Puppy and the cat!

iPappy

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Oh, he absolutely is...but he's big, and clumsy. Your pup is small so it shouldn't be too bad to deal with. I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as well and the cats actually hassle him. I think, they think he's a cat. Eli has a chasing instinct, so if he wants to play, he will chase. If he chases the cats, I have to say "leave it" and he will immediately stop. They are all pretty good at respecting each others space though. Ash (Lulu's brother) just had surgery and Eli has been really good.
Oh I love CKCS!!! They are such a sweet breed!!
Lila will occasionally bait Livie (and, did with Tag, too) into chasing. She'll approach, stare, hunker down with that silly dilated eye stare, toss her head around and then take off. That, I allow, because everyone is having fun (especially me :lol: )
 

iPappy

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Thanks a lot. I will keep you posted. My pup understands tons of commands but I never taught 'leave it'. I need to get on that. I just want my sweet cat to be able to move around anywhere she wants to go without a pup on top of her, and I just want my sweet pup to respect her space. I'll keep working on it. Thank you.
What helped me with Livie when she was a baby was keeping treats in my pockets at all times. Once she understood what "come" was, I'd cold-call her at random times. If she was across the room chewing on a bone, I'd call her and she got treats every single time. Not only does this serve as a really good recall for every day life, it's a great way to condition them to automatically run to you and can be really useful if they start pestering someone and need to be redirected into something that can be rewarded.
Look up Kikopup on youtube. She has some awesome videos on training baby puppies (all with rewards, no punishments). I really followed her when my RIP dog Tag was a puppy, and he was working in a group class OFF LEASH at 5 1/2 months old!
 

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Oh I love CKCS!!! They are such a sweet breed!!
Lila will occasionally bait Livie (and, did with Tag, too) into chasing. She'll approach, stare, hunker down with that silly dilated eye stare, toss her head around and then take off. That, I allow, because everyone is having fun (especially me :lol: )
They all have their cute little things that they do. Characters, all of them. This is my little Stanley.

2018.jpg
 
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SuzanneMarie

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What helped me with Livie when she was a baby was keeping treats in my pockets at all times. Once she understood what "come" was, I'd cold-call her at random times. If she was across the room chewing on a bone, I'd call her and she got treats every single time. Not only does this serve as a really good recall for every day life, it's a great way to condition them to automatically run to you and can be really useful if they start pestering someone and need to be redirected into something that can be rewarded.
Look up Kikopup on youtube. She has some awesome videos on training baby puppies (all with rewards, no punishments). I really followed her when my RIP dog Tag was a puppy, and he was working in a group class OFF LEASH at 5 1/2 months old!
What helped me with Livie when she was a baby was keeping treats in my pockets at all times. Once she understood what "come" was, I'd cold-call her at random times. If she was across the room chewing on a bone, I'd call her and she got treats every single time. Not only does this serve as a really good recall for every day life, it's a great way to condition them to automatically run to you and can be really useful if they start pestering someone and need to be redirected into something that can be rewarded.
Look up Kikopup on youtube. She has some awesome videos on training baby puppies (all with rewards, no punishments). I really followed her when my RIP dog Tag was a puppy, and he was working in a group class OFF LEASH at 5 1/2 months old!
Things have been going well. I keep the pup on a short leash that I can grab if need be, but he listens well to me and comes when called. The cat is walking around with no interference from the pup and I supervise. One thing I have learned, is the cat is not afraid in the least of the pup. LOL. They seem to like each other - well, the pup loves the cat - but I just want it to be peaceful so I keep a close watch. So far, so good. The pup seems to be keeping his distance.
 
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SuzanneMarie

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This is fantastic news, good on you!!
Hi there,

Okay, the cat is really confusing me. I've been working on my puppy to leave the cat alone. I've had great success in many ways. They used to kind of hang out together until the pup (who is only 12 pounds - so not a big dog) got bigger than the cat. The puppy loves to run over to the cat and play but the cat is 14 years old and doesn't like the bigger version of the dog. So I taught the pup to 'leave it' (meaning the cat) but now the cat seems to be everywhere. It's confusing me. It's like the cat is taunting the puppy by always being in the pup's orbit. The cat likes to sit in the pup's crate, drink his water, (even though the cat has her own water in a place the dog can't get to) and will sit near the pup when she doesn't have to. Or - is the cat missing their interaction??? Did I interfere too much? Not only am I confused but I'm exhausted trying to keep the two of them apart. I'm wiped right out. Any thoughts?
 
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SuzanneMarie

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I'm wondering if this might be the case :) Can you test the theory a little bit?
Good idea. I've never had a cat before and this cat (14 years old) has only lived with me a little over a year. She lived with my other Havanese dog for 6 months until my other dog passed away - he was old and sick. They never fought or played - just existed together in peace. So I did a long introduction with the cat and pup, supervising them, slowly letting them near each other and for a long while, I thought things were fantastic. Then the pup got bigger than the cat and the cat seemed irritated by him - hissing, meowing - so I put the brakes on the pup. Now the cat has a million safe places - she has one whole room to herself blocked off - she has her food, water, kitty litter there, plus a 6 foot climber. But she's really in the pup's space lately. I'll supervise, but will give them more freedom to interact and see how that goes. All I know is that I'm so tired of jumping up and down and trying to figure the cat out. The pup is in obedience class and will come to me if I call him over. Sometimes I think the cat is being way overly dramatic by crying out when the pup hasn't even touched her yet. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks.
 
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SuzanneMarie

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Thanks!!!
Well, I admit defeat. I have tried everything for 6 months and the cat/dog situation is horrible. I am completely exhausted to the point I believe I will have to rehome one of them. At the beginning I introduced them slowly - over weeks - and then they seemed to be getting along. But the dog is bigger now than the cat - The cat is 10 1/2 pounds and the dog is 12 pounds - and the dog likes to jump on top of the cat - thinking he's playing. The cat meows and hisses but the dog doesn't 'get' it. I have kept the dog leashed now for almost a month and taught him 'leave it' etc but then the cat - knowing I'm hanging onto the dog - seemed to flaunt herself - always walking by him - basically in his face all the time. I have no peace whatsoever. I go to obedience class with the dog and he's a great pup, but the two of them don't seem to work together. The dog loves the cat and wants to play. The cat has a million 'safe' places but lately is always in the dog's face. And I'm thoroughly exhausted. Any thoughts?
 

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It's a generation gap thing too. Old animals and young animals. Boundaries and such. I think that they like to interact but at the same time, they give their warnings that enough is enough. I don't think your cat is being dramatic. She's probably just warning the puppy. He being a baby, still just wants to play. I believe that given time, they will learn how to respect each other's space. They do tend to learn each other's limits. Please don't give up! :heartshape:
 

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So, is the puppy trained enough that it can be called off if things get too crazy? Can you let them just be together?
 

iPappy

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Well, I admit defeat. I have tried everything for 6 months and the cat/dog situation is horrible. I am completely exhausted to the point I believe I will have to rehome one of them. At the beginning I introduced them slowly - over weeks - and then they seemed to be getting along. But the dog is bigger now than the cat - The cat is 10 1/2 pounds and the dog is 12 pounds - and the dog likes to jump on top of the cat - thinking he's playing. The cat meows and hisses but the dog doesn't 'get' it. I have kept the dog leashed now for almost a month and taught him 'leave it' etc but then the cat - knowing I'm hanging onto the dog - seemed to flaunt herself - always walking by him - basically in his face all the time. I have no peace whatsoever. I go to obedience class with the dog and he's a great pup, but the two of them don't seem to work together. The dog loves the cat and wants to play. The cat has a million 'safe' places but lately is always in the dog's face. And I'm thoroughly exhausted. Any thoughts?
Since this isn't a large breed or high prey drive dog targeting your cat in an aggressive manner and the cat isn't spending her life crammed behind furniture in terror, I wouldn't jump to rehoming just yet. When the pup jumps at the cat and she meows and hisses, does the cat immediately get up and flaunt around when you call the puppy off?
A part of me thinks it sounds like this whole thing is a big game to the cat. If she were that scared, she wouldn't flaunt at all, she'd get the heck out of the room to one of her safe spaces ASAP once the dog was contained.
Have you ever seen the cat actually discipline this puppy with a swat?
 

OopsyDaisy

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Since this isn't a large breed or high prey drive dog targeting your cat in an aggressive manner and the cat isn't spending her life crammed behind furniture in terror, I wouldn't jump to rehoming just yet. When the pup jumps at the cat and she meows and hisses, does the cat immediately get up and flaunt around when you call the puppy off?
A part of me thinks it sounds like this whole thing is a big game to the cat. If she were that scared, she wouldn't flaunt at all, she'd get the heck out of the room to one of her safe spaces ASAP once the dog was contained.
Have you ever seen the cat actually discipline this puppy with a swat?
I was going to say that too. A swat usually does it. Unfortunately, sometimes that's what it takes.
 
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SuzanneMarie

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It's a generation gap thing too. Old animals and young animals. Boundaries and such. I think that they like to interact but at the same time, they give their warnings that enough is enough. I don't think your cat is being dramatic. She's probably just warning the puppy. He being a baby, still just wants to play. I believe that given time, they will learn how to respect each other's space. They do tend to learn each other's limits. Please don't give up! :heartshape:
Thanks. I guess I'm just exhausted from all of this. It's been 6 months. They seemed to get along until the pup got bigger and jumps on her. But I think intervening and keeping the pup on a leash only made the cat strut her stuff more. The cat is now always in the pup's face. Sigh.
 
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SuzanneMarie

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So, is the puppy trained enough that it can be called off if things get too crazy? Can you let them just be together?
The pup is 8 months now and is just finishing his third obedience class. He does come if I call him but calling him away from the cat is new to him. My pup loves the cat so much. But the pup is getting better at coming when I call him away from the cat.
 
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SuzanneMarie

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Since this isn't a large breed or high prey drive dog targeting your cat in an aggressive manner and the cat isn't spending her life crammed behind furniture in terror, I wouldn't jump to rehoming just yet. When the pup jumps at the cat and she meows and hisses, does the cat immediately get up and flaunt around when you call the puppy off?
A part of me thinks it sounds like this whole thing is a big game to the cat. If she were that scared, she wouldn't flaunt at all, she'd get the heck out of the room to one of her safe spaces ASAP once the dog was contained.
Have you ever seen the cat actually discipline this puppy with a swat?
Yes, the cat has disciplined the pup with a swat, for sure. And the cat is not afraid of the pup one bit. The cat has a whole room to herself with kitty litter, water, and food - and the pup can't get there. But the cat will drink out of the dog's water bowl, not her own. Sigh. It does sound like a game to the cat. The cat is 14 years old but I have only had her for a little over a year. Her owner passed away and his family was going to put her down so I took her. Individually the cat is adorable - sweet, affectionate, loving. And my new pup is adorable - sweet, happy, loveable.
 

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It honestly sounds like there's hope here, --granted I'm not there to see the interaction, but maybe try letting them be together for short periods.
 

OopsyDaisy

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Thanks. I guess I'm just exhausted from all of this. It's been 6 months. They seemed to get along until the pup got bigger and jumps on her. But I think intervening and keeping the pup on a leash only made the cat strut her stuff more. The cat is now always in the pup's face. Sigh.
You're doing great. I know it can be exhausting. The goal is to have a safe and peaceful household. Can you try positive rewards for the puppy when you call him away from the cat...or have you already tried that? If they are just left alone to do their thing, can you watch and reward him if he leaves her alone? What are they like when left alone together? It doesn't seem like they are aggressive with each other. What about kitty, does she like treats?
 
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