how to successfully introduce cats and dogs

[bluekrissyspikes]

I am thinking of taking in a small dog. he is part chihuahua and maybe part pekinese? that is just a guess though. he is friendly and outgoing and likes kids, and i have always wanted a small dog that is not purebred. the problem is my cat hates dogs, as far as i can tell. i have only had him near 2 dogs before. he went crazy when my moms boxer came near, and the other time was not too successful either. is there any way to get the cat used to the dog or a special way to introduce them that might help.

[bluekrissyspikes]

help please? should i just not even bother? the dog is cute and everyone here wants the dog. they are begging me to get rid of my cat so they can have it. i'm NOT getting rid of my cat, but i feel like i should find a way to do this, because everyone would be so happy. (:

[magic mushroom]

not much advice i can give, but usually when people get a dog when they have had a cat for a long time, they end up gettting rid of the cat. sad to say.

[chantelle7]

I have 3 cats and 2 dogs. The cats have been here first and then we brought in the dogs. All of them hated the dogs at first but has now gotten used to them being around, we taught the dogs proper manners when they were around the cat like discouraging chasing and nipping, we also made sure our cats had somewhere to go that the dogs could not access so that they could get some quiet time....and definitely make sure your dog can not reach the litter box, because he will be into it all the time

[gouligann]

I agree with Chantelle's post. Stay on top of making the dog mind his manners. Keep him on a leash for the first while to see what he'll be like when your cat walks by so you can stop him in his tracks if he goes after your cat. Hopefully, your cat might be much more accepting of this small dog, compared to a boxer because they will be more similar in size.

On another note, if your cat has claws, you have to protect the dog too. A cat scratch or bite can cause a nasty infection.

Good luck! It's worth a try.

[bluekrissyspikes]

the dog is full grown and much smaller than the cat, so i am more worried about the dog than i am the cat. yes, he still has claws although i try to keep them trimmed because he *loves* to jump on me with claws out while i am sleeping.. i am going to try introducing them through the door first, i think. this might take a while.