Ask the Trainer: Puppies meeting cats

This week's reader's question: "We are getting a new puppy and we hope from her lineage that she should be mild-mannered and good with people, other animals and kids, which is a priority for us. However, we already have two (male) cats that are around six-to-seven years old. What is the best technique for introducing puppies to cats?"

The initial introduction is best left until the end of the day when your puppy is tired from all the other new experiences they have had. Let your cat approach the puppy, rather than picking the two up and forcing a meeting neither of them is ready for. To ensure you have more control of the situation, you may like to have your puppy on a leash for the initial meeting.

If your cat decides to move away or even run from the puppy, you can guide your puppy to you gently with the leash, as you call their name and divert their attention away from the cat. Don't forget to give your puppy a treat for coming to you.

The key to this introduction is for it to be as relaxed and "normal" as possible. I find it is best not to interfere with this process, other than to distract the puppy with a toy or food if the cat becomes overwhelmed by the puppy's lavish attention. This becomes the first step in introducing the "leave it" command, which will be valuable in many areas of the puppy's life. Expect sniffing, play-barking and an attempted chase.

Your cat's reaction also plays a part in the relationship between cat and dog. Cats usually fall into two categories - strikers and runners. Strikers stand their ground and let the puppy know exactly what their limits are with a quick paw strike, which is usually enough for your puppy to be taken aback and come and seek comfort from you.

You cannot train fear, so if your puppy got a fright, reassure them. The lesson has been given by the cat and the puppy will in time learn how to interact with this housemate. The cat may be the "forever give me a wide berth" type or the "I will play with you but on my terms" sort. If your cat is a runner, your dog will generally have an uncontrollable urge to see this as a time to chase.

Having control through the leash will prevent this and teach your puppy that coming to you to play is a far better choice than tormenting the innocent cat.

Spend time teaching your puppy a structured "leave it" and providing them with alternative activities and they will soon accept the cat's presence and know how to be relaxed when it is in the same space.

Paw point of the week

Cats and dogs have relationships and bonds as varied as those we have with our friends and families. No relationship can be forced into what we think it should be. We should aim to create a stress-free environment all our animals can enjoy.

Contact me for the chance to have your question selected for publication at nadines@dogguru.co.nz or for further information on Dog Guru, visit www.dogguru.co.nz