dogs and cats cohabitating

Question
Charlotte,
I have just recently moved in to a new house with my dog, however the roomate I have also moved in with 2 cats, and boy do we have problems. The problem is the CATS, they are constantly hissing and swatting at my dog.The crazy thing is that she just runs away from them! I have previously lived with kittens that my dog absolutly loved, she is a golden retriever,We are wondering if there are any hints to make this transition easier. Or how long this process will take to get these cats to knock it off or if its hopeless.  The house was new to all of us so it wasn't like anyone moved in on someones territory. Please help us  

Answer
Hi Liz;
How recently?
Obviously, the cats are not used to dogs and it will take a little time for them to accept the fact that this dog is not going to hurt them.
The dog running away may give them a false sense of power, but she is handling it the way she thinks is best.
Scold the cats for swatting anf slapping, but don't disipline them for it.
Tell them, "shame on you, ? is not going to hurt you, be a nice kitty." Things like that.
Hold the cat in your lap, securely, so it feels protected, and pet the dog. Talk about what a nice dog she is.
Be sure the cat feels safe, but can't get those little paws in position to slap. Only do this for short periods at a time.
You want to make the cats not swat and be afraid, for just a few minutes, so they can see the dog has no harm to them in mind, and so the cats can see the dog means them no harm.
Then, if it seems like the cats are just on a dictator kick, and are not afraid, but bullying ( it can happen). Cut them off from lovins when hey attack the dog.
We got my youngest daughter a siamese kitten for her 5th birthday.
My German shepherd loved all things living, and only wanted to love the kitten, but that nasty tempered little brat would fly in Lady's face, attacking. Lady would lie down, cover her eyes with her paws, and let the little fool go at her.
After a couple of days, I could see it was not fear, but POWER, so I told the kids, no loving for Yu Phin, unless she was nice to Lady.
She would have at Lady, and then jump up in a child's lap. They would tell her "No, if you want lovins, play with Lady" and put her down.It took about a week, but she came around. she started playing with Lady. she was 8 weeks old, and couldn't do without playing. Then there were rowdy romps between a 100 pound German shepherd, and a 1& 1/2 pound kitten, all through the house. The kids could play with her then, and she was no longer mean to Lady.
Christmas of 2003, my sister died, and she had a little 8 month old kitten she adored. None of her children could take her, as they all had dogs that would not tollerate a cat. So I brought her home to my 4 dogs. For the first few days, she would hiss and slap. Hooked a couple of noses, but they did not even bark at her, they just kept their distance. When she got close enough to a dog for a tongue to smack her, she got licked, GOOD !, and she liked that. Within a week, she was cuddling dogs. she would climb in a bed beside a sleeping dog, and they would cuddle her up to them. She would lie down in the floor, and 4 dogs would lie down like wagon wheel spokes, and she would get smooched and groomed. She had 4 slaves, and she made the most of it, the the extent that you could call her to you, say. let mommy give you some loving, and she would turn up her nose at me, prance over to one of HER dogs, and rub against their face, and they would, of course start loving on her. It was like she was saying to me "I don't need you, I have my OWN dogs". LOL
They spoiled her ROTTEN!
My dogs had never had a cat in the house before ( I am terribly allergic to cats)and the only contact they had ever had with a cat was seeing them pass our yard, on the other side of the fence.
The cat had only seen dogs out the window of my sister's house.
The first few days we had this kitten, I had he in a cage. My husband made a house for her, by putting one of those wire shelves you can get at Hardware stores, (for closets etc. They are covered with white plastic.)  across the opening under my vanith in mt bathroom. there was room at the top, for her to come out id she wanted, but behind her screen, they dogs could not et at her to bite, only sniff. I didn't know how my dogs would react to a cat, and i wasn't goinf to have an anima hurt or traumatized. they would inch up to her cage, and sniff, and she would hiss. It only took a few days before they had communicated enough for her to know they were not going to hurt her, and them to know they were safe from those little needle claws.
If you could make a "Sfe house " something like that for your cats, where they could let the dog come close, and still feel safe, it might speed up the transition.
As long as she just hisses, and swats, and doesn't rake open a nose tip, ot get at the dog's eyes, they will eventually make friends on their own.
The cats have to feel safe and not at risk.
Yu Phin was an exception. That little brat KNEW Lady was not going to hurt her, she was just being nasty.
Fidderent animal species are just wary, until they ecome secure and know they are safe. It isn't that cats and dogs are natural born enemies, they would react that way to a rabbit or anything else, except a hamster, maybe. they would go after a hamster, until they were taught not to. a rodent is on their food chain.
I have had a cat and bird that were best friends, birds and dogs, several cat and dog, birds and cats, etc mixed households. I don't allow any danger to any animal in my house, and they seem to know it is their job to get along.
It may yake a bit longer in your house, the cats outnumber the dogs, so this may e a bit of "us against that dog. let's be boss". But if there is no serious fighting, this should work out ok.
If you can make a "safe house" for the cats to go to, this will add to their security, and they should come around a little sooner.
Charlotte