HELP!

[Elite]

My mother just brought home a new kitten last night, and we really want to keep her, but our puppy (5.5 months), is going NUTS! I've been doing a little clicker training with her, so when she looks at the cat without jumping or bark, but it stilll doesn't help too much. how do i introduce these two withou someone getting hurt or traumatized?

thanks!

[erdog3]

Normally it is easier the other way round, introducing a pup to a cat. Let the kitten have it's own area, IE: keep puppy in one spot so she can't get to the kitten. Now the hard bit, you have to teach your puppy that it is not a new toy, cause in your puppies eyes that's exactly what it is. I would put a lead on your pup, so you have control, this is going to take time, cause your pup is only a baby still too.
Let the kitten walk around, keep hold of that lead, tell your pup, NO, every time it goes to chase the kitten. Let the kitten come up to your pup, it will rub itself up against the pup, eventually. Until you have control, you will have to separate them, and supervised interation only, or your kitten will scratch in fright and damage your pups nose or eyes.

[Elite]

Woul you suggest a muzzle for the puppy while we have her around the kitten? She's quite the nibbler.

[MarioLuigi]

Put the dog on a leash. Then bring the kitten into the room. Let the kitten explore the dog while she's secured. Keep doing that while rubbing the dog's chest or ears for the calming affects. Let the dog sleep with a towel that has been rubbed on the kitten.

[Elite]

my kittens scared to death...she won't even go near the dog. I'm thinking the fuzzy squeaky toys we gave molly were bad ideas, lol. I'll try the towel thing.

Thanks!

[Dax]

I wouldn't force them together at all. The kitten is just getting use to you let alone another animal. Keep them in separate parts of the house ie. kitten in basement or bedroom. Let them get use the smell of each other. Carry the kitten thru puppy territory or let her smell the puppy's area when puppy is outside. Let them see each other thru glass doors, etc.

Do this slowly over a couple of weeks and they will find balance.

[the_gunny]

i am with doglover let nature take it's course. human intervention is what usually causes most bad situations. i just got a cat left him in th bathroom with door slightly cracked and the dog wanted to play, cat did not. the cat protested and the dog obeyed now they are slowly exploring each other from a distance. forcing them together envokes fear and does not help "breaking the ice" let them do the work. they will bond or at least tolerate onw another

[erdog3]

Hi Elite, I left you to it, sorry, I was raced to hospital.
It is quite natural for the kitten to be scared, that is why I stated it is easier the other way around, I certainly would not leave them to it, to work it out, the pup will get scratched for sure, it is naturally inquisitive and will put it's nose in for trouble.
Let the kitten have it's own space as I said before, when they are in the same room, restrain the puppy, the kitten will come round in the end and realize the pup can't get to it. No you won't need a muzzle, the idea is not to let the pup get to the kitten at all, the kitten will build up it's confidence in the end and come up to the pup herself. The pup will only need to chase it once and the kitten will be set back in confidence all over again. Don't purposely put the kitten up to the puppy.
They will be fine in the end, Ellie just adores a black kitten I brought home, she will clean it, and lay with it on her chair. But she did want to chase, I just held onto her and said NO.
You are looking at around 2-3 weeks for things to settle.

[Elite]

Well, my mother (the kitten's owner), is away in mexico for 2 weeks, so the puppy is staying at a friends and the kitten came with me to my dad's house. Here we have a wonderful old dog, who looks almost exactly like an older version of my puppy, who gets along very well with cats (no chase instinct). So, the kitten is getting used to having a dog around, and seems to be doing fine with the older dog. Will this help with her ith the puppy at all? The puppy has already chased her a couple of times, and shows no sign of stopping chasing the poor thing.
Thank you!

[Elite]

BTW, here's a picture of my new kitten...I think we're going to name her Lupe.
http://pic15.picturetrail.com:80/VOL...4/57743971.jpg