Cat Vs Dog

[Sheryl]

OK all you dog lovers out there, tell me..how do get my newly acquired (adult) chihuahua to start standing up for himself with my posessive, jealous and highly assertive cat?

I'm typing this with one hand while attempting to sooth a totally traumatizing Chichuahua with the other, to say he is shaking like a leaf is an understatement. Yet another traumatic trouncing from the cat.

Now don't get me wrong, I am an avid cat lover and fully agree that they are superior beings far above dogs, or for that matter people, in rank, and I have no problem at all with my cat being the Big Boss around the house. Neither does the dog, he just wants to live in peace and safety. However the cat has trerrorized him within an inch of his life and he's in danger of losing his wits altogether if subjected to any more attacks (and I do mean attacks, claws bared)...and I'm tired of trying to keep them apart.

I think that they would achieve some sort of detente if only he would bark assertively at her. The problem is that when she starts in he immediately assumes a defensive and submissive pose and doesn't make a sound until she's attacked at which point all he does is whimper or cry...no bark. Just now she started to approach hissing as I held him and I barked for him a few times, seemed to work..she backed off. But how to get him to understand and do this? Seeing me do it doesn't seem to give him the hint. And it won't be long before she figures out that it isn't him barking.

I know my cat, and she'll continue to escalate her attempts to get rid of him until and unless he holds his ground and puts up a show of strength. From past experience seeing her with dogs, then and only then will she accept his presence as a necessary evil. Right now she has it in her pretty little head that she can get rid of him, and -- again from experience -- she is quite capable of pursuing this goal tenaciously and craftily for however long it takes.

So how do I give this dog some cojones in facing the cat (figuratively speaking...just had the vet lop off his actual ones ) ????

(Forget about any measures I might take to stop the cat....I've already dowsed her with water, yelled at her etc. Like the true cat that she is, all this does is cause her to wait till I'm not around to strike).

[MiG16]

Sheryl...I really like you A LOT!! but Igotta say..........

I wouldnt wanne be your dog

and sorry I cant offer suggestion...my dog was always scared of cats too..her only solace was she only had to face them outside where she sometime pretends to be brave only to run back inside the house when the cats only as much as start to hiss at her

[lannarebirth]

The basis of your query is flawed IMO, A Chihuahua is not technically a dog. Be that as it may, I feel aeven a real dog would be at a distinct disadvantage in your household.

Here's what you do. Get yourself a Pointer (see picture). It will give the Chihuahua a role model to emulate and teach your cat to give grudging respect to it's betters

[Sheryl]

The basis of your query is flawed IMO, A Chihuahua is not technically a dog. Be that as it may, I feel aeven a real dog would be at a distinct disadvantage in your household.

Here's what you do. Get yourself a Pointer (see picture). It will give the Chihuahua a role model to emulate and teach your cat to give grudging respect to it's betters

Spoken like a true dog lover, lannarebirth. Afraid that the only being less likely to consider a dog to be a cat's superior than me is my cat.

As for adding another animal to this mix, my nerves are already frayed enough and the logistics of referree-ing things (not to mention the pet care when I travel, as I often must) is already so complicated....

I'm inclined to agree that Chihuahuas may not be "real" dogs though. ..just not sure what they are. They ain't cats, that's for sure.

[geoffphuket]

Buy a cheap water bottle sprayer and give her a blast with it every time she has a go at the dog....she'll soon get the message and back off.

[lannarebirth]

The basis of your query is flawed IMO, A Chihuahua is not technically a dog. Be that as it may, I feel aeven a real dog would be at a distinct disadvantage in your household.

Here's what you do. Get yourself a Pointer (see picture). It will give the Chihuahua a role model to emulate and teach your cat to give grudging respect to it's betters

Spoken like a true dog lover, lannarebirth. Afraid that the only being less likely to consider a dog to be a cat's superior than me is my cat.

As for adding another animal to this mix, my nerves are already frayed enough and the logistics of referree-ing things (not to mention the pet care when I travel, as I often must) is already so complicated....

I'm inclined to agree that Chihuahuas may not be "real" dogs though. ..just not sure what they are. They ain't cats, that's for sure.

OK, how's this? Your cat wouldn't mess with a skunk would it?

http://www.chihuahuaclothescloset.com/product/ZA539

[bina]

sheryl,

blasting with water wont work cause animals learn to equate the particular human and the particular container with the action. and your dog cant wear a water sprayer.

your solution will be:

1. get rid of dog or cat or...

2. start with physical separation and introduction (which u didnt do in the beginning); and work your way towards re introduction of the dog or...

cats can cause real bad damage and vet bills to dogs this is not a laughing matter. u let your cat get the upper hand (something i dont let my dogs goats or other animals do, so why a cat?) and u are ambivalent in dealing with the dog (u are a cat person and dont know how to develop pack attitude. cats do not deal with pack attitude, alpha leaders etc. they deal with territory and dominance in different ways. i'm not a cat person although did work with caracals (like lynx) and have ahealthy respect for claws and hunter instinct. and your ambivalence goes to the dog and the cat. u'd better pounce and punish pussy the way an angry dominant female/male cat would while guarding your 'kitten' (the dog). not bark like a dog since u are not a dog.

your cat is not a person sheryl. she is not a queen. she is a cat. so u had better put her in her place with some real boot camp actions (that work with cats not dogs). i an at present doing this with our new mini rotweiler (actaully a lhasa apso terrorizig our boxer). the lhasa is in boot camp with me.

your cat sees another small mammal interfering in her territory. and its a small squeaky animal so rather like a rat or mouse it instigates her hunting instints like u wouldnt beleive. a barking dog doesnt help back a cat off.

i suggest u google cat forums that deal with dog vs cat relationships in real terms not terms of 'her highness the cat' types. u need to re condition the cat and help the dog or u will have to move the dog. or lock the cat outside.

that is my serious advice. ive watched cats stalking my boxer. i've paid vet bills on boxer eyes because of alley cat stalkers pouncing on boxer back and scratching eyes. your chi is going to need a long time of tlc after his op and to get used to his new home and its in weeks and months not days.

u might asd nienke if he has ideas but try the cat forums too!! i'm used to dealing with grazing mammals and canines not cat types althgouh our ferrets we trained using cat techniques (scruff shaking, etc).

bina

[Tywais]

2. start with physical separation and introduction (which u didnt do in the beginning); and work your way towards re introduction of the dog or...

Since that was going to be my response, that is separation but still can see each other - like the slatted gates used on stairwells to keep children off or wire fencing. A more humorous approach below.

[ozymandious]

Hi Sheryl, I've been following the Chichi saga from your earlier post.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...117627&st=0

Breifly, my dogs: 3 small breed: Chichi, teacup poodle and a Pomeranian

the 2 other are a half-poodle-half-street-dog and Thai-Ridge-back

RE Food; My dogs get a wet and dry food mix. dry food Alpo toy breed bought form lotus (remember small bites for a Chichi) and a spoon full or two of canned food (Hills science diet light) Light, because they're a bit pudgy and don't get them as much exercise as i could give them.

I chop up the wet food with the spoon and mix it in to the dry other wise they'll just eat the wet food in one big chunk. They still root around for the wet food but get more of the dry into them with it too

Great food tip:a friend taught me this one and its never failed. Dog won't eat, doesn't want to or not feeling well or picky? Sprinkle some parmigiana cheese on top and they gobble it right up.

Some advice for your Chichi

Dogs like to den, it's in their nature. Does your doge have a safe place that's his and only his?

can be a dog house or a crate /travel crate. It will sooth your dog and it will also provide him with a defensible position. ie narrow entrance and he can't be out flanked.

Give or buy your dog a den and it can become his safe place. Make sure he goes in it first and gives it his sent. Make it off limits to the cat for a while until the Chichi can claim it as his and then he'll have a chance to defend it. It will give him a boost in his self esteem and if he is having his ass handed to him by the cat he'll have a place to escape to.

About the shaking and jumping issue: Yes when they're scared they shake and will appear uneasy on their legs, Particularly during thunder storms I'm sure it's a temporary thing in adjusting to his new surroundings.

Jumping: May just be because he's still timid, but my Chichi is spring loaded! we used to loose track of of her and then find her on the bed hidden in the pillows (den) and I'd ask my wife 'did you put her up there?' I didn't believe it until i saw it my self but shes got a good vertical leap. Also she can stand on her hind legs for quite some time using her tail for balance.

Another thing that you may be interested to know my sprout-eating-cat-loving-friend is that, my Chichi is Quasi-Vegetarian She loves all sorts of fruit especially Oranges and mangoes. Try giving yours some.

Foods to avoid:

Chocolate - it's bad for them

Onions, grapes and raisins - something in the skin of these damages their kidney or liver (i don't remember which one but your dog shouldn't eat them)

Good luck and get your dog a den.

-Ozy

[Ijustwannateach]

As a note of amusing historical interest, it appears that the Chihuahua was used at alternate times as religious totem for various civilisations in Central American (much like cats in Egypt, they were buried with bodies to join them in the afterlife) and as a food source for the Aztecs and even later the Spanish (they were frequently a bit low on animal protein)....

[chuchok]

The basis of your query is flawed IMO, A Chihuahua is not technically a dog. Be that as it may, I feel aeven a real dog would be at a distinct disadvantage in your household.

Here's what you do. Get yourself a Pointer (see picture). It will give the Chihuahua a role model to emulate and teach your cat to give grudging respect to it's betters

Cats have no betters.They look down on everybody,which is why I like them.Dogs need masters,which is why so many peop[le like being the boss to their pets.

In the immortal words of Garfield,"the answer is simple.simply shoot the dog."

[endure]

I've never understood the fascination with cats. Why would I want to share a home with something that's smarter than me?

[sbk]

I had similar issues between my dogs. The new dog got more attention and love (being smaller, cuter and new, of course) and the older dogs were jealous and felt their position was being threatened by the dog.

I suspect your cat is feeling threatened, most likely because her place has been possessed by this new creature. Cuddling the dog more than the cat will not help matters and only increase her jealousy. I do not see this as a "cat is queen" issue but rather a hierarchical issue. Feed the cat first, pet the cat first when coming home, do not pay more attention to the dog than the cat and you may find your problems easing. After all, she was there first, and should be acknowledged by not only the dog as the first in order but by you as well.

Bina, I have had both cat and dogs at the same time and the cat was treated as seperate but superior. She was there first and was most clearly the boss of the dogs. She didn't have a bad temper, fortunately, so she never hurt the dogs but she most definitely taught the dogs their place in the house and I made sure to not favor one of the dogs over her.

[Sheryl]

Thanks for the tips, Ozy, I will definitely try the pamigna cheese trick. I have figured out that his problem is that he wants only completely fresh food, that is why he'll eat a newly opened can or packet but not again at the next meal.

Bina...thanks for the thoughts, but believe me, there are no "boot camp" approaches that work on cats. Cats simply do not operate that way, and as far as putting her in her place goes, she's already there...as Top Being in the household. This is simply the way cats are, and one either likes it or does better not to have a cat. I happen to like it, but I also happen to have a pressing security problem which requires a dog.

I have kept them as separate as I can, but there is no getting around the fact that the cat was here first and no matter where I put the dog, it is somewhere that until now belonged to the cat. The dog has a den -- the garden shed -- but the cat will barge into it and I can't make it so that he can get in and out but she can't as they are about the same size.

The only way I can keep them separated is to have one inside when the other is outside and alternate thereby, which is what I am doing but it is a real hassle, especially when I need to go in and out frequently. The cat keeps trying to get to wherever the dog is, and the dog unfortunately does not cooperate in my efforts to keep the cat away from him, on contrary he keeps approaching her, tail wagging, I guess in an effort to make friends ??? And each approach ends either in a trouncing and pained yelps or in my intervening, depending on whether I get there in time to stop the cat.

As anyone who knows cats well will testify, punishing cats (water spray etc) at best gets them to refrain from doing what you don't want when you are there, it never gets them to refrain when you are not there. ..unlike dogs. And it often affects the human-cat relationship for the worse. I know cats very well, had them all my life, and I understand exactly where the cat is coming from. The dog has invaded her territory...territory she has ruled for many years and territory from which she has successfully repelled tougher rivals than he from in the past. I do pet and feed the cat first, and more than the dog, but there is still no getting around the fact that before there was only her and now there is another pet being fed and petted, and this rankles. Plus there is just the innate cat objection to dogs as creatures they would rather not have around.

It's the dog I am not so sure of, having no experience of dogs. I assume he doesn't bark at or assert himself with the cat becuase he perceives that she is an approved member of the household? So he keeps trying to make friends or appease?? But this will never work. The cat is only going to stop attacking if she perceives him to be potentially dangerous, and he otherwise keeps his distance. This cat has successfully lived with a dog in the past when she stayed for some months with friends, but (1) in that case the dog was in that terriroty before she canme and (2) it was a large dog who was willing to give due deference and keep his distance, but would defend himself against attack with a few loud barks which was all it took to persuade her to stalk off in a huff rather than attacking. I also know from observing her with other cats that although she will come on very tough and intimidating she is quick to back off if the object of intimidation fights back.

Well anyhow..if anyone has additional insights on how I might get the dog to take a stand, I'm all ears...otherwise I guess I just carry on as is, tryingto keep them apart as much as possible, and hope it improves with time. Dog has only been here for a week and a half, and from what Bina says it needs a lot longer for him to feel comfortable, maybe when he does he'll be braver with the cat??

If worse comes to worse I'll give the dog back to his original owners but prefer not to as (1) he was in danger of their neighbors eating him (the owners are Cambodian and love him dearly, but neighbors are Vietnamese and have tried to catch and consume him) and (2) I really do need a watch dog. Despite his small size and timidity with the cat, he does do a good job of sounding the alarm whenever a stranger comes near the house.

[elfe]

poor doggie.... as it seems he is well tempered and friendly, not a cat chaser. so with a settled and selfconcious cat as yours he's having a hard time. as someone mentioned before, i would make or buy him a new den in the house which is only his place and where he can stay to feel safe, maybe then he would defend it against the cat. it's on you now, lots of seperating and taking care... time will smooth things a bit, but of course they will never be friends, hopefully the cat will ignore him after a while and he will give up trying to make friends with her or seeking contact with her. a good advice was from lannarebirth, get a bigger dog who would support the small thing, but this is not feasable as you don't want to and would even mean more work and taking care, at least in the first months...

if you feel the dog is suffering too much and his eyes are in danger of the cat it would be better to give it to a new home, not the one where he came from of course. chihuahuas should be easy to rehome though...

good luck - in any case!

[Nienke]

Hi Sheryl,

Went through my books, but from what I've read prognoses isn't good. However, before jumping to conclusions, would you mind if I send your case to some of my Dog and/or Cat behaviorist friends, and look what they have to say?

Further, before deciding to send the Chi back to his original owners, Pianoman might be another option. From your thread "Chihuahua care":

<quote>A bit off topic, but I would love to find out a place / breeder in Thailand where I can obtain a older pup or young adult dog... I have owned several of the breed over the past 30 years and always found them to be the perfect House Dog...

I am a bit hesitant to just go to the Weekend Market and purchase one for fear of it coming from a Puppy Mill and lacking in proper breeding, so suggestion would be greatly appreciated...

Oh, I live in Kalasin (Issan) but willing to travel to find a proper "New Freind"...

Pianoman <unquote>

Nienke

[Sheryl]

ienke,

Yes by all means ask anyone you think can help. The cat is a spayed female 7 years old. The dog is a recently neutered male of unknown age, in case they ask.

I am attempting to create separate places/dens for the dogs but neither he nor the cat are cooperating, i.e. he doesn't stay in nor defend these spots and cat doesn't respect them as his. He (dog) seems to want to be wherever I am and the cat wants to be wherever he is (for purposes of driving him away).

Food is a non issue, neither he nor the cat care at all about whether the other eats from their dish etc. In past experience with this cat (abortive attempt to allow in stray cats twice), she never cares about her food or litter box being shared, she just won't accept a rival on her territory or with her human. (I mention this because the experts always talk about it...but definitely sharing food is not an issue for either of them)

[elfe]

if it was my place, i would seperate them like only letting the cat into the bedroom and leave windo open there for her. the dog can stay anywhere in the house with me. when going out of the house in the garden i would accompany him or help when seeing him having trouble with the cat. that's less nerving for anyone of you. if you would lock your kitty away from some rooms as to speak...

[bina]

it never gets them to refrain when you are not there. ..unlike dogs

sheryl, that doesnt work with dogs either as i said, they associate seeing the bottle with the not doing...

i'm definately not a cat person... but im with nienke on this one... and hierarchy=territory when dealing with the cats (not all of them but most)...

u might have to find a different alarm system then a chiuahua.

also unless u are really attached to the dog, its kind of a shame to put in so much energy and time to find that it still doesnt work out cause u dont really enjoy him that much. (not questioning that u are worried about the dog but a person needs a certain amount of real caring for the particular animal to put up with and deal with a few months of problems. i am speaking from experience when introducing any animal to anywhere, i gave up a male donkey after one month of problems in our harem since we really didnt like him enough to spend the amount of time and energy needed with him, and were unwilling to keep working with him to smooth out a behavioral problem. we found a better place for him and they really enjoy him now. so it worked out for the best.)

at the moment dealing with the lhasa in a similar situation. i happen to really like him as he is a little clown, but the first few weeks were awful: fur/saliva/growling/chairs knocked over, and complaining downstairs neighbhors (they thought the boxer was trying to kill him when actually it was the other way around)... but i was willing to put up with a lot of bother to work every spare moment with him and the boxer (not easy in high season zoo work).

either way, good luck and dont let him go back to the stew pot...

bina

[Naam]

I am an avid cat lover and fully agree that they are superior beings far above dogs, or for that matter people, in rank, and I have no problem at all with my cat being the Big Boss around the house.

when was the last time you saw a shrink?

[Sheryl]

Cat lovers can neither be reasoned with nor cured.

[Sheryl]

Aside from his problems with the cat the dog seems to be settling in well. Only shakes now after attacks by the cat or during thunderstorms (during which the cat also shakes!). Otherwise seems happy here and is doing a good job as guard dog. Cat is definitely not happy, though.

Despite seeming more at home the dog still fails to defend himself against the cat. I notice that she always gives warning first, growling and hissing. If he would bark or growl back there's a good chance she'd just stalk off in a huff. Or if he ran away, she might also be content with that. Problem is he does neither...just stays where he is, or even tries to approach the cat in a friendly manner...which from a cat's point of view is a provocation to attack.

The cat has had some experience living with dogs, but as far as is known the dog has no prior experience living with cats.

I'm going away for a week during which time I have a house/cat/dog sitter who is by nature a dog person...so we'll see if and how that plus another week of time affect the situation....

[ozymandious]

I have no idea if this will work , if it's true or only an old wives's tale. Maybe i heard it on TV once. Maybe other TV users can tell us if this idea will bust or not.

The premises behind this idea is that there are 2 cats who don't get along the owner covers both of them in tuna oil (from the can) and locks them both in a shower/bathroom. they end up licking it up off of each other and make friends in the process.

I don't know how realistic the above senerio is, or if there's a messy clean up. but what if we covered the Chichi in tuna oil and locked him in the bathroom with the cat?

?think it will work? any comments out there?

and please keep the eating/cooking oil/chichi jokes to a minimum.

[raro]

Cat lovers can neither be reasoned with nor cured.

how true!

We always had cats and when we added a dog, one of the cats had a new source of fun:

1) annoy the dog

2) run away, dog follows

3) stop and turn around in a sudden

4) scratch the dog accross the nose

worked perfectly each time...stupid doggie....

[Sheryl]

Cat lovers can neither be reasoned with nor cured.

how true!

We always had cats and when we added a dog, one of the cats had a new source of fun:

1) annoy the dog

2) run away, dog follows

3) stop and turn around in a sudden

4) scratch the dog accross the nose

worked perfectly each time...stupid doggie....

What finally happened? Or do I take it you know have a dog with a heavily scarred nose???

Unfortunately my cat is not enjoying this at all...in between confrontations she is the puicture of dejection and depression, and very angry at me.

And the dog -- perhaps because he's so small -- is incurring actuial opubncture wounds on the body, not merely scratches on the nose...

Ozy: thnaks for sharing that, but my cat is a very picky eater who wouldn't take tuna oil in any form let alone on a dog...and even her favorite food on a dog wouldn't appeal. Actually as she's gotten older (she's 7-8 years now) her enthusiasm for her favorite foods is much diminished and I often have to coax her to eat them.

[Sheryl]

Update:

Time and the weather have both helped render things somewhat improved.

Time: the cat still loathes the dog (understatement) and attacks when she can, but the dog has finally learned to run away when she gives warning and has also gotten over his jitters so that when she does attack he's rattled for only a brief time...and is otherwise now quite happy and seemingly secure living here. He and I are getting used to each other, too. So although cat-dog relations are still a problem I'm no longer so worried about the dog, it's more just a hassle for me.

Weather: with the rain, the cat doesn't want to go outside much (she is an indoor/outdoor cat who has always had full run of the house and yard to herself). So it is fairly workable to have the cat inside and the dog outside (there is a good sized garden shed the dog can go into to get out of the rain). When the weather is clear and the cat wants to go out, I still have to work a switch without letting the two meet, but mostly she just stays in.

And I am trying to apply behavior modification as several have suggested, although to be honest both the cat and, as it turns out, the dog, are far more successful in behaviorally modifying me than I am them. The little Chihuahua is proving to be quite a prima dona in his own right and a skilled manipulator. (And the world's pickiest eater, but that's neither here nor there).

One thing I have learned is to stop talking to the dog in the same voice I use for the cat as it drives her wild with jealousy and she can hear it a mile away. Like many cat lovers I talk to my cat in a high pitched baby-talk sort of voice, which she likes (cats respond best to high pitched tones) and which she understands to indicate affection. Instinctively I was using it with the dog too, and it drove the cat crazy. I found that if I just use a normal voice with the dog it doesn't have this effect on the cat and it seems all the same to the dog (maybe dogs don't have the same reaction to high and low voices that cats do?).

[bina]

dogs perfer conversational sounds although goopy gooey is good for accenting good behavior.

high pitched sounds make dogs hyped up for the most part; low and soothing is best, or regular conversations. watch your dogs ears and face when u speak with him. he will tilt his head, and swivel ears up down sideways as u speak. loud forceful bursts are for when reprimanding. (words dont matter as much although they do understand words. my son speaks gibberish./hip hop on purpose with both our dogs and they love it.)

see, like we said: the dog needed about a month to feel 'himself'. watch out, in a few months he may start actively instigating things with the cat (the 'teenager' phase of dogdom, when they want to test out new house/rules/people).

good going

bina

[Sheryl]

Thanks Bina, that's good to know.

Amazing how very different dogs and cats are. Cats associate low tones with aggression and hostility, which is one reason why they tend to prefer human women to men....and they love the "goopy gooey" high pitched tone women instinctively use with babies (and often their cats!). So I'll just have to train myself to reserve that for the cat and speak in a normal tone to the dog.

I do hope the "teenager" phase doesn't hit, tho.....

Separate but related matter: does anyone know where in Bkk I might but a small ready made doghouse? Right now he uses the garden shed when he needs to get out of the rain or otherwise just wants to be indoors, but my long-term plan is to try to get them to the point they can be outside at the same time by sort of dividing the territory so that dog stays in front yard while cat has the back (which is where she mostly goes anyhow) , but unfortunately the garden shed is in the back yard so I can't try this until I am able to provide shelter for the dog in the front yard.

BTW Kadan (the dog) is proving a most acceptable watch dog. What I especially like is that he only barks at strange people coming, not at every passing critter (birds, snakes, lizards etc of which there are innumerable) so I'm not bothered by a lot of barking yet have the security of knowing he'll alert me if anyone is about to enter the property.

[Mossfinn]

the dog, are far more successful in behaviorally modifying me than I am them. The little Chihuahua is proving to be quite a prima dona in his own right and a skilled manipulator. (And the world's pickiest eater, but that's neither here nor there).

You got that all about right.

Our Chihuahua's just about get away with anything, and when they go outside, will just sit on a step and let out the occasional yelp just to let you know they want to come back in again.

Thanks for the update

Moss

[MTW]

Hi Sheryl, just a small word of advise since you say you are not a dog person, and mentioned the cat and dog eating from the same food dishes. Cats require a higher protein in their diet than dogs do. Therefore, assuming the cat food is of decent quality, dogs are always more attracted to it then they will be to their own dog food. (Also the reason why they like to eat cat poo.)

A diet too high in protein will not be a benefit to your dog in the long run. So you should keep the cat's food somewhere the dog will not get it, as well as the cat box, if you have one. Usually the only place a dog can't get is somewhere high like a dinning room table, countertop or something, which isn't very fun.

I had a great cat, a male DLH, who I got from a shelter when he was about 5 months. I tested his reaction to dogs though, before I chose him. He lived with me for 12 years and now lives in my former vet clinic because I was worried about the transition to Thailand, since he is declawed. He lived with up to 8 dogs at a time. Sometimes more, on a temp basis, and he loved dogs. He played like crazy with them. He took a huge interest in a litter of lab puppies that were motherless and stayed with me until old enough to be adopted. He would sleep on their crate at night, and happily let them all bury him on the sofa, attacking him in play, and sleeping for hours with all of them huddled on top. He also liked to play with two ferrets I had for a while. He never hurt any of his fellow housemates, but did kill some birds and a rat one time, leaving them neatly at my doorstep for my later enjoyment.

I hope it works out for you, and them.