Cat and Dog Integratin

October 22, 2007 5:07 AM

We're inheriting a dog, but we have two cats.

A relative has died leaving no family but us and no one to care for his sweet, timid, small, but extremely obese, dog. We must pick him up in the next two weeks. Our house is wide open. I'm not sure we can baby-gate this place.

We have two cats. They're shelter cats and come with an array of emotional problems. They barely tolerate one another, and it took them 3 years to adjust to us. Neither my husband nor I has owned a dog since we were kids, and we know pretty much nothing about how to integrate the dog into our lives and with the cats, or what to do with a dog besides feed it and walk it. We're not doggy people.

The dog's routine is going to be utterly destroyed. He lived with one elderly person and was completely doted on - but never walked. He used a litter box. His diet consisted of table scraps. He is not going to use the cats' litter box. He'll have to learn to walk on a leash in inclement weather and all that goes with it. He'll be living in a house with two cats and a teenager.

He was a beloved pet and is absolutely not going back to a shelter.

We live in a house full of antiques and heirlooms.

Can this possibly work? Where do we start? What do we do? What do we need to know? How do we acclimate him to a leash and keep him away from the litter box? Should we try to confine the dog to one area? If so, how?

posted by clarkstonian to pets & animals (23 comments total)

Yeah, it can work. Probably. But animals are individuals, so there is no way to predict exactly what problems you'll face. He may make some of the adjustments with ease, and balk at others. Likewise the cats. But you'll muddle through.
posted by bricoleur at 5:30 AM on October 22, 2007

Bless you for taking in this little guy!

When we got our first dog (from a shelter, as a 2-yr-old who was thrown out for being hyper and not listening :P ), we had to integrate him with two older cats who had NEVER been around dogs and were cranky in their own rights. It took a while; we had to spend a lot of time teaching him that chasing THEM was not the point. In your case, I think you've already got an advantage there; that little guy doesn't sound like he has a chase gear. :) The one thing that worked best with our dog (besides the overall training that taught him what his position in the pack is) was to give him small treats whenever a cat was near and he ignored it.

Once he gets used to walking, he might find he actually likes it; it'll give him some exercise and new things to smell, and our dogs always LOVE that. You might want to look into taking him to a puppy training class; even though he's not a puppy, if he doesn't know basic commands such as sit and down, and how to walk on a leash, it might be a good place to start.

As for the "treasure hunts", you'll need to find a way to make the tootsie rolls inaccessible. In our case, we put the litter box in a bathroom with a small cat door that was too small for the dog to fit through; with him being a smaller dog, that might not be the best solution, but if you can find one that he can't fit through but they can, it might be worth a try. Alternatively, try a baby gate just around the litter box (maybe try cat furniture; you can set it up in a corner & use a baby gate or two to limit access to authorized individuals). If you set it up so that the cats can get under as well as over, but he can't, he'll just have to adore from afar.

While you're training him to go outside, you might want to crate him; you can even set up a doggie litter box in his crate if you need to.

This is definitely do-able; it just takes time, patience and a willingness to try new things when one attempt fails.
posted by tigerjade at 5:38 AM on October 22, 2007

Not quite the same situation, but three years ago we adopted a puppy even though we had an extremely territorial, loner-type cat. We confined the dog to a single room for a day or so, to keep both animals safe while they got used to each others' scents, then acclimated them to each other for brief periods of time when we could supervise. For the first few weeks, the dog was confined to a safe room while whenever we were away. There were exciting moments; the dog got his face perforated a few times, and has about a half-inch long tear in the edge of one ear where a claw pierced it and then ripped sideways.

As the cat figured out that he didn't need to fear the dog, they warmed to each other. If the dog got too close, the cat simply raised his paw like a gangster letting a rival see that he's packing, and the dog would head the other way. Eventually a full truce was established, and they lived in peace.

Fortunately I was standing at the bottom of the basement steps the very first time the dog decided to descend them, and I scolded him fairly sharply. Ever since then he has treated the basement as a no-go zone, which made it a great place to put the litter box.
posted by jon1270 at 5:55 AM on October 22, 2007

There are some complications. When the cats are disturbed, even in the slightest way (change their food, have a pet sitter for a day or two, bring in houseguests), they stop using their litter boxes. The dog is going to be major, major trauma.

We also have a feral cat that we feed and care for. She is deathly (and for good reason) afraid of all dogs. I don't want getting this dog to scare her away. We've started to make some real progress with her - she'll come to within about 4 feet of us now. She needs us. Her front left paw is nearly useless after a neighbor's dog scared her away on a bitter night last year, and she couldn't get to her heating pad - she was badly frostbitten.

The indoor cats are bigger than the dog. Both of them. They are very large cats. He's a small dog. There's no cat door they could use that he can't use.

They have their claws, and they can be vicious (they certainly were with us when we first brought them here). I think they were both aboused before we got them. The one cat had her front teeth kicked in.

We have some financial resources, and we are more patient than most with animal foibles. Over time, we could alter the house somewhat to suit. We're thinking of finishing the basement as a cat refuge. But we don't have time. For now, we have to hit the ground running.

The dog was fed liver and onions every night. I gather onions are toxic to dogs - but not to this dog. He is going to have to adjust to dog food. How do we do that?
posted by clarkstonian at 5:57 AM on October 22, 2007

"Can this possibly work?"
Not easily, obviously. But with a great deal of flexibility and ingenuity on your part, perhaps. The dog and the cats have less intelligence than you, and still, have their own view of things. Just because you demand they all get along, doesn't mean that they ever will.

I have a dog, who simply "hates" cats, probably because he has a sight hound's prey drive, a good nose, and a long history, before I got him, of happily chasing and catching cats. He "hates" them, as in barks, whines, scratches and jumps around in anticipation, if he sees one through a window. As in, will chase, fight and kill them as fast as possible, if he gets off leash, and has done so, to my horror, once since I've had him. Fortunately, I guess, it was a feral cat he caught, and no aggrieved owner lost a pet. No amount of counter-training has worked. He just "hates" cats. So it's my job to keep him on leash, and away from cats, no matter what. It would be nuts to allow visitors to my house to bring pet cats, or try to take my dog to houses where cats are house pets. I need to make other arrangements in either situation, and I do. That's what hotels and boarding kennels are for.

If keeping all the animals in the same house is an innate problem for the animals, you may not find a convenient solution for the problem. But fortunately, not all dogs hate cats, not all cats hate dogs, and the size and condition of the dog as you describe it might argue that some initial trial period may be in order, to find out. I think you have to be really aware of increased stress on all the animals, particularly the dog.

If it isn't going to work out at all, you'll know in a few days, at most. With my dog, you'd know in 30 seconds, tops, and your antiques might be the worse for trying.

"Where do we start?"

I'd suggest beginning by crate training the dog.

"What do we do?"

Get the dog checked by a vet for health problems, and current on vaccinations. Get any locally required tags, and have some means of identifying the dog attached to a quality collar, which the dog should wear 24X7, in case it gets out of your house in the early days. Get the dog on a quality feeding regimen. Feed good dog food, not table scraps. Feeding is the #1 element of establishing a stable routine, and good house manners for any pet dog.

"What do we need to know?"

This and this are good basics books on dog care and training.

"How do we acclimate him to a leash and keep him away from the litter box?"

Fixing his feeding problems is Step #1. Get him on a quality, balanced dog food, on a regular schedule. Get him a good, properly sized training collar, and get a leash with enough heft to give clear corrections. Take your time when walking him, especially early on, and teach him to heel and walk at your side, under leash control. Carry and use healthy training treats, but not too many, particularly as you describe the dog as "obese." You're going to have to get him to train more for praise than for food rewards, if you're going to take weight off him sensibly.

But give him some freedom, in every walk, to investigate the world with his nose. A dog that has been entirely an indoor dog may be unused to the world of smells and stimulation of the outdoors. As with most beings, innate curiosity is a powerful motivator for dogs, and you can use it to build anticipation of walking and of outdoor excercise, which will help enormously in maintaining good household behavior, too.

"Should we try to confine the dog to one area? If so, how?"

See my recommendation above for crate training. Trying to pen the dog up, for any length of time, with baby gates, or by shutting doors to rooms will be less successful, in most instances, and can lead to unwelcome incidents with "escapes" as well as problems with inappropriate elimination/housebreaking issues.

Good luck!
posted by paulsc at 5:58 AM on October 22, 2007

I've had friends have a lot of success with recalcitrant dogs by keeping them on leash at all times, unless they're in their crates. The more he's on the leash, the more he'll get used to it, and you'll be able to keep him away from things he shouldn't be messing with. Depending on how he does and how the cats do, you can eventually take him off leash when he's not crated.

Good luck, and kudos to you for taking him in. I hope everything works out.
posted by cooker girl at 6:14 AM on October 22, 2007

Talk to your vet. If s/he is good at dealing with your fussy cats, s/he should have some good advice, and of course should also see the dog.

Just a thought for dog-proofing the litterbox: My two big (12 and 15 lb) cats used this box happily (sometimes sticking their heads out the top) for quite a while. They also had the option of a Booda dome, and used both equally.
posted by CiaoMela at 6:19 AM on October 22, 2007

It's going to take a while for the cats and dog to get along. Maybe as long as a year, maybe longer. They will work it out, however. It will be a slow process of the cats finding cat space, and the dog getting over the gee-whiz factor of living with cats. Eventually, though they'll learn to love one another.

The litter box problem is easily solved. So easy, in fact, it cannot even be qualified as a "problem". CleverCat Litterbox. I cannot say enough good things about this product. It works. The cats will like it, and the dog will be perplexed by it and ignore it. It worked immediately in my house, no training or headaches required.

Concerning dog training, enroll in a local dog obedience class, and purchase a prong collar. (NOT a choke collar.) If you have a good teacher, you'll have a very well trained dog in six weeks. (By well-trained, I mean the dog will be able to sit, sit-stay, lie down, down-stay, shake, come, move, and away. By good teacher, I mean an old teacher; a 16-year old teaching a class at PetSmart is not an expert.) Of course, the training depends more on you than the dog; he'll learn, but you've got to practice, er, doggedly.

Also, crate train your dog. Do not keep your dog tied up all day. Crate training means a week of whining, and a lifetime of comfort. Your dog will quickly learn that his crate is his home, and his sanctuary.

Remember that dogs are companion animals, and his companion has died. Be patient and kind; he is in mourning, too.

Best of luck, and thank you for doing such a good thing.
posted by rentalkarma at 6:30 AM on October 22, 2007

There's no cat door they could use that he can't use.

Sure there is -- the kind that requires a magnet or electronic signal from a device on the cat's collar to unlock.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:00 AM on October 22, 2007

Bless you, bless you, bless you for taking on this task on behalf of the poor dog, who is no doubt scared and confused.

"The dog was fed liver and onions every night. I gather onions are toxic to dogs - but not to this dog. He is going to have to adjust to dog food. How do we do that?"

Talk to a vet about this ... changing abruptly from one diet to the other is likely to cause major stomach upset and some manner of confusion/mental trauma. You might want to make some liver and onions for the first week or so, combining it with the new dog food and gradually switching out one for the other.

You *don't* want the dog to by physically sick on top of everything else that's going on.
posted by mccxxiii at 7:02 AM on October 22, 2007

Cats can jump far higher than most dogs; especially fat dogs. Consider placing the litterbox on some kind of stable platform or table out of the reach of the dog.
posted by answergrape at 7:57 AM on October 22, 2007

I'm getting some great answers here - thank you all. And I will keep checking for several days if you think of anything else. I'd forgotten about the license - of course he'll have to have one. Our vet is for cats only - have to find another one.

Another complication (there is nothing easy about this transition) - I'm going to fly down and pick up the dog - and then drive him home. It's a 3 day's drive. He'll be riding in a car he knows, and he rides well (but not my car - I need to bring it home. He couldn't be walked, but he loved to ride). The farthest he's ever gone, though, is about 10 miles - not thousands of miles.

Any advice? Where do I stay? (straight up I-75 from Florida until very near its end). What do I do with the dog when I need to make a pit stop? Should he be crated for the entire trip? How often do I stop for him? How will I know he needs to stop? I really am a newbie at this, but I want to make an incredilby stressful situation as stree-free as I can.
posted by clarkstonian at 8:07 AM on October 22, 2007

What is your house set up? Is everything on one floor? Do you have a basement and an upstairs?

I would say first begin crate training the dog, but put the crate in a room with a door so you can keep the dog and cats separate. Initially confine the cats to a separate area--perhaps a set of rooms? Perhaps the basement?--while you introduce the dog to the home. During walks and while the dog is crated in the shut-off room let the cats explore the house to get used to the dog's scent. Do this for a while so the dog has time to get his scent built up in the area--basically give them their own separate times in the common area. Physical introductions should be controlled--maybe leave the basement door open so the cats can wander around, and then keep the dog on a leash by you and scold if it bolts after the cats.

With regards to the feral cat: Have you contacted any rescue organizations about trapping her? There are many organizations that do live traps of feral cats. They can catch her, sedate her, and give her the medical treatment she needs. You seem very warm and open-hearted and that is wonderful, but you don't have to--and shouldn't--try to save everything by yourself. It is not healthy for you or the animals to deal with that much stress of privately handling multiple so-called "problem" animals.
posted by schroedinger at 8:40 AM on October 22, 2007

A dog that knows how to use a litterbox is a godsend. You really, really don't need dog crap everywhere, and if his litterbox goes missing, that's what you'll get.

So when you collect him, collect his old litterbox too. Put it somewhere different from your cat's litterbox, and if you're lucky, all your animals will just keep using the litterboxes they're used to.

It's very unlikely that your cats will ever choose to use a litterbox that reeks of dog, but if the dog does try to use theirs, raise it.

Dogs tend to engulf and entire meal in about five seconds; cats are daintier eaters and take much longer. So your cats are unlikely to get the dog's dinner, but he may well go for theirs unless you raise their feed bowls too.
posted by flabdablet at 8:41 AM on October 22, 2007

You and your partner are wonderful people for accepting this responsibility and preparing yourselves as much as possible beforehand. I wish you luck!

I have successfully integrated a dog into a mature cat household, and while the circumstances weren't as extreme as this, it was challenging. However, the animals are all very good with each other now and the house is peaceful. It took about a year to get to this point, so it isn't a fast process, but if your expectations are realistic, that helps.

As for your impending car trip--do you have a friend who's really good with dogs? It might help to have someone along with you who is more of a "dog person" than you are, to soothe your anxieties as well as the dog's. I like dogs fine, but I'm more used to cats, and their behaviours are pretty different. It helps to get a dog person's perspective.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:42 AM on October 22, 2007

... an entire meal ...
posted by flabdablet at 8:43 AM on October 22, 2007

On another note, if you're going to make changes to the cat's environment -- raise, move or change their litter box, raise their food dishes, put either dishes or litter behind cat doors, etc -- do that now. Let them have a few days to get used to it before adding the freak out of the new dog.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:47 AM on October 22, 2007

for your travels, check pets welcome for accomodations. motel 6s usually take dogs. you might stop every 2-3 hours as you drive to stretch your legs and let the pup out. though he likely won't need to stop that often, it will be easier than worrying about how to read his communications to you while you drive. if he tolerates the crate well, keeping him in it while you drive will be safer for both of you. you can also get a car harness for him. good luck!
posted by judith at 9:20 AM on October 22, 2007

Unsurprisingly, I'm going to disagree that the right way to start this dog off is with the Monks of New Skete (even the new, revised Monks) and a choke chain. I suggest you find a good positive/motivational training class (ideally clicker-based) and get into classes with the dog, this will not only improve your training skills and help you and the dog bond, it will also give you a set period of time each week where the dog has your undivided attention and is out of the house. There's nothing wrong with suitable treats, even for an obese dog (things like Charley Bears only have a couple of calories each, as do Cheerios), as long as you take those extra calories into account in the dog's regular food (and also no reason not to use the regular food as a training treat, no reason to waste perfectly useful rewards by just leaving them in a bowl). Here is a great training DVD, here is a great book, and here is another.

If there is any way to baby gate a room so that the cats can get in (either a gate low enough for the cats to jump, but not the dog, or a gate high enough for the cats to get under, but not the dog), you should. The cats need a dog-free area they can retreat to. Add some extra litter boxes (and as jacquilynne says, make these changes now, not after the dog arrives), too.

Thank you for taking this dog in.
posted by biscotti at 9:41 AM on October 22, 2007

So many good answers. As for taking care of "all of the problem animals" - I was a wildlife rehabber - and I grew up with a menagerie - and I have room (big house - acre of land) - and enough money, time, and a willing spouse to do it. If not me, then who? I'm not being good or noble. These are simply my ethics, and I try to live by them.

No one could livetrap this feral cat - and if they tried, she'd bolt, and I doubt she'd survive another winter on her own. I've seen botched attempts and the outcome wasn't pretty. I'm hoping there comes a day when she lets me get her vaccinated, but she's not just any feral cat, now - she's OUR feral cat.

I'm not in danger of becoming an animal hoarder. This little dog is my last obligation. Four animals is my limit.

The house has an upstairs and a basement - 3 levels. The cats will be able to run and hide, although where to put the litter boxes is an issue.. For now, though, the basement isn't practical. We're hoping to finish it soon and make it a refuge for either the cats or the dog. That won't happen in two weeks. You really can't close off any room - except our bedroom. I'll try to baby gate that. The cats are both about 8 & not as good jumpers as they once were, but I'll try to take that into consideration. I'll look into electronic flaps. I wasn't aware of them.

The goal is not to displace the cats, and they live where we live - mostly the family room and the bedroom. Crating the dog in a large crate would be acceptable - if that doesn't cause more emotional damage to him. They could all do a meet and greet there. I think we'll try that.

I don't think there's anyone who can go with me on this trip. The timing is bad for all concerned, but it's easiest on me. I can manage one dog. I just want to do it an a way that does him as little harm as possible. I can stop every couple of hours. I can get a harness or a car-sized crate. It's a good opportunity for us to bond.

We do have good neighbors with very well-behaved dogs. I can ask them who trained them or how they were trained.
posted by clarkstonian at 9:54 AM on October 22, 2007

Coming back to add: When I suggested keeping him on leash at all times for a while, I hope it's understood that he'd be on leash with you holding the other end. Not tied up somewhere, but in constant interaction with you (or your spouse).

Carry on.
posted by cooker girl at 10:50 AM on October 22, 2007

If you have a large house, you might have an extra bathroom. If you do, putting the cat litterbox in an unused bathtub is an easy way to allow the cats access while keeping the dog out. (Just make sure the bathroom door is wedged open so they aren't accidentally closed away from their toilet.)

The major difference between cats and dogs is that dogs are much more pack oriented, and therefore much less independent. He is probably even less independent than most dogs because of his upbringing. So try to leave him alone as little as possible until he feels secure in his new pack. He has probably been terrified ever since his keeper died. It's breaking my heart just thinking of it.

Good luck to you and your new charge. :)
posted by happyturtle at 11:52 AM on October 22, 2007

I just realized I wrote Integratin - this must be a cheesy question, but I do appreciate the answers. We've lost a much loved member of our family in acquiring this little dog - rough day.
posted by clarkstonian at 12:46 PM on October 22, 2007