New adopted dog & 2 cats

Question
About 2 weeks ago I adopted a  1 1/2 year old spayed female dog from a  shelter.  They say she is part border collie and part Austrailian cattle dog.  She is on the smaller side though - about up to my knees - 25 lbs.  She has tons of energy and we are working on her jumping on people, nipping, and licking.  But besides that she is a wonderful companion.  I always wanted a dog and we are having so much fun.

The issue is that I also have 2 sister cats that are 2 years old that I've raised since rescuing them. When I brought home the pup, they understandably hissed a bit and ran and hid under the bed.

The cats always slept with me so I made my bedroom their saferoom.   

I use the crate for the dog while I'm out and for sleep because she is a chewer and could get into trouble alone.  We walk in the morning, on my lunchbreak, and when I get home.  

I tried letting the cats out while the dog was crated but the dog just barks and they run and hide.  I tried hanging out with the dog in the bedroom while on her lease but the cats just hide scared and dog would bark and try to chase.  I also tried letting the dog loose in the house with her leash on to grab her quick but chasing occured (friends' advice to let them duke it out).  Poor kitties scared to death, one even pottied.

So tonight I put the dog in her crate for bed in my extra bedroom and shut the door (usually in the living room), still had one cat stuck up on the kitchen cupboards.  I just don't want the dog to think I'm punishing her at night but she would get in trouble out of the crate.  I'm thinking when the cats & dog finally are able to tolerate each other I'll eventually move the crate into my bedroom so we are all together, however cats are still to freaked.

Arg, I know this will all take time, I'm just unsure of what steps to take to make this work for everyone.

I appreciate any wisdom you have to offer.

Answer
Hi Karen;
This fear in the cats may be from a long time ago, before you got them, or it may be just they are old enough, and have not dealt with dogs, so they are just afraid.
I think the Tellington Touch method of animal massage could help you a lot.
I have cured dogs of fear of thunderstorms, aggression, excessive barking etc. You can also get a video to teach you how to masaage cats. There are just different skeletons in different animals, and you have to massage the right muscles and nerves. the videos teach you how to do massages, in the right way and the right place, to accomplish the desired result.
It is great for calming them down, and over coming fears, real or un natural.
I think massaging the cats for a few minutes before you introduce the dog to the same room with them, would make them easy, and calm them. When they see there is no danger, they will develope a closeness with the dog, or at least they will all respect each other's spaces, and get along fine.
Teach the dog "NO!" when she barks at the cats. she is only 'talking to them", but she is scaring them.
I think with the massage, and some training for the dogs, and for the cats ( when they are calm) will turn it into a peaceful family.2 weeks is really not that long for them to get used to each other, but if this is a legitimate fear in the cats, from something that happened a long time ago, it may never resolve itself, without help from you, and I think massage would accomplish it faster than ahything else.
Go to this site, read about what can be accomplished with the massages, and you can order a video to learn to do the massages for cats.   www.lindatellington-jones.com
I would recommend getting the one for dogs too.
In addition to training aids, I have been able to use these massages to releave a lot of pain of arthritis etc in my dogs as they got older, and speed up. post surgery recovery.
I think the money for these videos was the best money i ever spent.
Write if you feel I can help more.
Charlotte