cat hating dog....

[batteryhen]

I am really looking for some advice as I am now desperate! My lovely cat is about 13 years old (was a stray when we got her 12 years ago), she is very affectionate and I love her dearly. Just before Christmas we got an 8 week old cocker spaniel pup. The cat hated the dog on sight and made his life a misery. She actually used to chase him around the room hissing and spitting :(

We have persevered - sat on the floor with both whilst feeding treats, swapped blankets so they both sleep on each others, have also got a feliway plug in. All this to no avail - the dog is now a bouncy 7 month old pup who desperately wants to be her friend, but she can't stand him and still really wants to take his face off. Earlier on she chased him up the garden because he dared to look at her.

Has anyone got any advice how we can make life a bit easier? I am constantly up and down - letting dog in, cat out, cat in, dog out, making sure cat is not attacking dog, etc etc. I am 6 months pregnant too so am just a bit fed up. It doesn't help that dp works away from home during the week so sometimes takes the dogwith him which is lovely but when he comes back again - it's back to square one!

Rehoming either is not an option - I am not about to crumble at the first hurdle!!

If you have got this far -thank you, I suppose it is just really getting me down :(

Well, looking at it logically, the dog can be trained.

The cat cant.

So you need to do impulse control? is that what its called when you train them to not do what they want to? like putting treats in front of them but they cant eat it till they get the nod from the owner?

So train the dog because the cat might always hate him. Plus spaniels are working dogs and have lots of energy. maybe do some gun dog training, they are very disciplined. He's probably dying to retrieve something from water.

He is really active - I have enrolled him in agility classes, and dp is taking him gun dog training but they can't start until 9 months. I just feel sorry for my cat - she loves cuddles but is not getting as many as she won't come near me when the dog is here.

The dog is not allowed upstairs so she does have some sanctuary from him. I think you are right though - concentrate on the dog and his training.

Thank you for your reply xxx

Hi, no advice I'm afraid but lots of sympathy. I had to let my much-longed for and very much wanted dog go last year after just 6 weeks of utter, bloody hell with a cat v dog scenario. Dog was the most placid, laid back animal that ever existed but cat turned into vile, bullying, spitting hairball. I tried feeding them separately, feeding them together, fussing both of them together and separately but in the end I just couldn't risk leaving them alone together for fear of coming home to a dead cat and a blind dog.
However, I really think I made the wrong decision and I do wish I'd stuck with it. So sorry, no constructive advice, but I know exactly how trying it is.

Thank you :) It is trying, but letting the cat go would never be an option and I love our pup so much I couldn't part with him either. He is generally a good boy but just wants to be near her which she won't tolerate. The more I type - the more I see the answer lies with training the dog more and more.

Poor you having to make that decision :(