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by Jennifer Nitrio

As an animal lover I have always owned cats and dogs... just never at the same time. When I become involved in cat rescue I acquired a plethora of pet kitties and the thought of bringing a dog into the mix was absolutely absurd! Then Damian happened.

When we brought Damian home at 12 weeks old, he was already 40 pounds. I was completely inexperienced when it came to introducing a large puppy to its new feline friends, but figured that I would just go for it. Somehow, my methods all worked, and after consulting with a professional dog trainer several weeks later, it turns out that I did everything right.

My first approach was to place Damian in the kitchen with a baby gate that he could not get over. After I was sure that Damian had saturated the area with his scent, I put him in the backyard and let the cats into the kitchen. Tails twitched, ears perked up, and noses hit the floor. I went through this routine for about a week, not letting Damian and the cats actually see each other.

After a week, the cats were bored with the procedure, and I decided that Damian was comfortable in his new surroundings. It was time for everyone to at least see each other. I blocked Damian in the kitchen and let the cats into the dining area joining the kitchen. Everyone looked a bit surprised, but no one really acted shocked. One of the cats actually went right over to the gate to get a better look. Damian just sat there and wagged his tail. I continued this routine for another week and then took the big plunge... allowing Damian to come out from behind the gate.

Things may have gone better if Damian was farther along in his progress with the command “leave it.” Although he did not harm the cats, he was excited by any sudden move they made. He thought that they were inviting him to play in a game of chase. Upon conferring with my trainer, I should have held off for one more week, when Damian was a little more trained. Hindsight is always 20-20. Despite my exuberance to get everyone interacting, things went well and the cats were not afraid to put Damian in his place if needed. When tensions were high, I would immediately isolate Damian so the cats knew that they were safe.

DAMIAN AND ONE OF HIS NUMEROUS FELINE FRIENDS

My trainer said that the one thing I did that no one ever considers an important part of introducing new pets, is simply remaining calm through the process and ignoring the animals as they decided how to go about getting to know each other. Although I kept a watchful eye on things, I didn't react to the few hisses, swats, or playful barks that occurred. The more the owner reacts to their animals reactions, the worse it is for all involved. You send the animals into high alert that something isn't right, even though they are working through the process as nature has instilled in them to do. Animals prefer to get to know each other through scent association, so allowing them to smell each other without seeing each other is always the best first step.

Damian is now 18 months old, 140 pounds, and extremely devoted to his kitty clan. The cats love him in return, and are always excited to cuddle and kiss him. Although the “fly by the seat of our pants” approach worked for me, I would advise that before introducing a new dog to your cats, you get some individual training for your pooch from a professional dog trainer. A well behaved dog who understands the command “leave it” will be much easier to introduce to your cat than one who is not.

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