Hi! I've been reading the forum since we got our 17 week old chocolate lab 5 weeks ago. I was hoping by now things would be going a little more smoothly between my three cats (all have lived with a dog their whole life) and our lab pup. He's done well, but when he is in an excitable mood and a cat dares to walk by, he will playfully chase and play bow to them. They of course do not like this. He knows "leave it" and "look at me" which is what I do with him when this happens and if I can, right before it happens. Can anyone share their experience? Is this something he will likely grow out of? The pup and cats are all definitely still getting used to each other and the cats avoid him and being in the same room as him much of the time. I hope it all works itself out eventually!
Hi there! I have only ever had a one animal house so I am perhaps not the best person to answer you but I'll give it a shot. It would be good if you are able to separate your pup and the cats if you are not there to supervise them. You wouldn't want either getting hurt. Do you have a crate or a way to isolate the cats from him (separate room or something)?
We do have a baby gate so the cats have free roam of bedrooms/hall and the puppy of the living room/kitchen area. Typically if we aren't in the room with our pup he's in his x-pen or crate. But sometimes a cat sneaks in without us seeing. Most of the time he won't bother them, but if he's in a mood he will try to play/play chase.
I think the thing to do is make leaving the cats alone and coming away more exciting and interesting than trying to play with them. Bit of a long story but I have a similar situation with Cassie, 15 month black lab and Maisie, 7 year old cat who had had dog free house for 5 years. Not at all pleased about a puppy arriving. Told myself all would be well, after all I've lived in a house with cats and dogs most of my life. Ha! not with these two! So briefly, the cat would often launch herself at puppy, even when the latter not doing anything wrong. Annoying. Because now puppy is full grown and is intent on playing with the cat who does not want too. I have been teaching Cassie the "hand touch" and also use it as part of recall. Now it's what I do if the cat appears and Cassie gets excited. It appears to be working. I think you can also use "Look at That". I hope that helps a bit.
I've had cats and labs together for the last 20 years, no problems, slept together, even played together - until my latest boy. He's now 2 and still won't leave the cats alone, tries to chase them, gets in their faces if they're asleep somewhere and just generally pesters them. The cats have learnt to keep out of his way but I am really disappointed as I have never had this problem before, I keep hoping it will resolve itself in time, I do all sorts of hand feeding the dog and one of the cats (the braver one) together, but every day we have the same problems . I'm assuming it must be just the general over-exuberance of Ripple, but I can only hope that eventually I can resolve things.
Our first Lab raised 2 kittens and they always got along great. When we got our second Lab, Tilly one of the cats was still around and they got along just fine. Tilly would sometime chase the cat in play, and the cat would sometimes hide and pounce on Tilly. Years ago I got a Malamute, when we already had two grown Siamese cats. They did not like each other much and did not play, but the cats just stayed out of Sundance's way, and he never hurt them. He did go after other cats that came into his territory outside, but he left ours alone.
