Advice! Introducing dog to resident cats

[Missonhartbaby]

So we have adopted a 18 month old staffy about a month ago. We kept the cats separate by using a baby gate on the stairs and they stay up there. We've been trying to introduce them slowly by bringing one down in a crate and letting our dog get near it whilst on a lead but she just goes absolutely mental, wants to attack them, barks constantly in a terrified kind of way and we just don't know what to do! The cats are obviously scared of her when she starts being aggressive and going for them so they hiss then which makes her way worse. I can't keep them apart forever and I have a baby due in October!!! Please help!!!

Also they are all aware of the other in the house, she knows they're upstairs and knows their smells etc as do the cats. And she's fine unless she sees them at the top of the stairs and then all hell breaks loose again!

Sorry, but I think you know already that people are going to say the dog has to go.

How are you going to manage a dog like that when you have a new baby? Aside from that you are being horribly unfair to the cats, they are scared stiff of the dog and you're being unfair to the dog as well.

I introduced my Dog to my two house cats. Some will say my method was wrong but it worked. I just let them have an open house and sort it out amongst themselves. One night all hell broke loose, cats had the dog pinned in a corner. Swiping, biting and generally being vicious little sods but since then they have lived happily. The cats set the boundaries and the dog knows not to cross them.

I guess chucking them all in the same room depends on the dogs temperament. Ours already knew cats were evil so wasn't going to start a fight

In all fairness she is a fantastic dog and not aggressive at all untill the cats are around... Which happens rarely now cos they just keep themselves to themselves upstairs. But we just can't get them to be in the same room at all. She's so scared of them and I think she sees them as intruders and just wants them gone! The cats have the whole upstairs to themselves and go outside easily from there, in general I don't think they're stressed out about it untill I attempt to bring them into the same room... It's a tricky situation. If any animal had to go, it would be the dog. But we chose to get her so I think she deserves us giving her more of a chance.
@dizzybacon did your dog bark or chase your cats at all? I'm tempted to just let them work it out amongst themselves, there's plenty of high places the cats could get to I'm just wary of how the dog would react in terms of constant barking etc

Mission, no barking or chasing but to be honest she isn't that way inclined. She won't even raise her head to my chickens. It took about six months for the cats and dog to happily be in the same room and even now some days the cats will still hide.

If your dog isn't aggressive and you can trust her not to attack the cats, cats are more than capable of looking after themselves (but don't allow them to take the piss, you can be firm with them. They do understand NO) I would be inclinded to let them sort it out themselves keeping an eye from a close distance.

Please DON'T let them loose and allow them to sort it out themselves. Look at the Blue Cross website. Has this dog ever lived with cats? Not all dogs can.