Hello fellow animal lovers!!

We are bringing home our neufi puppy this weekend...we are all very excited I have been thinking for awhile what would be the best way to introduce our new family member to our 2 male Cats(both 7 year old). I am hoping someone has gone through this process already and could give us some advise that would make this transition easier.

Can someone out there give us some tips??

Thanks in advance!!!

I have! I brought my puppy home when he was 3 months old. The same day that the cat gave birth to 3 kittens. Needless to say she wasnt very happy about it. Daddy cat was also very protective. We had some fights in the first days but nothing major. Basically, puppy was going near the kittens, mummy or daddy attacking him and that was it. We just left them there. Of course after some time they became best friends and i dont mind leaving them together as i know they will keep each other company and they will be quiet. Good luck

Put it this way. 20Kg Border Collie. 2 Kg pusskins. Which one do you think steals the other's food by shoving her off her bowl ? Yep.

Oh, hurrah, neufies are my FAVorite! And from what I've read about their personality, it'll be about keeping the cats from being too dominant.

Sorry don't have anything actually useful too add, except could you puh-LEEZE post some pics when puppy arrives?

I've had two dogs but no cats. My hounds were farm hounds, so I learnt from watching them integrate with other farm dogs and working with people from the RSPCA.

All I know is from those I've spoken to who have been in this situation.

Basically, there will always be a "Power struggle" in the animal world, but in this case, a puppy with cats is much easier than introducing a cat to dogs.

I'd keep an eye on the dog for the first few weeks, he will learn the hard way, but in the end he should be fine.... cats have pretty sharp claws, so I'd look at getting them trimmed during the introduction phase (just thinking of a puppy eye injury).

If the pup is getting a fair beating, it will also be important to seperate him and play with him a bit to keep his self esteem up... sounds weird yes, but you don't want him growing up to a weight where he knows he'll wreak havoc on the cats later on.... just let him learn.

I've seen Rotweilers afraid of family cats, so it's good for the cats to establish themselves early.

There will be a few bingles, but as long as it's all over quickly, just consider this normal.

P.S. Remember "There is an exception to every rule", but the odds should be stacked in your favour.

We've just gone through that, we got 3 month old puppy last month and we already have a 3 year old cat, when the cat saw the pup, her tail puffed out and the hair on her spine stood to attention making her look like a punk cat, despite the fact that she is bigger than the pup.

I held and petted and talked to both of them and tried to reassure her. Now they get on ok, the pup is crazy about the cat and wants to play with her all the time, the cat is not so impressed and plays with him when she feels like it, she is a cat after all. Usually in the evening, one sleeps to my left and the other to my right on the couch, and both sleep in our bedroom (in their own beds).

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ahhh tricky!

Always control the environment that you allow the animals to be in. Get off on the right foot by exercising your puppy, feeding him and putting him in a relaxed, rather than the puppy playful mood right before the introduction.

Cats to be in a separate room when pup enters the house on leash. Or carrier if they are nervous cats. Let them check each other out from a distance with treats to create a positive association - even from a distance already.

Correct the dog if he tries to get to the cats. He needs to learn that he CANNOT and should NOT get excited or pounce on cats (for his own safety). Quiet, calm curiousity is ok but excitable curiousity is a no-no. I will also suggest leashing the puppy to you all the time - even when he is in the house so that you can keep a sharp eye on him. I did that when I was house traning my dog in the first week too (unless I was in the shower) and it was great to not only keep an eye out for monkey business but also created a bond and security for him in a new place.

Dogs and cats do not communicate the same way. For example - a puppy lifting his paw is a sign that he wants to play. Cats however will not be that impressed, seeing it as a threat. Also, lots of other puppy behaviour can trigger a serious scratching from a cat, so clip your cat's nails if you can, to prevent serious scratches to the pup.

I also highly recommend the crate to aid you through this process. Its not going to be an overnight success but it will be tremendous help in house breaking the puppy and making him feel safe around those strange cats as well. I wont leave them alone with each other until you are 110% sure that they are all fully comfortable with each other. Make sure that the cats has places it can go for safety away from a boisterious pup, which has the crate.

Also, I suggest keeping the litter tray out of reach from the pup if it isnt already. Apologies for only being able to provide perspectives from the dog's point of view - not much from the cats, as I dont have any experience with them being allergic.

Good luck and I look forward to pictures of them snoozing together in the future.

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This is how it basically looked in the beginning with our puppies

A few seconds after this shot, doggie "Luke Skywalker" has learned his lesson

I left them to work it all out by themselves, but kept them under observation. Now the doggie (and his sister) is about 5 times as big and the cat often enough happily tags along on our walks, they all play together. It's just a matter of learning each other's (body-)language and the dos and don'ts. It might take a few months, until they become best buddies, but with a neufi, there should be no problem imo.

Good luck

I'm afraid I can't add any words of wisdom (as mine are Not. Feline. Friendly.), but I just wanted to say congratulations on your new addition, and wish you well as you get everyone to settle in together.

And to second the request for pictures. Nothing cuter than a Newfie.

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I assume it is Pusskins who rules the roost?

Thank you to everyone that responded I will post more pics when she is home, but here is the picture when our soon to be neufi was 6 weeks old. She is now 11 weeks old

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What's the crate?

OMG, I just went into insulin shock. I want one!!! (stop. breathe. ok, better now)

It is the kennel/carrier for a dog. It is very commonly used for training the puppy. Also lots of times, it would be considered the "safe place" for the dog so that traveling in it or sleeping in it is commonplace.

oh god, I think I just exploded with goo and have an overwhelming desire to squish that furball.

Mrs T, what JLF said

That face. Oh my goodness. I just melted. I want to pick her up and squeeze her! So precious...

I scared my mum's cat away when I was 1-2 years old, so I can't help you on that part. But I did manage to introduce my dog and my bird to each other, but never left the bird outside the cage if the dog was in the same room.

Doc.

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Wow - that really brings back memories We had 2 Newfs for a total of 20 years and I can only say that they are absolutely fantastic dogs. Wishing you all the best, much fun, and pleeeaaase post some more pictures when you can.

Congrats on welcoming home the new pup! Nothing to add but that our foster guide Lab immediately took to her trainer's three cats upon arrival at her house at age 15 months (I put it down to her affectionate nature; she insisted on snuggling - maybe she suffers happily from species uncertainty):

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Our Neufi Pagira is home..till now things are going ok with the Cats. They have not had direct contact yet. Cats are investigating from a safe distance. They have been inches away from eachother only a glass door between them.Tiger our cat puffed up and hissed!!! Sammy the other cat just looked a bit puzzled. Will let them do this everyday untill this weekend then we will see how it goes when they are in the same room together..fingers crossed

As promised here is a recent pic of our beauty