Paws & Effect: The newest family member

I put absolutely no thought into getting a puppy. I admit it. It was a completely spur-of-the-moment decision that I cleared with my husband only with a photo of a super-cute puppy in a text message: "For Bray?"

Why I felt I needed to get a puppy for our kid when I truly wanted one for myself was beyond me. I grew up with many dogs, but those dogs were raised in our basement and lived a good life with the other dogs in my parents' show dog kennel. A puppy in the house was a bit of anomaly for me, with the exception of one fantastic dog named Wendy that basically replaced me as the kid in the house when I grew up and moved out.

We have five cats -- five very strong-willed felines with no interest in having any dog in the house. They are all pick-me-up cats, saved from neglectful neighbors or feral mommas. They range in age from 7 to 17, and only a couple of them have had any exposure to a dog.

And when I came home with an 8-week-old bundle of energy and razor-sharp teeth, our feline pit crew was not impressed. The dog knew no better. She had been raised in a barn with cats that tolerated, even liked, dogs, so she thought those hisses and slaps meant playtime.

We are in the throes of the learning phase. Elsa (whom my toddler says we will rename Anna when she is older -- "Frozen" strikes again) still thinks those cats like her, but as we get deeper into the training process, things (might) be getting a bit better. Maybe. It takes time. And patience. And a strong marriage. And lots of dog treats.

Many puppies will become new family members this time of the year, and lots of puppies will be taken to the shelter because some of those families will decide they don't have time for a puppy. If more folks took the time to research, maybe there wouldn't be so many homeless animals, but unfortunately, we live in an immediate society. We are now accustomed to getting something the minute we see it or think of it, and often we don't take any time to research things in advance.

To make the new puppy transition easier, let me share with you some secrets on how to integrate a puppy into your home.

If you have another dog, find a neutral location to introduce the dog and the puppy to one another. Go to the park and let them get acquainted. Both will be happier for it. Your established canine family member won't feel like a new puppy is treading on his turf, and that may help the integration process go more smoothly. Let them play. Let them run. Let them become friends before you have to break it to your current dog that he has to share you and the house with that ball of fuzz he played with at the park.

If you have cats, it will take more time to bring puppy into the household. Of course, my own situation is an exception in most cases, but it will work itself out over time. It's always a good idea to introduce the new puppy to the scent of the existing cats in the house. You can do this by letting puppy sniff something the cat has rubbed on: Socks, bedding, a blanket, etc. The initial excitement of a newfound friend won't be as thrilling if the scent is familiar.

If at all possible, make sure puppy has her own stuff and the cats have theirs. Nothing is worse than the look on my cat's face when Elsa has stolen the perfect cat toy -- which, by the way, the cat never played with in the first place. And always have a place higher up for the cats to retreat to when the dog has become too overwhelming. A good cat tree or hiding spot is crucial to your cat's mental health. Cats react to stressful situations in sometimes unpleasant ways. Don't be mad at the cat if he urinates on the bed. He's just expressing his displeasure over the dog. Or his food. Or the type of litter you buy. Or the weather.

Most important, remember these three things about your little four-legged bundle of canine joy:

1. She's just a baby.

2. Consistency and fairness are of the utmost importance.

3. If there is a behavior you don't want her to do when she is 85 pounds, don't let her do it when she is a puppy.

Understand puppy adolescence for what it is. And just remember: This too shall pass.

-----

About Stacy

Stacy Busch-Heisserer is the owner of Busch Pet Products and Zoomin' Groomer Mobile Pet Salon in Cape Girardeau. She is a lifelong animal lover who has five cats and four dogs.