My worry and dilemma.

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Ylaartim
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My worry and dilemma.

Post by Ylaartim »

The worry:

Skye had his 2nd shot of vaccine and deworming yesterday. The vet told us that he's not allowed to take a bath for one week and no rough playing. When we got home, Skye's usual behavior is that he's very active. The vet told us that we should just let him play all by himself. Later that evening, I noticed Skye seems to be timid. I don't know if the energy faded away because he's not like that. And his nose was dry when he was sleeping. There's no change in eating/drinking pattern yet.

The dilemma:

We have a cat in the house. She's been with us for over a year now. She's been poorly socialized when she was younger. She 'hated' any other animals. When we brought Skye home (the cat is in heat as of the moment), aggression has been observed on her. She would hiss, growl, and bare teeth on Skye. She would just stay on one place and literally keep an eye on Skye. Her eating and daily activities are somehow affected. Because she seems to be so tensed. One day, Skye got near her and she attacked Skye. Skye went away because of fear. Since that everytime skye sees her, he would stay away or hide. Im worried with the welfare of the 2. Im thinking of buying skye a baby chow sister since skye obviously wants and needs a playmate. But what if the cat would be more aggressive towards the 2 chows if ever? How would they get along?
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The chowling I'm thinking of buying. Looks SKye a lot. :)
The chowling I'm thinking of buying. Looks SKye a lot. :)
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Rory's Dad
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Re: My worry and dilemma.

Post by Rory's Dad »

At Skye's age, he should be crated when you are not home. This will help protect him, your house from puppy chewing, and with potty training. Following along with this, when you are home, he should be in the same room or within eyesight so you can 'catch' mistakes. This is a several month process, by which time he will be big enough for the cat not to be an issue. Additionally, it gives Skye a safety zone that he can easily protect.
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Sarahloo
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Re: My worry and dilemma.

Post by Sarahloo »

Your cat hates other animals, you say, and then you say you want to buy a second Chow? Your poor cat! She was there first and you should respect her feelings and stop adding animals to your household. For now, Skye will find friends outside on your walks. Maybe cat and dog will get along one day, and you can add a second dog to your family, but right now it is just going to be too much for her. I would maybe think about getting her a cat friend, if she starts getting used to Skye. Cats need company from other cats: keeping just one cat in your home simply isn't done any more. If she has a friend, she'll be more relaxed and you can start thinking about addding another dog. Please get your cat neutered! It is horrible for cats to have to go through heat every few months for no earthly reason. This is even more important if she is an outdoor cat! Unwanted kittens and s-e-xually transmitted diseases are very strong arguments in favour of neutering! And she will relax at home because her hormones aren't messing with her any more!
You can use baby gates to make certain rooms in your house "cat only" rooms so that they can avoid each other if they feel like it!
Last edited by Sarahloo on Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ursa's daddy
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Re: My worry and dilemma.

Post by Ursa's daddy »

I have 4 cats along with 4 dogs. The dogs for the most part ignore the cats. The cats usually ignore the dogs. It has taken a while for the cats to mellow towards each other. Chelsea, our Persian, claimed the upstairs portion of the house and would not let the dogs or other cats come up the stairs. She now lets the dogs pass with out challenging them. I expect over time, if the Skye does not chase the cat, the cat will ignore him. We have had success with using a scrap of plywood about 30cm tall placed in a door way as a barrier for the chows. My two have learned that if we place a simple barrier in front of a door, they are not supposed to pass.
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Auddymay
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Re: My worry and dilemma.

Post by Auddymay »

Have the cat spayed. Work on a harmonious household before adding any other. Your Chow is not an accessory. You must work on getting him to be well socalized and house trained. If you feel he needs a playmate, enrole in training classes that use positive reinforcement and is a group setting. Take him for walks with friends that also have dogs. After a year or so, then think about adding another animal.

It cannot be stressed enough that a Chow needs these things, and raising more than one Chowling at a time takes alot of time and experience. Many have tried, and many end up with problems that are avoidable, if only they had known better. I would say that if anyone who has not successfully raised at least one Chow alone, they should not consider trying 2.
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MissV
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Re: My worry and dilemma.

Post by MissV »

ok - i have to agree with Sarahloo. PLEASE GET YOUR CAT SPAYED! you must spay and neuter your pets. Its very irresponsible to not do that.
Its also very important when brining a new animal into the household to make sure the initial introduction goes smoothly. Cats dont like other pets. Period! Especially if they've been the king / queen of the house all thier lives.
When we bought in our chow pup, we kept her in the crate and let kitty come and see what was inside. Once kitty and puppy both felt secure with each other, we opened the crate and let puppy out. (this took a long time - both were VERY scared).
Puppies are full of beans and life, and this can be annoying to other pets. Dont get another dog unless you want a dead cat! Dogs grow up very quickly, and they can turn and attack your cat if they form a pack. Rather work on Skye and your cat getting them used to each other - that doesnt mean they have to be friends - it means they need to work an arrangement to suit them. ie: Kitty gets the furniture and counter tops and tables, and puppy gets the floor. Once they have established territory, it should be fine - they'll stay out of each others way. PLEASE DONT GET ANOTHER DOG!!! Your cat will seriously be tested!
Pure is the heart of an animal - Evil is the heart of man...
Ylaartim
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Re: My worry and dilemma.

Post by Ylaartim »

THANK YOU EVERYONE :) I have decided that it is not the right time yet to buy another dog. :) we'll work on the relationship of the 2 pets. Maybe when both are ready and at ease with each other, a new addition to the family can be possible. Thanks for the advices. :) right now, our cat is beginning to identify that Skye will do no harm to her. The hissing was lessen. It was incredible! But this is just the beginning.
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