Introduce Your Golden And Your Cat Gradually
Friendships dont happen overnight. Theyre built gradually, even for pets. Forcing the dog and cat to like each other is not going to bring you much success. So, consider introducing your pets in this pattern:
Week 1
Let your cat and Golden Retriever hear and smell each other from far. You could bring a cloth with the smell of one to the other so that they get used to it.
Week 2
Allow the dog and cat to see each other. Ensure that there is a barrier between the two. The cat could be caged and the dog free, but leashed. Notice any attempt to bark, puff, or jump at each other and use the No command to discourage them.
If hostility is not manifested from either side, reward with a treat, a hug, or a compliment. Do this daily for the entire week. And if it gets unpleasant for one pet, you can split it up into multiple short sessions.
Week 3
The face-to-face meeting day is here! Ensure your dog is leashed, and the cat has plenty of options to jump or crawl under should Golden decide to unleash the wolf in them. Make the cat feel secure with many escape routes.
Reinforce their efforts to befriend with a treat or compliment and use leave it commands when attempts are made to jump on each other.
Week 4
Be vigilant. You will let your guard down when your cat and Golden are already friends. But at this later stage, total vigilance is a must whenever the two are loose and when they are feeding.
Golden Retrievers Are Inherently Playful And Enjoying Making Friends
Golden Retrievers are designated to the Sporting Group of dog breeds, which means they love an active lifestyle. It is essential to keep in mind their energy level when deciding to adopt a golden. For instance, they wouldnt make very good apartment dogs, and if youre not a fan of walking, they arent the right breed for you.
Their water sporting and hunting past gives the breed unlimited energy and a love for playing outdoors and anywhere near water. They love to play fetch and will play for hours upon hours, which is perfect for families with energetic and adventurous children with large yards. The breed is not shy around new people and will welcome playtime with any companion who will join, human and animal alike.
Giving Alone Time Too Soon
It will not be a good choice to let your cat and dog be alone with each other in the early phases of introduction. Even if they have started to get along very well with each other, but still animals can be unpredictable.
So try to keep them under your watch until you are confident that they are at peace in the same room.
Read Also: How Do You Trim A Golden Retriever At Home
Creating A Hospitable Environment For Your Pets
Although you can train and socialize your pets to be congenial to one another, it is critical to create a hospitable environment for both of them.
One of the most important things that you can do is to set aside time to play and care for each pet. Make sure that you spend at least one hour walking and playing with your Golden Retriever. Your cat also needs to exercise his mind and body to prevent boredom and destructive behaviors.
If you want the two pets to play with each other, keep the dog on a leash. This will allow you to keep things under control if the retriever gets overly excited or aggressive.
Make sure that your cats litter box and food and water bowls are located in a separate location from the dogs. This will help your feline to feel safe and secure while eating or using his litter box.
Help Your Cat Feel In Control
Stop making your cat feel out of control, do not stop what the cat is used to doing simply because you want it to mingle.
Cats are known to ambush, to kick, to scratch, to stalk, chase and pounce.
While it is in its space, let it keep doing all of these, till it gets use to its immediate environment.
Don’t Miss: How To Trim Golden Retriever Bum
Are Golden Retrievers Friendly With Other Dog Breeds
Absolutely! Due to the social nature of the breed, they make great companions to other dogs. The only thing to consider in this case is, does the other dog breed make a good companion? Goldens get along the best with dog breeds that are similar in nature to themselves such as, other Goldens, Poodles, Pugs, Beagles, or Collies. Because they are such high-energy dogs and will want to play, it is best to match them with another breed with some of the same characteristics.
Golden Retrievers: What’s Good About ’em What’s Bad About ’em
Golden Retriever temperament, personality, training, behavior, pros and cons, advice, and information, by Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Behavioral Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books
The Golden Retriever’s kindly expression says it all. This is one of the finest family dogs in the world: cheerful, demonstrative, trustworthy with everyone, and forgiving of any mistakes made by inexperienced owners.
Give this breed two brisk walks each day, play fetch games, and take him out for a good run once a week, and he is adaptable to almost any lifestyle.
Friendly with everyone , his bark is welcoming rather than protective.
You must control his tendency to chew on objects and to mouth your hands — provide a box filled with toys so he can carry things around in his mouth.
A Golden Retriever remains enthusiastically puppy-like for many years, so early obedience training is required to instill calmness and good manners.
Eager to please and wonderfully responsive, he is nonetheless distracted by exciting sights and sounds, so you must be both patient and persistent.
The mind and heart of a Golden is sweet and gentle, but his body is robust — until he’s taught not to pull on the leash, you’ll need good biceps to walk him.
If you want a dog who…
- Is large, athletic, and natural-looking
- Has a pretty feathered coat
- Has a cheerful, tail-wagging nature
- Is steady-tempered and dependable with everyone
- Is peaceful with other animals
- Is eager to please and very responsive to training
Don’t Miss: At What Age Should You Start Training A Golden Retriever Puppy
Do Golden Retrievers Hate Cats
Goldens are one of the family-friendly and gentle dog breeds, they will easily get along with your cat. But it takes time to get along and coexist, so just dont rush and introduce them. Train them properly and then take your best foot forward to introduce them.
Last month I had just reviewed some best training books for Goldens you can check them here Best Golden Retriever Training Books
What Are Common Mistakes That A Owner Makes When Owning Both A Golden Retriever And A Cat
There are a few things to keep in mind so that the relation between your dog and the cat comes out to be the best. But there are a few common mistakes that should be avoided, so heres the list of common mistakes:
1. Introducing them on the first day, where it takes time to develop the friendship!2. Leaving both of the pets alone without proper training.3. Not giving them their personal space, dog-proof space for the cat, and cat-free space for your Golden.4. Not getting an experts help, if you are in a problem with not getting both of the pets together then going for a professional dog trainer can help you.
As it is said learn from mistakes, so dont make the mistakes that you just went throw!
Also Check: 2 Month Old Golden Retriever Puppy
Are Golden Retrievers Good With Cats
Although our culture has led us to believe that cats and dogs are sworn enemies, most dogs and cats actually get along quite well.
In particular, according to the AKC, golden retrievers are one of the breeds best known for being good with cats.
However, if you have a cat and are thinking about getting a golden, or if you have a golden and are thinking about getting a cat, theres a lot to consider.
In this article, youll learn things like:
- How to introduce your cat and golden retriever
- Warning signs to look for that say the relationship is not going well
- Common mistakes dog and cat owners make
- And much more
Introduce Them When They Are Both Young
Do you know the saying that you bend a tree when it is still young? Its true with your pets too. If you introduce your Golden and your cat when they are a puppy and a kitten, you have a better chance of creating an inseparable bond.
Training your cat and your Golden to be friends when they are young has a high probability of success because neither has become prejudicedabout the other.
What this means is that both your cat and your Golden are more likely to like each other if they have not had any unpleasant encounters with other animals.
If you are trying to train an adult Golden Retriever who has had negative experiences with cats to be friendly to your cat, its obviously going to be much harder. The same could be said for a cat who has narrowly survived a fierce chase from another dog.
Territorial Cats
Its even better if you bring the two home at the same time. This way, no pet has claimeddominanceover the home yet. So, its unlikely there will be territorial aggression.
If thats not possible, its better to bring the dog in first. The Golden Retriever is not a very territorial dog breed. However, cats can be very territorial much more than dogs.
Most of the time, the cat will learn to tolerate others. But in some rarer cases, cats can be especially territorial without budging. They never adapt to living with other pets and never get along with them.
Recommended Reading: Gsd Golden Retriever Mix
How Long Does It Take For My Golden Retriever To Interact With My Cat
Encouraging your pets to coexist doesnt mean forcing them to do it according to your schedule. You need to be patient and know that each pet will have its own personality.
A cat might be overly terrified or aggressive towards another pet. Or the dog might be too playful and continuously chase the cat oblivious that the feline doesnt want to return the attention.
Mini golden retrievers also tend to get along better with younger cats. This is not to say that they wont get along if one or the other is older.
But pets are more open to new connections at a younger age. They are likely to be less territorial since theyre still adjusting to their surroundings.
Giving them ample space will allow them to observe one another from a safe distance. They get to smell and hear the other furry family member without the hissing or barking. Scheduling their meal-time is also important.
Keep it separate and feed at different times. You dont want them to fight because one is being over-protective of their food.
Doing the above for a couple of days to a few weeks helps them get used to the others scent and behavior. And when you finally get them close, theyre more inclined to tolerate their new friend.
Professional Training Is Always An Option If The Two Dont Get Along
If you notice any of the behavior from the points above, its important that you address the issues before they become a habit. If youre having trouble managing the two, dont be afraid to invest in professional training.
As pet owners, we have the ability to love and care for our dogs, but we often dont know what to do in times of distress. And its nothing to be ashamed about. For the sake of your pets and your well-being, a professional trainer can assess the situation and work out the best solution for you and your fur babies.
Read Also: Canadian Golden Retriever Vs American
Will The Golden Retriever Chase The Cat
Although Golden Retrievers can live peacefully with cats, it is still possible that your pet dog will chase the cat.
A lot of that has to do with your dog being, well, a dog. Through selective breeding, a lot of the qualities of your dogs ancestors have been removed. However, modern dogs still retain a few of their instincts, including hunting.
Although your Golden Retriever can be friendly with the cat, your dog still has his prey drive or the instinct to hunt. In the wild, this instinct is vital for survival.
A Golden Retrievers prey drive is triggered both by scent and movement. The drive to chase can be further compounded if your dog does not get enough exercise. His pent-up energy can make him more likely to chase your cat.
But when a Golden Retriever chases a cat, there is no malice involved. The breed is not known for being aggressive. Most likely, your dog is chasing the cat because he wants to play.
Through proper training and socialization, you can teach your retriever not to chase the cat around.
Feed Them On Opposite Sides Of Closed Door
The goal is to get them to associate pleasant things such as food with the presence of each other.
Each feeding should include you moving their food bowls closer and closer to the closed door.
You are moving the bowls closer and closer to the door until your Golden and cat can eat calmly right beside the door.
Don’t Miss: Golden Retriever Pedigree
Books By Michele Welton
“Respect Training for Puppies” is a step by step guide to help you bring out the best in your pup so you can enjoy a calm and well-behaved dog, no matter what his age. Get your book today.
“11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy” is a comprehensive guide to keeping your dog mentally, physically, and emotionally happy and healthy so you can enjoy a longer lifetime of companionship. A healthy dog is a happy dog, so buy your copy today.
More traits and characteristics of Golden Retrievers
If I was considering a Golden Retriever, I would be most concerned about…
To help you train and care for your dog
What To Do If You Lose Your Golden Retriever
If your Golden Retriever Dog or any other pet has gone missing and it does not have an identification tag with a phone number, you can:2. Report the lost pet on the .3. Telephone the local vets to see if someone has handed in your missing pet.4. Phone the RSPCA or Visit the RSPCA Lost Pets website and complete a Lost Pet Report.5. Visit Lost Pets Pages of Animal Pounds.
Recommended Reading: How To Cut A Golden Retriever Hair
Are Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Good With Cats
When possible, we will use affiliate links when referring to recommended products. It does not cost you anything to use these links but it does help us earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Thank you in advance for your support!
I am considering getting a dog and I happen to like the Chesapeake Bay retriever. I would love to adopt this dog breed but I have a cat as well and I am not sure if they are good with cats.
Curious to find out if this breed would make a good match for me because I have a cat, I dug up some details today.
Should You Get The Golden Retriever Or The Cat First
Ideally, you should get a puppy and kitten at the same time. When your pets are young, their instincts and personalities are not fully-formed. Your puppy does not see the kitten as prey but rather as a playmate.
Furthermore, both pets will not see each other as intruders to their territories. When they grow together, they will see each other as members of the same family and accept each others quirks.
If it is not possible to get a cat and a retriever at the same time, the next best option is to get the dog first. Puppies can be a handful, especially when they are young. They need more attention from their humans. Getting a Golden Retriever puppy first will allow you to shower him with the attention he needs.
Furthermore, getting the retriever first allows you to have enough time to train and socialize him. By the time you get a cat, your dog is more or less ready for the new member of the family.
But if you already own a cat before getting a Golden Retriever, it is still possible for the two to get along just fine. However, you will need to exert more effort in introducing and socializing your two pets.
Also Check: Best Golden Retriever Breeders California
What Should You Avoid Doing
While there are many great things you can do to help them live together happily. There are also some thing you should definitely avoid doing. In fact, not only will they have no effect on the relationship, they could even make things worse
Never Hit Either Of Your Pets
First of all, you should never hit either your pets, no matter how they behave around each other. While hitting them may fix the initial problem, in the long run its only going to cause even more problems to arise.
If you hit a good natured golden retriever, then you may even cause them to resent and dislike you. Later on down the line they may even become acting aggressively and biting. So never under any circumstances should you hit them!
Dont Hold Your Cat
Cats love their independence and if you hold them when youre introducing them to your golden retriever, then theyre not going to feel independent at all. This can even cause them think that theres a reason they should be worrying. Or give them a trapped feeling.
If youre not sure how your cat is going to react when they meet your golden retriever, dont hold them. Instead, give them plenty of different escape routes so they can leave if they want too. As well as this, give them plenty of places they can perch high.
Dont Lock Them In A Room Together
Just think, when are animals locked together in the wild?
Dont Use Shock Collars