If you are considering obtaining a Goldendoodle but already have a cat, it is critical that you make certain that the two animals will get along after the new dog arrives at your house. Goldendoodles get along well with cats for the most part since they have a friendly personality.
If you have a Goldendoodle, you may be wondering if they get along with cats and conversely. In this article, you’ll learn not only whether it’s a smart decision but also what you can do to boost your chances of success and what you should avoid doing, so keep on reading!
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So Are Goldendoodles Good With Cats?
Goldendoodles are known for their high-energy levels and for being naturally playful. Although it will always depend on the individual dog, Goldendoodles have been known to get along with cats and other pets in their owners’ homes when they have received sufficient socialization. However, it is crucial to realize that a large part of this will be determined by socialization and the temperament of your dog!
In addition, the dog may instinctively run after the cat or play rough with it. This is because they are inquisitive about the cat and just want to get to know it. They will not purposefully do harm to your pet. Based on your cat’s temperament, he or she may become nervous, worried, or anxious at any time.
Goldendoodles that come from rescue organizations may have had a poor experience with cats in the past, which should be considered when adopting one. When they are introduced to your cat for the first time, they may experience some anxiety. If the dog is attempting to maintain a safe distance from the cat, refrain from forcing the interaction. Take your time with the introduction.
Goldendoodles and cats will generally accept one other after a relatively short amount of time in the vast majority of instances. However, interactions should always be supervised until you are totally satisfied that there will not be an altercation between the two pets.
Are Adult Goldendoodles or Puppies Better With Cats?
In most cases, this depends on the dog. A Goldendoodle puppy is more likely to form a relationship with a cat if it is brought home as a puppy. When introduced to each other at an early age, pets are more likely to get along and have no difficulties with one another’s interactions.
As previously said, if you are adopting an adult Goldendoodle from a rescue organization or another family, there is a chance that they will not get along with cats. When you purchase a dog as an adult rather than as a puppy, you have no way of knowing what the dog has gone through before coming across your path.
If you are bringing an adult Goldendoodle into your house, it is especially important to pay close attention to how they behave with your cat or other pets. In case your pets are nervous about meeting, consider introducing them gradually by keeping the dog in a box or in another room where the dog and cat may sniff each other.
How To Train Your Goldendoodle To Be Around A Cat?
It is clear that your Goldendoodle and cat can get along if they receive the appropriate training. So, here are some of the most effective methods for teaching your Goldendoodle to get along with your cat!
Keep Them Separate At First
If you decide to bring a cat into your house with your Goldendoodle, keep them separate at first.
Keep them in different rooms or parts of the home, with the doors locked between them. They will still be able to smell each other, and the idea here is to get them habituated to each other’s fragrance without their being in the same room.
Feed Them On Opposite Sides Of A Door
After you’ve separated the pets for a few days, you may try feeding them on different sides of a door.
You should practice this for a few days until they go directly for their meal instead of sniffing at the door to scent the other animal.
This helps them link the presence of the other pet with pleasant things like food, which should minimize the tension associated with each other.
Face-to-Face Meetings With Baby Gate
You can attempt a face-to-face encounter with a baby gate after they have been eating quietly on separate sides of the door for many days.
In case something goes wrong, the baby gate will function as a barrier, and you should also keep your Goldendoodle on a leash at this time.
Goldendoodles are incredibly athletic and could easily leap the gate to get to the cat. Hopefully, this will not be an issue, but it is always better to be prepared.
If any animal exhibits symptoms of aggressiveness, remove them from the other pet immediately. Reward the animals with food if they peacefully sniff at each other or do not engage at all.
Face-to-Face Meeting In Common Area
If the encounters with the baby gate go well, you may start allowing the two pets to socialize in a shared space without a barrier.
It is still preferable to have your Dalmatian on a leash for the first few sessions.
It’s a positive indicator if the pets engage gently or don’t interact at all. Remember to remove the pets from the communal area if they get violent.
Proceed With Caution
If everything goes well and you don’t believe your Dalmatians will be hostile, you can let the dogs wander freely in the house.
When you are not around to oversee, it is a good idea to separate pets. Place them in various regions of the home or on different levels.
Tip: Sanctuary Space
Having a distinct sanctuary place for each pet is a terrific idea. This is a location they are familiar with and feel comfortable in.
For dogs, this is generally their crate. When properly crate trained, many dogs see their crate as their den and will return to it when they are worried or overwhelmed.
A refuge location for cats might be anywhere in the house. Cats may choose a favorite bed, a cat tree that allows them to be high up and away from the dog, or even a location in a closet or a cherished cardboard box. It doesn’t really matter where they have a space to rest in as long as they have one.
Exercise Them
Make sure your Goldendoodles receive adequate exercise. Your Goldendoodle should get at least two hours of activity every day, but more is always desirable.
It is vital to tire out your Goldendoodle so that they become less boisterous. And, of course, if they’re weary, they won’t want to annoy your cat quite as much.
Reward Them When They’re Being Good
When your dog and cat behave properly around each other, make sure you thank them. This will reinforce favorable conduct. Even if they haven’t been ordered to be good, you should do this. The simplest technique to thank them is to offer them sweets, but you may also massage them a lot!
Lead By Example
Another wonderful option is to interact with both animals concurrently in a calm and sympathetic manner. They’ll start to regard each other as members of the same family, and it’ll be significantly less likely that they’ll attack each other.
Doing this on a regular basis will also help them get used to the thought of sharing you and not being envious of each other.
Make Sure You’ve Trained Your Goldendoodle
Every owner should be teaching their Goldendoodle; but, if you’re keeping them with your pup, this is much more crucial. Just the added obedience that comes with training is going to help keep them calm around your cat!
So if you haven’t taught your Goldendoodle correctly, then this is the best moment to start. Whatever negative habit your retriever has, whether it’s barking at night or other unpleasant behaviors, employing the correct training program is essential to having an obedient and happy pup.
What To Avoid Doing?
While there are tons of things you can do, there are also some things you’re going to need to avoid doing as well! Here are a few of them:
Never Hit Either Of Your Pets
First of all, you should never strike any of your dogs, no matter how they act near one other. While striking them may cure the current problem, it’s just going to cause even more difficulties to occur in the long term.
If you strike a good-natured Goldendoodle, then you may even lead them to despise and loathe you. Later on down the road, they may even begin acting violently and biting. So never under any circumstances should you strike them!
Don’t Hold Your Cat
Cats desire freedom, and if you hold them when introducing them to your Goldendoodle, they will not feel autonomous at all. This may even cause them to feel that there is a reason for them to be concerned. Or make them feel constrained.
Consider this: when are animals in the wild confined together?
Don’t hold your cat if you’re not sure how they’ll behave when they meet your Goldendoodle. Instead, offer them a number of escape routes so that they may exit if they so wish. In addition, give lots of high spots for them to perch.
Don’t Lock Them In A Room Together
This is another awful concept. If you keep your pets in the same room, it’s quite conceivable that your cat may attack your Goldendoodle. This, in turn, will fear them for the rest of their lives. You should always make sure that both animals have lots of alternatives to escape the circumstance if they don’t want to remain there.
Don’t Use Shock Collars
Finally, some individuals advocate employing shock collars on your pets, but there is no solid evidence that they always work. In fact, applying a shock collar may encourage your dog to link the shock with your cat, making them even more fearful.
Want To Train Your Goldendoodle With Peace Of Mind?
If you haven’t trained your Goldendoodle properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your Goldendoodle has, whether it’s barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.
With Brain Training For Dogs, you’ll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog won’t listen, you’ll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and, most importantly, that’s given proven results. Not to mention the fact that you’ll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.
So instead of worrying about whether they’re going to be well-behaved or not, you’ll only have to worry about how much fun you’ll have with them!
And in most cases, it’s still going to be:
- Cheaper than hiring a professional.
- Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
- And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.
Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your Goldendoodle completely and never worry whether they’ll be naughty or not. Instead, you’ll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them will always be there, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT.
And the best part is it also has a 60-day money-back guarantee! So there’s no reason not to give Brain Training For Dogs a try!
So if you’re tired of your dog’s bad behavior or how they react around other people and pooches, then give it a try! You’ll be amazed by the results!
(You can also check out a full review here to learn exactly what the course has to offer!)
Recap
As you can see, with the right socialization and care, it’s absolutely possible to keep Goldendoodles and cats together! If you liked this article, make sure you check out the rest of the website. Otherwise, have a great day!
