Normal to feel a bit overwhelmed on day 4 of new rescue dog!? Also - cat advice please!

[TooOldForThisWhoCares]

She's 7 months and therefore I suppose in the dreaded adolescent stage. Actually very loving, house trained, will sit, give paw, food oriented so that will help with training. But. We also have 2 cats and she's a bit 'keen' around them. There are stair gates all over the house (she has now learned she can jump over some of the if she's desperate enough- not good) although the cats are staying out all day and coming in at night only. So she's not seen them much and when she has, they're running away. I logically KNEW it would be hard work, mentally as much as anything, but I'm feeling very worried about the cat situation. Although she's never lived with cats, I was told she has never 'reacted' to them, ignored when she's seen them out and about or in her fosterer neighbours house. I know it's very early days but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed already! I need to pull it together and get some perspective! Things I am doing:
Trying to work on her not pulling on lead - have harness.
Working on recall on long lead.
Asking dc to ignore over excited greeting behaviour as she's nipped once or twice on this state (tiny nibbles).
Trying to get positive association when she sees cats, so treats galore and distracting. (She didn't bark when she saw them yesterday so that's a start!)
Giving high value treats (kongs stuffed with frozen stuff in her crate as she needs to spend some time in the crate once I am back at work).

God, any other advice would be great. A lot of this is me being a worried I know!

Re: the work situation. I only work a few days a week and a dog walker will be used so she will never be in it more than a couple of hours at a time. Also planing to phase it out completely at some point. I know working owners can be massively frowned on here.

I have a large dog and we rescued a cat. I was petrified that the dog was going to eat the cat (lol) but the cat is now the boss. Only once he tried to catch the cat and now he doesn't bother it at all.

My advice would be to leave the dog try and play with the cat. If he's anything like mine he will only have wanted to play in the first place but the cat will stick up for itself and I expect the dog will learn not to bother it again x

7 months is a difficult age. And I think getting a rescue can be just as hard mentally as getting a puppy so perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed with the 'what have I done'.

Sounds like you are doing well. As for jumping stair gates you can get extra tall pet ones so that might be an option. Don't have cats so can't advise.

I would recommend looking at training classes. They are not just for puppies. In fact I went to an obedience once for well over a year and it helps to realise that everyone is battling with their own issues.

We’ve a rescue and cats. It’s all very intense, that first period! Do t worry, though, it will all settle down and sounds like you’re going about things the right way.

One cat adjusted immediately pretty much - figured out not to run and was back downstairs stalking about. We did but a mammoth cat tree though so there were high up places. The other cat took maybe 4-5 months to adjust and spent her entire time upstairs! Fine now though.

Don’t overwhelm yourself with what you need to do - focus on just a couple of things to improve like the excitement and the cats, and keep doing the other stuff gently but consistently like the crate.

the cats will put their big pussy pants on in a few days and beat the living bejesueses out of her, once they know she is staying they will take charge.
In the meantime work on a good solid sit and wait, and reward her for ignoring the cats....get her to sit by you and watch her, attract her attention with a "leave" and when she looks to you reward , keep that up for a bit and then you should find she will start looking to you without a command, and again treat her. You are treating for not looking at the cats, not sitting vibrating with joy and thinking about taking off after the cats, so it is all about watching her, and her reaction and timing as she looks to you and the "leave" command.

Thanks all. Lurker I don't think my cats would hang around long enough to find out if she wants to play! Most advice seems to be slow introduction, keeping separate at first. If I had braver cats this phase might be over quicker but they just scarper as soon as they see her and I don't fancy experimenting to see what would happen. I'm glad it worked out with your dog and cat though :)

Bitey, I will look into classes definitely. I always planned this once she was a bit more settled as I don't want to overwhelm her either. She's actually non reactive to other dogs and was very close to the old staffy she lived in foster with, so that's a huge bonus.

Nosquirrels thank you for the reassurance re: cats. I really think I will be looking at months of adjustment too. Was your rescue dog 'interested' in your cats or not fussed about them. I think I was surprised at the level of interest she showed in them when I was expecting her to ignore them (oh naive me!) Straining towards them, tail up but not wagging, ears pointed, so quite er.. dominant!?

And Yes, you're correct that I should just focus on a couple of things at once.

Cross post with MsHome. Honestly the cats won't come close enough for that scenario. But hopefully will eventually and I can do that. They are not the type to take charge over her being nervous rescues themselves. I think it will be a very long slow process.

Blue Cross have some great advice online about cats and dogs. Also dog training advice and support on FB has files.
We used a lead or longline indoors around the kids and cats to start with.
Dogs aren't dominant. Pack theory is outdated and disproven. Cats are interesting. They smell differently and don't act like dogs. The run fast and are unpredictable.

Thanks Wolfie, no I agree about the pack theory being bollocks, dominant was the wrong word to use. Just very, very interested! Yes I think it's the behaviour and smell of the cats absolutely. I am catastrophising because she's a staff cross and terrier being quite prey driven i suppose? Despite my worrying posts here, I am trying to remain calm and positive around any cat/dog interactions! I will look at the blue cross advice thank you. I'm not on FB anymore, not sure if I'll be able to access that group?

My rescue is very very very very food-focused. So if you’ve got a treat in your hand she’ll ignore a marching band of mice and cats and whatever else. She was interested sometimes in the cats when they lurked and then ran - but once they figured out she was staying, that they could go places she couldn’t, and that we would distract and control her, they were fine. They’d observe from the stairs a lot, and then sneak down when she was asleep.

It was a long time for girl cat (and we thought she’d be the one to front it out first, honestly!) but now they just compete with each other for the hanging in the kitchen under my feet food scraps award And she’s claimed the dog’s basket in the lounge, ignoring the cat tree, and making poor dog lie on the floor!

Let your cats go at their pace and don’t force it. Distract and treat fur the dog (and a house lead if necessary).

We have successfully mixed a wolfhound with two bloody naughty torties who wind her up!
Never let them chase. (Hence the lead or longline!)
Teach them that they get treats when cat arrives and they stay quiet on their bed. Then they see cat and look at you for treats.
Don't panic. It's early days.
I would look at preventing the leaping over gates. Higher gates? Stack them? Put in actual doors?
Staffs are just generally excitable and enthusiastic about life in general!

Thanks Squirrels I really need to hear positive stories at the moment. I've been thinking about a house lead anyway so will defintely get one in prep for when (if!) the cats decide to come into the house again!

Thanks Wolfie. I think I'll try raising the gates. We've spent about 150 on stair gates and can't really afford yet more. And Yes, will continue to treat whenever the cats are in sight. I think I'll get extra special smelly/delicious treats for interactions with the cats too. I do love my cats so much and want to make this as pain free for them as possible.

The early days are stressful and exhausting! Good luck.

did you say what breed/cross-breed the dog is - some dogs will never ever tolerate cats as the instinct to catch and kill is too great.
I assume the rescue cat-tested before rehoming.

She's staffy X dreary. Unknown what the cross is with. I was told she was non reactive to cats and this was backed up by her fosterer who she lived with for about 6 weeks. I didn't think staffs were particularly known for being cat haters.

apologies did not see she was a staffy mix ! in that case I am sure the cats will suss her out and keep her in order. Good luck
I do know neither of my lurchers would ever have tolerated a cat in or out of house without blind pursuit - I have no cats therefore.

My rescue staffie cross is mad about chasing cats and anything, really. Think she might be crossed with JRT (she caught 2 rats in the forest in the first few weeks but I made her let them go). The cat thing is difficult because a new neighbour moved into my cul-de-sac with FIVE cats and we already had some nearby. I really want her to learn to leave them alone and, as staffies are so clever, she understands now that she is NOT to chase them. If we walk past them on the lead and I spot them lurking nearby before she does, I say in a low voice, "No... no.... no, just walk on..." and she collects herself and tries to ignore them because she is so keen to please. She then gets a reward if she succeeds in walking quietly past one.

4 days in is very early days. I can see your urgency to get training etc done but I would just stop pause a minute and let things settle down.
I would not even attempt to be treating for cats at the moment - if possible it would be better to try to prevent any interaction between the cats and dog for a while.

Work on positive bonding with you. Don't worry about the lunging, or excitement just yet.

I know I say this a lot but it is vital for all the training you do from this point forward it is easy, it is effective and it is powerful

Just have your new dog on a lead and reward everytime you get eye contact, do not have food in your hand, or the dog will look at your hand, stand still in a quiet place and when you get the eye contact reward. DO this loads and in everywhere possible but for the first week keep this in quiet and non busy places.

When this becomes default behaviour for your dog (which it will) recall will be a piece of cake, distracting from the cats may not even be necessary,(as you will be more important) and heel work will be a breeze. Trust me I am a dog trainer

Full time dog owners are an issue but it is equally important for your dog to have time alone so as long as this is managed and a sensible time it is a bonus for the dog.

I think some people feel that no bad habits should be allowed to happen the minute the rescue dogs gets through the door. Just giving the situation time and keeping things calm can solve and prevent a lot of the issues happening. Also as your dog settles things will become easier and they will be more receptive to training.

Do enjoy your new dog

Thanks Valhalla. I think the positive bonding side of things is going well and I'm rewarding regularly for eye contact when walking. I've noticed her definitely looking at me much more when we were out whereas when we visited her at the fosterer and in the 1st couple of days her eye contact was very minimal. She's definitely looking for reward. Is it a good plan to just stick to walking her in a few locations initially that she can get used to rather than varying a lot?

Thanks for your reassuring words. I think you're telling me to chill out and stick to basics which is good advice

I would stick to the same locations for a week or so just to let her hormone levels all chill out. Dogs can stay in a state of arousal for 72 hours after being excited so it can take a while for a new rescue to be in a position to chill and learn new things.

Also reward her for looking at your at home - I love lazy training you can sit and watch the telly or have a cup of coffee and just reward her for eye contact. You will be beginning to teach her calm and settle by doing this.

So Valhalla, no words when doing look at me training, just treat each time she looks at you? We are trying to suss our good training courses nearby. Is APDT to look for?

Ok will do. I actually think her first couple of days with us were 'best behaviour' or at least 'where am I' behaviour. There's more personality emerging now. Barking at people passing the window. Not liking other dogs sniffing her butt excessively etc. I think she was too inhibited to show things initially. If that makes sense?

Please don't use a harness. They encourage dogs to put their shoulders forward and pull. Think of sled dogs.! The best thing to use is a slender choke chain. If it is put on correctly - so that it slides and doesn't stick - and is used carefully and kindly it teaches the dog to walk to heel and not pull. I also hate to see owners using big, thick collars so that the dog is pulling like mad and making hoarse noises. No fun for the dog.

Oh my! Please I don't mean to be rude but take no notice of percheron67 never ever ever use a choke chain.

Perfect fit harnesses are good for dogs, they cause no harm to their necks have two attachment points to help it be comfortable for the dog and will absolutely not encourage pulling.

On a side note never use harnesses that have a straight piece across the dogs chest as that can cause shoulder injuries especially in growing puppies