[highwyre237]

Me and my girlfriend are adopting a 4.5 month old cairn terrier mix. Wondering about a few things.

We have a cat, and were wondering about the best way to introduce them.

Since the puppy is already 4.5 months old, what should we try for a bathroom schedule? Should we still plan on waking up 2 times the first few nights? Or should we go straight to about 5 hours in between bathroom breaks?

Since this puppy has lived most of its live in a kennel, do you think crate training will be a bit tougher, since im sure she's slept and eliminated in the same pen, what the best way to attack this potential issue is it does arise?

Also, she is only 5lbs currently(not do to lack of nutrition, she's just a runt). Should we walk her with a harness, or would a normal collar leash be fine.

 

[FourIsCompany]

Congratulations on your new dog!

We have a cat, and were wondering about the best way to introduce them.

Introducing a New Dog to a Resident Cat

Since the puppy is already 4.5 months old, what should we try for a bathroom schedule?

I would be real careful since she's probably not house trained at all. She probably has no reason to believe that she shouldn't go inside, so it's going to take some real attention on your part to train her. Watch her every minute. It's not the amount of hours you need to be concerned about, it's the simple fact that she has no reason not to think it's not perfectly fine to pee wherever she's standing.

I definitely would try crate training. But if she's used to eliminating in her bed, the crate isn't going to stop her, and you'll just be reinforcing that behavior unless you take her out so often that she never has a full bladder. That's your best bet, in my opinion. Just make sure to take her out VERY regularly and often to allow the most opportunity for her to go outside and receive praise. Every time she goes inside reinforces the fact that it's ok. So ideally, every elimination would be outside.

Never punish for accidents. Just swoop her up and take her out. Then as she's going potty outside, calmly say, "good potty" (or whatever phrase you choose) and give her extreme praise and treats immediately afterward. If she goes in her crate, be sure to give it a thorough cleaning to remove ALL odor.

Should we walk her with a harness, or would a normal collar leash be fine.

It depends on what she's used to, if anything at all. I would just see how she responds to a collar. If she pulls, you'll just have to work on walking on a loose leash. If she can walk on a loose leash, it doesn't really matter what you use.

 

[briteday]

We have obtained two of our dogs from breeders who had huge kennels of dogs for show. One was acquired at 4 months, the other at 8 years of age. With both of the dogs we found it best to start at the beginning, take them out every hour or two and assume they would pee in the house if given the chance so keep them supervised at all times.

Cat...good excecise for both of them as long as the cat has a place of its own. ut a gate across one room for the cat. That way when the cat has had enough of the game it has a quiet place of its own. Put the cat food in a place where the dog can't get to it...on top of the washer / dryer, in the safe room, etc. Also make plans for the litter box as most dogs love the "almond roca." We have ours in the furnace room in a part of the house where the dogs are not allowed.