Just brought home our first bully. She's almost 6. Never been around cats. Help!

[Oliviakainu90]

Awesome I will keep everyone posted

 

[betterxthanxnew]

We have 2 cats, and our bulldog, Effie, is a little over 6 months right now. She was spayed at 5.5 months. We got her at 8 weeks. I actually posted a thread about this same issue not that long ago. Effie is not aggressive towards our cats, but man does she like to chase them and sit on them. Our cats have lived with other dogs previously, and their pretty indifferent towards dogs. But Effie just rubs them the wrong way. They really just want to be left alone to do their own thing, and being chased drives them nuts. I was worried too that either she was gonna squish them, or they were going to claw at her. I got some pretty good advice on here! What works best for us right now is using a high value treat to distract her when the cats come into the room. As soon as she acknowledges their presence and heads towards them we use a firm NO and then redirect her. There are times where we will put her on a leash to keep her from chasing them. The more time that goes by, the better she is getting about it. It just takes a lot of consistency. We have to constantly pay attention. Because if we don't BAM 10 seconds flat and she'll be on top of them.

Interestingly enough (and don't ask me how this happened) but, my husband came home for lunch break the other day to take Effie out, and then he put her back in her crate when he went back to work. 2 hours later when I got home from work I let Effie out and lo and behold our cat was in there with her Apparently our kitty was sleeping in there and my husband didn't notice when he put Effie back in the crate. Ever since, Effie has been really sweet towards him- bathing him and what not. And, he seems to be enjoying it Maybe we've finally turned a corner!

All I can say is GOOD LUCK Consistency is the key, but it's definitely not impossible!

 

[Texas Carol]

Welcome here and thank you for adopting Olive

1st bulldog?...there will be a learning curve for sure!
Fabulous breed but different for sure & bossy, stubborn
and needs to be inside (mostly), attention needy, food
crazy & time consuming issues (cleaning), etc. Are you
sure you know what you're getting into & prepared to do
all this? Believe me, I'm completely addicted to bulldogs
but they aren't for everyone or their lifestyle.

Great advice from everyone (wonderful members here).
I agree and also, bulldogs are ocd AND hate change so
trust me, Olive will take time to calm down, accept new
home & rules, relax & adjust to y'all & your other animals.

Be calm, patient, consistent & clear about expectations. Be
kind & loving, truly, change is hard on this breed, some get
very freaked out & stressed. Olive sounds very sweet and
handling all these changes very well, you'll be amazed at her
true personality when she's adjusted finally.

Keep us informed, post pics when you can & just stay calm!

 

[Oliviakainu90]

Thank you so much for the advice. I have been doing tons of research for months and months before we got her so we know what we're getting into she's doing pretty well so far. She's very laid back. She knows how to sit, shake, stay and come (most the time lol) she's very good with my daughter. She's still not perfect around our other dog. If my husband shows our dog Hawken attention she wants attention too and does pretty well but if Hawken comes up to me and I show him attention she gets kind of mean she gives him that look and tries to nip at him. Today though they started playing in the back yard together so there's definitely some progress as far as the cats go I'm still very nervous. We decided to open all the doors yesterday and one of my cats came out but is staying on top of the cabinets and my other two are still in hiding. One of them stood in the door way and Olive saw him so I told her to sit and stay as I gave her pieces of kibble and she did very well but this morning I woke up to her chasing one of them so I immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed her because my cat was jumping and running frantically but I just told Olive No and to sit so again a little progress I think once she knows this is her home and she's settled everything will be ok. We gave her a bath last night, cleaned her wrinkles, nose rope, tail pocket, ears, gave her eye drops in one of her eyes because it's a little red and she did great! I tried brushing her teeth but I don't think she likes the taste of the doggy tooth paste but I'm going to have my hubby try again tonight. She is a piggy that's for sure lol. I had to put a tennis ball in her bowl of food to slow her eating down lol. She had loose stool so I gave her a Tb of pumpkin last night and this morning and no more loose stool, yay! She also seems itchy which I'm sure is her food. Her previous owner had her on Blue wilderness grain free chicken so I'm going to change it to either Orijin or Merrick and no grains or chicken.

 

[TyTysmom]

Thank you so much for the advice. I have been doing tons of research for months and months before we got her so we know what we're getting into she's doing pretty well so far. She's very laid back. She knows how to sit, shake, stay and come (most the time lol) she's very good with my daughter. She's still not perfect around our other dog. If my husband shows our dog Hawken attention she wants attention too and does pretty well but if Hawken comes up to me and I show him attention she gets kind of mean she gives him that look and tries to nip at him. Today though they started playing in the back yard together so there's definitely some progress as far as the cats go I'm still very nervous. We decided to open all the doors yesterday and one of my cats came out but is staying on top of the cabinets and my other two are still in hiding. One of them stood in the door way and Olive saw him so I told her to sit and stay as I gave her pieces of kibble and she did very well but this morning I woke up to her chasing one of them so I immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed her because my cat was jumping and running frantically but I just told Olive No and to sit so again a little progress I think once she knows this is her home and she's settled everything will be ok. We gave her a bath last night, cleaned her wrinkles, nose rope, tail pocket, ears, gave her eye drops in one of her eyes because it's a little red and she did great! I tried brushing her teeth but I don't think she likes the taste of the doggy tooth paste but I'm going to have my hubby try again tonight. She is a piggy that's for sure lol. I had to put a tennis ball in her bowl of food to slow her eating down lol. She had loose stool so I gave her a Tb of pumpkin last night and this morning and no more loose stool, yay! She also seems itchy which I'm sure is her food. Her previous owner had her on Blue wilderness grain free chicken so I'm going to change it to either Orijin or Merrick and no grains or chicken.

This is all wonderful updates, and some progress is GREAT. It will continue to get better, just stay consistent! Let us know how she does on her new food once transitioned! Side note, try brushing her teeth with some coconut oil if she doesnt like the toothpaste. I use that for Tyson's teeth. Just half a teaspoon and good scrub and on the gums

 

[Oliviakainu90]

her with my daughter before her bath.


after her bath, all clean with her new collar

 

[TyTysmom]

View attachment 89044 her with my daughter before her bath.

View attachment 89045
View attachment 89046 after her bath, all clean with her new collar

LOVE. I bet she is so happy to have a loving home, you will slowly start to see more & more of her personality as she gains trust, and knows she's HOME.

 

[Oliviakainu90]

Oh I didn't even think of CO for brushing her teeth that's a great idea! Her teeth definitely need to be cleaned, I don't think they did it very often if at all.

 

[Oliviakainu90]

Oh my gosh that is hilarious about your cat being in the crate! That's so sweet! Thanks so much for the advice

 

[TyTysmom]

Oh I didn't even think of CO for brushing her teeth that's a great idea! Her teeth definitely need to be cleaned, I don't think they did it very often if at all.

Yup, and I purchased a 360 pet toothbrush on amazon so that no matter what, something is being scrubbed, LOL we all know how hard it can be, haha. But he loves the CO, so makes it so much easier. Antlers are great too for cleaning the teeth, just make sure you get one big enough (X-LARGE) so she can't swallow it. Always monitor too when she has it, and pick up when you leave.

 

[Oliviakainu90]

Yup, and I purchased a 360 pet toothbrush on amazon so that no matter what, something is being scrubbed, LOL we all know how hard it can be, haha. But he loves the CO, so makes it so much easier. Antlers are great too for cleaning the teeth, just make sure you get one big enough (X-LARGE) so she can't swallow it. Always monitor too when she has it, and pick up when you leave.

Ok great! Thanks so much

 

[2BullyMama]

View attachment 89044 her with my daughter before her bath.

View attachment 89045
View attachment 89046 after her bath, all clean with her new collar

I love her freckled ear..... she is one lucky girl! Slow progress but it will all level out in about a month!

 

[Oliviakainu90]

I love her freckled ear..... she is one lucky girl! Slow progress but it will all level out in about a month!

Thank you

 

[mybrindlegirl]

What a sweet and beautiful little girl
It's great she now belongs to such a loving family!
Perhaps it could help to let the encounters with the cats for the next three or four times take place when Olive is tired (after a walk, after playing, late in the evening,...) and when it becomes more of an everydaylife-situation to expand to non-tired moments.
Your sweet girl needs some time to 'arrive'.