Confusing behavior from our new dog

[Cinder & Smoke]

"New Dogs" and "I was here First Kats" can be a rowdy combination!

My Boots, da Kat (RB ) survived a LOT of new and permanent doggy house mates,
as well as more "visiting dogs" than one cat should ever have had to suffer through.

He always put on his "game face" and did his best to 'show no fear' ...
and I tried to help him out when the 'no fear' attitude failed him.
Our solution for overly 'friendly' or downright aggressive dogs was to tether the
offending mutt to my belt with a 5-6 foot leash at ALL times when the mutt was
inside the "Kat's House". Leash corrections to the dog are always possible;
and the Kat develops a bit of confidence to approach (or tease, if we're being realistic)
the dog without fear of great bodily harm.

It may take some time to knock the rough edges off the dog, but you owe it to the Kat
to restore his confidence to where he can once again stroll around HIS house without
having to constantly look over his shoulder for "That Darn DOG".

[Giselle]

If the dog is indeed fear aggressive, leash corrections will only increase the fear and resulting aggression.

If the dog is naturally timid and shy and rather undersocialized, corrections are not necessary and not recommended. Rather than correcting the dog, find a way to make it a positive experience. It's harder, but it's better in the long run. For example, I could smack my dog every time he peed in the house or I can teach him to sit by the door and ring a bell. I wonder which option would make both of us happier...