Need help: bringing home an adoptee

[Cassie Abbott]

I'm adopting an ACD and she should be coming home with me on Sat. As far as I know she has zero training, but when introduced to cats at the shelter she was almost scared of them and seemed to have been taught to leave them alone. Also, she's very snuggly and submissive towards people.

My biggest concern is day one, and then the first couple days. How do I manage her and the cats to make it a positive experience all around? I don't have a crate for her, and I'm on the fence about getting one (she doesn't even like a kennel, so I doubt she'll like a crate). I could confine her to the kitchen with a little jerry-rigging. Also, I have a spare room I could use to confine either her or the cats.

Some specific concerns...
1) Introducing her to the cats and then how to manage them all for the first couple days/weeks (everybody loose, which ones confined, how confined, etc). I'm gone for several hours each day, so how do I manage them when I'm not home? When should I allow the dog and the cats to be loose together?

2) Who sleeps where at night? Right now the cats sleep in the living room with my bedroom door closed. Should I have the dog in my room and continue this arrangement? Or should I make her sleep in the kitchen the first days/week while the cats sleep in my room? Ultimately I'd like the dog to sleep in my room and the cats to continue sleeping in the living room.

3) For puppies people suggest filling toys with food as their way of getting fed. Would that be an option for her? I don't know how toy or food motivated she is (seems low for toys), but I don't want her to get bored when I'm not home.

I feel kind of guilty about subjecting my cats to a dog, so I want to make sure this is very low key and low stress.

 

[Jynx]

Congrats on your new pooch,,I have cats and dogs and I've had a few probs with the last aussie I brought in, but it was initially in the beginning.

even tho she was submissive /ignoring of the cats at the shelter don't take that as her "true" feelings..adoptive dogs can sometimes take up to 3 months to really "settle" into a new home/situation.

1. introductions,,I'd most likely keep her on leash in the house when you first get home so you'll have more control over the situation should a cat dart by.
I'm sure you'll get a "feel" of how things will go just by walking her around your house and letting her "see" the cats and vice versa.

(I also have a room, the doorway is babygated with the baby gate off the floor high enough for the cats to get under but not the dog.)

When your not home, there is no way I would leave them all "loose" together,,I' would confine the cats to a room .

2. I would do NOW what you ultimately want to do in the end,,have the dog in your room, the cats in the living room.

3.kongs are great for dogs, ask the shelter if they were giving her anything specific to chew on , maybe she has a "favorite"..I'd also leave the radio/tv on while your not home,,this can break up the monotony.

If you think you had good instinct,,that instinct will tell you when the time is right to leave the cats/dog alone together..However, again, don't take that initial meeting (whether good or bad) as to how it will stay.. I had a 12 wk old male aussie here for 3 days,,no problems with my cats, he then got very comfortable in the household and decided to try and kill them..

Just some ideas
Diane

 

[Cassie Abbott]

Thanks so much for the info, I've been freaking out trying to figure out a way to do this! How she gets on with the cats is going to determine whether this works out or not, so I want it to be successful.

 

[Maxy24]

There are a few things you can do to get your dog used to your cats. Rub your cats with a towel (really well) and put the towel under his food bowl while he eats, that way he will associate the smell of your cats with a good thing, food. To let the dog see the cats for the first time have the cats in a room. Have this room gated of with a baby gate and bring the dog up to the baby gate. Let him watch them from behind the safety of the gate If one of the cats starts to come up to the gate and starts getting scared either close the door or shoo the cat. If the dog remains calm or goes to sniff the dog through the gate give him cookies and praise. If the cats do not come to investigate the dog, you should still give treats and praise for any calm behavior while he watches the cats. You said you do not have a crate for your dog but do you have one for your cats? Just whatever you bring them in to the vets. If the dog acts calm with the gate thing then put the cats in a crate and let the dog come up and sniff the cat (one cat at a time) in the crate and give really good treats for calm behavior. After you do these exercises for a week or so they can have a direct interaction. Have the dog on a leash and only introduce to one cat at a time. Don't force anything on either of them just have them in the same room, maybe on different ends. Treats for good behavior. If he is calm you can slowly move closer to the cat. Only praise calm behavior not scared behavior, if he gets scared move back. If the cat decides to come sniff only let him if the dog seems calm, if he gets riled up then walk the dog away or shoo the cat. Eventually they can go sniff each other but keep and eye on both animals if the cat i about to strike him you must intervene, likewise if the dog freezes, growls or does anything fearful or aggressive you must intervene. While they are sniffing tell the dog how good he is and give him treats, over time they will get used to each other. You should never leave them alone unattended, but once they can both either ignore each other or enjoy each other you may leave them alone while you are home. While you sleep the dog should stay locked in the bedroom with you. You may also want to baby gate the room that the cats food and litter is in so the dog can't get at it. I'd write more but I have to get ready for school now, hope I helped.

 

[Cassie Abbott]

Thanks so much Maxy24, that was actually a big help! Between you and Jynx I now feel like I've got some good guidelines and can develop a plan. Before I was spazzing out, but now I feel like I can do this.

Now I just need to think up some good names for her!