Help! 9 Month Old Labrador

[Jaz236]

I have 2 Ragdoll Cats and a Labrador puppy who's now 9 months old. I've had the cats for a couple of years before I brought puppy home.

I thought, with them being cats, they would stand their ground with puppy and it would all be good. Unfortunately being Ragdolls they haven't done this, they just run and hide. One won't be in the same room, the other will go to the top of his cat tree. Puppy thinks they are a moving fluffy toy and goes to chase them. He's caught each of them once and he mouthed them. He grabbed them with his mouth but didn't bite. I think he was just experiencing them the same as he does the rest of the world...with his mouth. This of course only served to scare the cats even more.

Being Ragdolls they need a lot of attention and affection. With me working full time, and living on my own, it's really hard work having to allocate separate time for each animal. I have kiddy gates around the house to keep the cats separate from puppy.

Puppy does have a great nature in that he's not overly destructive, when other dogs get aggressive towards him at the dog park he always becomes submissive but still wagging his tail wanting to play. He's not too hyperactive, certainly has a lot of puppy energy but was the most laid back of a litter of 9 and am expecting he'll slow down a bit when he gets older.

I fear that I'm not being enough of an alpha leader for him. When he goes to chase a cat I certainly correct him and he'll stop. However twice I wasn't quick enough. Ideally I need puppy to know he has to leave them alone or at least be gentle around them.

Would be happy to hear about any strategies to help the members of my household get along.

Oh, if it helps. He gets walked at least once every day. He has heaps of toys whilst I'm at work. Doesn't get separation anxiety. I spend time with him in the evening and he sleeps inside, on the tiled hallway outside of my bedroom (cats get bedroom so he's just outside). I take him at least a few times a week to the local dog park. He's well socialised. I also feed him good quality food - guide dog brand growth mince and Royal Canin Labrador puppy dry food as well as marrow bones.

Thanks heaps

Jaz

Edited June 18, 2012 by Jaz236

[*kirty*]

I had to teach my cats to stand up to the dogs. Trim the cats nails first! Then I would hold the cats facing the dog as it approached and if the dog rushed, I would 'shove' the cat towards the dog. The dog always backed off and the cats soon learnt that standing their ground would deter the dog. You also need to be VERY strict with the dog and reward calm behaviour around the cats.

[Cosmolo]

Please don't do that to your cats. The stress levels of the cats must be considered in any training program.

First- have the dog on lead when around the cats- this allows you to prevent teh dog chasing the cats in the first place. Look up the "Look at That" game- if you search it via youtube you should come up with some videos. Do as many repetitions as you possibly can of the game, relating it to the cats. Ensure the cats have places within the room you are working where they can get away from the dog- a high scratching post for example. When you can't supervise and train using the above, continue to separate as you have.

In addition, start teaching the dog to either go to a bed and stay there or crate train him so that you can pay attention to your cats whilst the dog is in the same room.

It will take time- but be worthwhile.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

I have a cat that is being too soft on little Hamish. My old boy has certainly let Hamish know that cats rule this house, but my younger cat is just too nice so Hamish actually ends up lying on top of him. We're doing a bit like what Cosmolo suggested, every time Hamish looks at Poppet he gets told he's a good boy this also serves to distract him usually from going to Poppet as Hamish will most of the time come to me to get pats/cuddle/game/treat. If Hamish does end up on top of Poppet in most instances I try to have a squeaky toy or something that is going to be much more fun to play with and distract him away. So far we're seeing progress (but I'd still like Poppet to man up a little bit and set it straight that all cats rule in this house!!).

[Cavstar]

I had to teach my cats to stand up to the dogs. Trim the cats nails first! Then I would hold the cats facing the dog as it approached and if the dog rushed, I would 'shove' the cat towards the dog. The dog always backed off and the cats soon learnt that standing their ground would deter the dog. You also need to be VERY strict with the dog and reward calm behaviour around the cats.

[puglvr]

We had a bout of Giarrdia earlier this year - this is spread by birds. In our water supply. Dogs and I all had it. Treatment with the worst tasting ABs ever.

My old girl who is 13 was still having issues some time after everyone else. I put her on Protexin and she has had lovely firm stools ever since. I found the best place price wise to get this is from (www.k9direct.com.au). I was paying nearly $60 for a 250gm tub from horseland!!

[Jaz236]

Thanks for the replies.

taketwo - That would be too traumatic for the cats. I thought they'd stand their ground when he was a wee little puppy but they were too scared of him even then. Ragdolls are known for being very affectionate but also not being able to defend themselves, due to them being extremely submissive in nature. Hence why all good breeders only sell them as housebound pets. Whilst I knew this I was still hoping they'd stand up to a baby puppy, but they haven't and now that he's 9 months there's not much hope. He's had one of them cornered and put his mouth on him (puppy had hairs in his mouth but didn't hurt cat) and the cat was terrified yet still didn't try to defend himself, just cried out very loudly. I pulled puppy away after a few seconds but it did demonstrate how they seem incapable of defending themselves even when terrified.

Thank you Cosmolo. Looks like great advice. Thanks also Pretty Miss Emma. Bit of a difference in that one of my cats won't even be in the same room as puppy, and the other can be in the same room but will be at the top of his cat tree. I would love it if my problem was that they were too close.

Agree Cavstar.

Puglvr - I think you've accidentally posted in the wrong spot.

Ta everyone

[Dame Aussie]

I had to teach my cats to stand up to the dogs. Trim the cats nails first! Then I would hold the cats facing the dog as it approached and if the dog rushed, I would 'shove' the cat towards the dog. The dog always backed off and the cats soon learnt that standing their ground would deter the dog. You also need to be VERY strict with the dog and reward calm behaviour around the cats.

Yeah, not a good idea at all.....

[mish13]

Your not alone with this problem, I have to keep my 15 moth old Newfoundland away from my cat and that means the cat misses out on family time. He was raised with cats from birth until four months but when he came to me he started chasing the cat because she wouldn't fight she just ran away. Now he is 60 kilos so no match for a 4kilo cat

Good luck in solving your problem

[Jaz236]

Your not alone with this problem, I have to keep my 15 moth old Newfoundland away from my cat and that means the cat misses out on family time. He was raised with cats from birth until four months but when he came to me he started chasing the cat because she wouldn't fight she just ran away. Now he is 60 kilos so no match for a 4kilo cat

Good luck in solving your problem

Thanks for that. My last dog was a Newfy. They're even more laid-back than the Lab so I'm surprised you have the problem with him, it all comes down to personality though. Good to see it's not just me. I think Otis must have felt I was getting towards my wits-end because he's actually had two opportunities in the past week to chase one of the cats and hasn't. He's actually listened to me when I firmly told him to Leave him. So that's a difference. Also I didn't close the kiddy gate to my bedroom the other night, when I woke up I realise it' was ajar about a couple of inches. Puppy was on the tiles on his bed one side, me and the cats on my bed the other side and he didn't even come in all night. So whilst there's a road to go yet, at least it's not as overwhelming as I felt when I first posted....there's hope on the horizon! Good luck with your Newfy! Newfies are still my favourites, just didn't feel right having one in Qld (I've moved since I had Solomon, my last Newfy).

Cheers

[mish13]

I am in QLd on the Gold Coast and he copes fine, he just stays inside on the tiles when it gets hotter. There are quite a few Newfoundlands here and three breeders not far from me.

The added problem I have is our Jack Russell, he has happily lived with the cat ( a chinchilla persian) for nearly nine years. But now when the Newf looks like chasing her the Jack will go in for the kill. It happened one day when I had all the dogs in my front yard not realising the cat was in the garden. Well she took off up onto a window sill and Skipper jumped up and tried to pull her down. If I was not there I am sure they would have killed her.

So the cat has all the house except the kitchen /family room and she gets to sleep on our bed. We have put a new cat door in our garage so she can come and go via the front yard. The dogs have the run of the back yard and the only time she goes out the back is if I have the Newf away at a show. We have had the cat for ten years so want to make sure she doesn't get hurt in any way.

Its not the most ideal way to live but I don't know how to fix it thats why I will be watching your thread very closely

[RubyBlue]

I second Cosmolos advice. My cats will stand up to my 8mo lab but he recently worked out that if he bounced around enough he could make them run. I have had to go back a few steps in his training and now watch him like a hawk when ever they are around. If he shows the remotest bit of interest in them then I'll distract him. Our cats are much older and have grown up with dogs and this is now the second puppy they have dealt with. My sisters cat did not grow up with the dogs around and is much more wary of them, though he has never been chased and is now quite happy walk past them, sniff them or sit in the kitchen without any issues.

Unfortunately chasing the cats is rewarding for the dog and confirms to the cats that the dog is a threat. Every time it is allowed to happen it will escalate the problem. It is up to you to make the environment safe enough for the cats to want to risk venturing out.