How do I stop my 9-week-old puppy from barking at my cat?

My 9-week-old puppy keeps barking at my cat, and I think it started because he heard her hiss. Now he won’t stop barking whenever he sees her. We’ve only had him for four days, so he’s not great at listening yet. Any advice on how to get him to calm down?

You need to train your puppy.

The hissing is probably your cat trying to tell the puppy to back off. Dogs and cats need time to learn each other’s signals. I have three dogs and four cats, and it took a while for them to settle in together. Try redirecting your puppy’s attention away from the cat. When he starts focusing on her, call him over or offer a toy or treat. Eventually, he’ll start paying attention to you first. Also, it’s good to watch for early signs that your cat is getting annoyed, like tail flicking, and intervene then. Give it time, and try to keep interactions short and positive right now.

@Jin
Thanks for the advice! I’ll give it a try.

You’re going to need to train the puppy, but keep in mind that this might be an ongoing process. I’ve had my dog for almost a year, and she still has moments with the cats. Try using positive reinforcement when the puppy is calm around the cat. If things escalate, consider separating them and giving the puppy a timeout. Eventually, they’ll start figuring out each other’s boundaries, but it’ll take some patience.

He’s still a baby, but you can start training him to respect the cat. Dogs can pick up on what you say if you’re consistent.

Try checking out r/dogtraining for more advice.

Have you started training the puppy yet?

Vega said:
Have you started training the puppy yet?

That’s what I’m trying to figure out—what should I be focusing on during training?

Blaise said:

Vega said:
Have you started training the puppy yet?

That’s what I’m trying to figure out—what should I be focusing on during training?

Start with teaching him not to bark at the cat and to respect her space.

You’re introducing them too soon. After only four days, they probably shouldn’t have seen each other yet. Check out this video on how to introduce a puppy to a cat: