How to safely introduce a new, unsocialized dog to my cats at home?

I would recommend separating the cats in another area of the house when Sam comes home. Over time, you can bring out one cat at a time to see how they interact. Make sure that the cats always have a safe space away from Sam to be safe.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would allow the cats to safely sniff and see the puppy through a baby gate for 2 weeks. Then when you let them interact the puppy should be on a leash 100% of the time so you can control him. The cats should have a safe place (cat tree, a room with a cat door only then can fit through) to be able to escape from the puppy. If the puppy shows any form of aggression towards the cats he should never be allowed to be alone with the cats and off a leash in the house. That means he is crated when you are not home. Hopefully since Moose is young the will be easy to teach and the cats will put him in his place! Good luck!

The key is with slow introductions. Adding in barriers or baby gates that your cat can get over but your dog can't can also make it easier for your cat to get away if they need. It is also a good idea to make sure your cat has access to their own access to food, water, litterboxes, and bedding/hiding places without your dog being able to harass them. Adding in a pheromone diffuser such as Comfort Zone in shared spaces can also help with stress. You also only want to let them interact when you are home to supervise as even the best behaved dog can still accidentally injure a smaller cat. Otherwise, giving them time to observe and interact, and separating them if they become too stressed can help during the adjustment period.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! First of all, thanks for what you are doing, that is very nice of you. I think it would be best if they are introduced slowly to the puppy meaning for short amounts of time to be increased daily until they are getting along well consistently. They should be supervised at the beginning when interacting with your cats or puppy. I think it would be a good idea to have toys and beds for both to make them feel more at home. Good luck!

Great question! Introducing them should be done slowly. When you first bring Mousewhisker (I love his name!) home, I would keep them in rooms separated by a door. This way, they can get used to the smells and sounds of each other without contact. Make sure your cat has a litter box, food, and water in their room. You can also place a blanket with the dogs's smell in the cat's room, and a blanket with the cat's smell in the dogs's room. I would also consider get a Feliway for your cat and a DAP for your dogs. These are pheromone diffusers that help with anxiety and should also help ease the transition. Once all the pets seem relaxed with the current situation, swap rooms placing the cat in the dogs's room and vice versa. You can do this switch several times over the course of the introductions. Once they are all comfortable with the smells of each other, it's time for them to meet face to face. I would introduce the dogs on a leash to the cat while he is in a cat carrier or on the other side of a baby gate. Reward the puppy for being calm and quiet near the cat. Once they seem comfortable with each other, the baby gate can be taken away. Make sure your cat has a cat tree where he can escape from the dogs as needed, and don't allow the dogs to chase the cat. I hope this helps!

I would keep the frenchie in the home and keep them on leashes when they first meet so you have more control over the situation. let them sniff each other through a door way, then let them see one another and take it step by step based on their reactions. If the environment is new to her, then she is unlikely to be territorial at the start until she gets comfortable. But if she is dog aggressive in general then she will have problems with the frenchie and you will have to keep them separate

It is absolutely possible for you to introduce a new dog into your home with Cassie. Here are some tips on how to make the transition: 1) Introductions should always be done at home. 2) Start by keeping them in separate rooms and then, over a few days alternate their rooms so that each has a chance to explore the other's smell. 3) Then place a blanket or other item from the dog with cat and vice versa. 4) Once the dog is calm, you can allow both animals to be in the same room at the same time, but keep the dog securely leashed. 5) Once both the dog and cat seem happy and relaxed around each other, you can allow them free (but supervised) access to each other. 6) Eventually you should be able to work up to unsupervised access.