Introducing a dog to cat household?

[Shan]

I have 3 cats already and am considering getting a labrador puppy. will it be better to introduce a puppy or adult dog to our cat household?

Also, I'm at college from 9-3pm and parents don't get home till 5pm so will the puppy or dog be alone too long? i can walk it for an hour in the mornings and come home for an hour on lunch break, will that be enough?

 

[~*Hannah*~]

introduce the lab when its a puppy cuz cats dont like big dogs trust me i have 4 cats and when i brought my friends dog into my house they got all scared and started hissing.

 

[jessnluna]

if your cats have never been around a dog and they are full grown then that is much harder to deal with. they will be frightened etc. you can train a dog whether it be puppy or adult but once cats are set in their ways they are pretty solid. integrate the dog slowly. take towels/blankets rub them on the cats and have the puppy sleep on these and vice versa. you want their smell to be a normal scent by the time they meet. always use a leash until you have trained behavoir from both sides. also the dog cannot be alone with the cats until you know for a FACT both animals will be safe. a dog can kill a cat thinking they are playing. and cats' claws can tear open a dogs nose,ears and eyes. i suggest crating the puppy but only for 4-5 hours max. start slowly. crating for 10 min then 30 mins and numerous times a day so he is not afraid of the crate and grows accustomed to it. do some research!! buy and read a book. or watch "its me or the dog" on animal planet and the dog whisperer. taking on a puppy is a huge task! please be prepared for proper training. do your research and ask your vet any tips and advice! good luck

 

[Bill]

I actually have a Siberian Husky that I introduced to my cats and they are just fine together as for a Lab I have a year and a half old male who loves cats and so does the Husky. Anyone who says that Huskies don't live well with cats knows nothing on the matter. I am proof that they can do well. As far as a Lab goes they are great with any animal.

Your hours seem to be ok I worked 10 hour shifts with my Lab and as long as I was able to break it up and let him out in the middle of it he did great.

 

[dani]

For a puppy, the time might be pushing it. But, for an already potty trained dog, you won't even have to walk it at lunch time. I would say an adult would be better anyway introducing to your cats. Adults are much calmer and won't jump and pounce on them to much. Hope I could help, good luck. Adopt a dog at your local shelter!

 

[Aussies are my ♥ Dogs]

I would personally think that a pup would adjust better, unless the adult dog is known to leave cats alone. Are your CATS dog friendly?

As for the hours, the dog will be fine.

 

[Tom]

Adding a cat to a dog household is often simpler than adding a dog to a cat household. Why? Because dogs are pack animals whereas cats are usually quite possessive of their spaces. Cats often have a dominant, superior attitude in relation to their environment. Thus, introducing a messy, rambunctious and noisy dog into their domain can be a tricky process. However, with patience, time and training, integrating such a household is possible!