good idea, bad idea?

OK, really I KNOW it's bad idea, but I just want to get some thoughts.

I'm living with my mom, sister, BIL, 2 nieces, 1 nephew, their dog Jake and Holland at the moment. Ack! I want nothing more than for Holland and Jake to be buddies, but he's a big labradoodle, and while we have had some successes in the past with introducing them, Jake can't get past thinking Holland is prey and Holland can't get past being afraid of Jake.

My mom thinks it would help to bring Holland upstairs in her carrier and set her by Jake to "help" them get acquainted. Even my sister, who is NOT a cat person, thinks it's a bad idea, because - in her words - Holland will feel trapped, not having any way to escape. Personally, I was really shocked that my sister recognized how Holland would feel.

My biggest issue right now is that Holland and I live in the basement. I just hate that Holland doesn't get time to look out the windows, to explore the house, etc. because Jake "has" the upstairs. I want her to be out of the basement, but I want her to feel safe when she's up there. Please, any ideas on how to get these two to get along?

The first step is training the dog. As long as the dog sees holland as prey, he will chase her and she will be afraid of him. If the dog can't be trained to stop chasing, then I don't think its ever going to work out where holland can be upstairs

Originally Posted by rad65

The first step is training the dog.

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Yes. I watch enough Animal Planet to notice trainers say for the cat to be free while the dog is on a controlled, secure leash. I'll see if there's any video on the AP website and if so, I'll post the link here. I've never seen your mom's suggestion done on AP. I fear "cat in carrier" can be processed in the dog's brain as "prey in cage"

P.S. Your sister sounds like a sensible person.

Originally Posted by c1atsite

Yes. I watch enough Animal Planet to notice trainers say for the cat to be free while the dog is on a controlled, secure leash.

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I know next to nothing about dogs myself, but I've heard dog owners recommend this method as well. I'm sure some of the dog-owning members on this site can weigh in on that particular suggestion, but in the meantime, I agree with you - putting Holland in a carrier is not the way to go.

Please consult a Qualified animal trainer who preferably has a focus on behavior modification... I suggest this having been in your shoes .... Two hours and lots of tips later I had harmony.. NO do Not crate Holland

Years and years ago, I got my greyhound and already had a resident cat. I put the greyhound in a big carrier and let the cat sniff her, sit on the carrier, etc. We moved on to letting the greyhound out but kept her separated from my cat by some French doors I had in my dining room. As it turned out, the greyhound thought EVERYONE was a friend and it was no problem. However, my cat DID seem to need the time to process the fact that there was now a 50 pound dog in her house!

Good luck!

C

I agree with the other posters, the dog should be on a leash, not the cat in a carrier.

Thanks for the input, everyone! I brought up the idea tonight of leashing Jake to introduce Holland, and the idea was well received. I'll try to do some work on this over the holiday weekend.

I don't think it's a good idea to have your cat in the carrier, and the dog walking around without someone controlling the dog. I think that would scare Holland, feeling like being trapped with no where to run, or no way to get away.

The best way it works is to train and control the dog. Confining the cat will not be helpful and might make things worse or cause stress induced health problems in your cat.

Is the dog crate trained? Maybe they can take turns, with the dog crated for short periods so Holland has some time out of the basement?

p.s. I love your username!