resist getting
another one after seeing how happy it makes the entire family. Instead
of sticking to the same animal, it can be exciting to bring a different
breed into your home.
When this is the case, it’s important to consider how to have your two
furry friends meet and get adjusted to one another.
Heidi Ganahl, CEO and Founder of
Camp Bow Wow, the nation’s largest pet care franchise, has
created a series of “Tips for Combined Pet Owners: Introducing Cat to
Dog & Vice Versa.”
1.
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.
2.
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.
3.
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.
4.
Keep the dog on a leash so it can’t chase the cat and
allow them to be in the same room together. Allow the dog to see the cat
moving around and 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 with the
kitty.
5.
Practice obedience with your dog. You can then use
obedience commands to help keep your dog calm and focused when the cat
is around.
6.
Make sure the cat has a place to jump up to if they need
to. You always want to make sure that your kitty has a safe place to get
away from the dog in case they dog does start to chase them.
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