Dog and cat introductions

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Hi everyone, I'm new here and I'd like to ask a question.

Since last Saturday (25th April 2026), we've adopted a lovely 8-year-old Shepherd cross called Sunny. When we first brought her home, she met our two cats, Balmy and Rhésus, and didn't take any notice of them at all. We blocked off the upstairs for Sunny last weekend so the cats could have some peace. The good thing is that they aren't hiding; they're quite relaxed up there and are eating well. They watch her and have been quite bold about coming up to 'meet' her – it's been great to see. So, we've removed the chairs blocking the stairs and we're letting the cats come down whenever they want. Generally speaking, everything is going quite well, but since today (especially), Sunny has been watching them and fixating on them... She gets close and really stares (sometimes even lifting her front right paw for some reason). When I call her, she tends to come back to me (mostly, but not all the time), but then she goes right back to staring at the cats again. A little while ago, everyone was downstairs (mostly for food) and she was staring quite intensely at Balmy, who hissed and swiped at her (without claws, I think). Sunny must have bared her teeth, so I gave her a firm telling-off and she came back with her tail between her legs, looking a bit sorry for herself. Then, when I was putting their dry food out, she started staring intensely at Rhésus... I think he hissed, but I'm not sure, and while they were staring at each other, I saw Sunny baring her teeth...

My question is this: I think we're not far off the living situation we want (knowing it won't happen overnight), but do you have any tips for stopping Sunny from fixating on the cats? I'd really like her to stop following them when they come downstairs, etc. If you have any similar experiences, I'm all ears; I really want this to work and I truly think it's possible ;). Thanks in advance!

Translated from French
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    • Docline
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    I’ve always made a point of making sure the dogs are convinced the cats are infinitely superior to them (For instance: before putting down the dry food at the dogs' mealtime, I put some really pungent wet food in the cats' saucers; if I have to open the door and everyone wants to go out, the cats always go first, etc. But I also make sure the dogs get "presents from the cats": empty wet food tins to lick out, for example). If your dog isn't a Husky cross, there shouldn't normally be any problems.
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    ProvetoJuniorConseil
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    Hi, It sounds like they’re starting to get along quite well, as you mentioned. Some of the things you’ve described, like the paw lifting, could just be play. Here are a few ideas and solutions for the rest. It’s possible Sunny has started staring at the cats because she’s seeing them more often and for longer periods than before. It’ll be hard to stop her from looking at them or forbid it entirely. The main thing is that your cats have somewhere safe to go, ideally high up (cat trees, furniture the cats can climb but the dog can’t, etc.). It’s important not to step in too much; you need to let them get used to each other in their own time. However, you’re right to correct Sunny when she gets openly "aggressive" by baring her teeth; if the cats start a scrap, you’ll need to intervene then too, just like you did with Sunny. To stop your dog from chasing the cats when they come downstairs, you could try a training exercise: put the cats upstairs and put the chairs back at the bottom. Get Sunny to sit or lie down at the bottom of the stairs and tell her to stay. Then, remove the chairs and let the cats come down. You’ll need to keep your focus on Sunny for as long as possible. If she lets them pass without moving, reward her with a treat. If she tries to follow them, give her a verbal correction, get her to sit or lie down again, and restart the exercise. If the area at the bottom of the stairs is a bit cramped, you could also do the exercise in an adjacent room—ideally the one the cats usually head to when they come down. Don’t hesitate to do this as a two-person job: one person focusing on Sunny and the other managing the cats and the chairs. I hope these tips help your cats and dog live together in harmony! Best wishes, Quitterie
    Translated from French

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