Hi
I don't want want anything about huskies and cats iv looked it all up anyway.

However what I would please like is some training ideas I can do to get my 1 year old husky used to our new kitten.
So far I gave been keeping him restrained or the kitten in a little pen (supervised) and when he's staring at her I will try call his attention.. click and a treat when he looks at me.
Any suggestions welcome.

I have done my research before anyone comes out with that

I brought Zhukov into our house when he was a puppy and we already had Colby and 2 cats.  As a pup, he would stare at, and follow the cats, but really showed no real interest in them other than that.

How is Zoe acting with the kitten?  Is he staring at the kitten like it is a chew toy or meal?  Or, is he just trying to figure out what this new ball of fluff is?  I feel like you are on the right track, but maybe some more info will help us understand what is going on there.  

I hope it all works out for you, Zhukov loved our cat Amy and chases Lilly through the house.  He never roughhouses with the cats like he does with Colby.  Just "hoots" at them and will try to get them to play with him.

I honestly think he's staring at her trying to figure out what's going on.. when she's playing I can see he wants to play but obviously not letting him run at her, she's tiny!
We have let him get close and have a sniff but she's the one who starts hissing. He is a really playful dog.

The dogs zeus I'm zoe lol done that the wrong way round.
I can't seem to add a photo off my phone but iv set up the front room so the kitten has this corner with a tall gate that she can't get out of at the moment. And I'm taking it in turns. For a bit I will keep zeus at the room completely so she has free run.. I'll have zeus in on his lead and the kitten running about.. then I will put the kitten in her little area and let zeus have free run.
Only when my partner is here will I have both of them free.. usually with me holding the kitten

A strong word of caution here - I had a young adult husky, got a kitten, husky got the kitten. I would not let down your guard one little bit.

I know. I am. I'm doing my best. The dog is very clingy anyway, leaves the room at the same time.. he has a crate for when we go to bed and leave the house.. which is also on the other side of a door.

My first reaction is a tease ... if you've done your research, what are you asking questions for?? << okay, shoot me >>

I have three adult Huskies ... over the summer I added two 8-10 week old kittens. I now have 5 animals who wander at will around my house - lucky? Maybe ...

When I brought the kittens home they were kept in a room to them selves - beyond two gates to keep the dogs out of that part of my trailer. (Typical housetrailer, from north to south, bedroom -> Living room -> kitchen -> store room -> bedroom) The gates are between the the kitchen and the store room and between the store room and the back bedroom. I left the kittens, initially behind the gate with cardboard so they couldn't get through the gate. After a couple of weeks they became more curious and I removed the cardboard. There's a door off the storeroom that I use mostly when Sasha wants out, so she and the kittens knew about each other. When I removed the cardboard that meant that the kittens *could* wander at will ... but they stopped at the gate between the kitchen and store room - not too dumb. They've gradually wandered into the living room and the dogs could really care less about them. I've even seen on cat pick up some food that Sasha's dropped and Sasha just looked at him ...

I like the way this very slow introduction worked for all of us. I hear a hiss every once in a while; but all the cats have to do is raise a paw and the dogs all back off. The cats run and the dogs chase them - the cat stops and the dogs stop ... weird? Well, maybe but they all know that we're part of the household - so it works.

That said, I would still be very careful with the introduction - and it sounds like you are. While I got lucky, I've heard of people who've had dogs and cats for years and the dog just decides one day that he's had enough. I don't understand that but I've seen it enough that I am aware of where my animals are and what they're doing. The gates are still up, the cats can get on the back of the couch and beyond the gates so they have safe places ...

So there's not much more except what I'm doing really? A gate on the front room door might work here when she gets a bit bigger.. zeus usually doesn't bother wanting to come and sit with me in here when my boyfriend isn't here but the last 2 days he's never wanted to come and be in here more..

Zoe, I think you're doing the best you can as you describe it but Marks questions is legitimate - how's Zeus with the kitten? I'd expect curiosity and I'd expect a desire to play. The kitten's hissing and I presume threatening with claws - that's good, means the kitten isn't overly intimidated by the big brute.

The best you can do is to eventually let them interact - when the kitten's big enough that his claws mean something to Zeus. Watch them now to see whether Zeus is seeing the kitten as a playmate or a treat. If Zeus is simply curious then, to me, that's a good sign but you always want the cat to have a way out - something high or behind a gate that it can get to that Zeus can't.

I did answer. He sits there and stares.. and to me it looks like he does when he sees other dogs and he just wants to play
IF I let him get close when I'm holding the kitten he sniffs but she doesn't like that so hisses so I move him away.
At the moment she's sleeping in her gated area and he's sleeping next to it.

Oh I am sorry Zoe! I thought that was a weird name to give to a male dog, LOL!!! So, if Zeus is just checking the kitten out, and the kitten is doing what cats do, hissing and arched back, I would probably let them "socialize" under some close supervision. See what happens. Trust me, as a puppy, Zhukov learned REAL quick when to leave the dang cats alone. After a while, the cats learned that he was just a big ole dummy who needed a swat every once in a while to remind him that they rule the house and the rest of us are only tolerated.

i wouldn't mind it if she did swipe at him, but i was too concerned that if she did he would properly go for her, especially at the size.
I have to make it work, my boyfriend is a dog person, it turns out I'm not, so the cat is mine, and she will fit in.

I kinda understand. I love both dogs and cats but I've had cats my whole life and it feels like I'm missing something without them. Especially a lack of warmth on dead legs  

Huskies are prey driven but don't let people tell you that they can't live with cats because its not fact. Its all down to the individual case.

It often depends on your husky's nature. Our husky is very energetic and a bit boisterous but extremely friendly and kind. You said yours is quite friendly. Has he been around cats before?

After having our husky meet and stay with cats in another household we knew it was safe to get a kitten.

From our experience. We let the kitten settle first (comes out on its own, starts exploring and willing to be held). THEN we let our husky sniff him. One person sitting with the kitten, the other holding our husky by the collar just as a precaution that he isn't rough with his snout. But equally make sure your husky doesn't get hurt as they have sensitive snouts.  
And we let our husky do that til he got bored, our husky is very responsive so after a few sessions like that we let them both be on the floor and he didn't do more than sniffing and watching. If our cat tried to swipe he never took it personally and didn't get worked up. But we told him to go lie down so the kitten didn't feel threatened. We told our husky to just leave the kitten while he was on the floor until he felt more at home. And when our husky sniffed the kitten he wouldn't mind.

If the kitten starts swiping you should tell your husky to leave her. But you also need to teach your kitten to be gentle. (during playtime with you). Don't worry about hissing, kittens will hiss at cats likewise because they feel threatened.

Now they play together (often instigated by our cat). They're very good brothers and my cat is comfortable sleeping on random spots on the floor and our husky never puts his mouth around our cat when they're playing he just uses the sides of his snout which is quite cute.  

Don't let your husky be protective of his food. And don't let him put his mouth around the kitten, huskies use their mouths like we use our hands and while he may not mean harm he can still cause it. If its not working out do whats best for the kitten.

Remember its possible! I hope they get on well soon.

My boyfriend working away for a few days now but when he's back I will let him sniff close again.. he has his own place to eat anyway

Should I be forcing them to spend time in the same room together or just keep it short?

I wouldn't force it. As I let my cats develop casually everyone (3 dogs, two cats) just accepted each other. Just make sure that kitty has a safe place she can get to if Zeus becomes too "friendly'.

Not seeing any improvement yet. Keep holding her in front of him while zeus is being held.. one time he tried to go for her and we told him off now he won't even look at her if I hold her close.
It wasn't quick though.. he was sniffing her and just opened his mouth

I would not hold kitty in front of her. That's like offering a treat and not letting her have it. My boy Ami is extremely kitty intolerant. However, after 3 years, first me making sure kitty always knew where Ami was (kitty is older cat well-versed in controlling dogs...Ami first dog she has not controlled. SHe hears his dog tags jingle and off she goes before he sees her.)

Three years after getting Ami, he and kitty have reached an uneasy detente. Though they still are not allowed unsupervised in the same space unless outside - trees everywhere for kitty to climb plus, the jingling tags give her warning and she knows to disappear. BUt - now, in the shop (this was before Z'ev became the resident shop member) Kitty can be sitting on the tractor, the stack of extra shingles bundles...on the workbench and Ami can be in the same room, they have on occasion, sniffed noses. BUt - I still have to keep watch because Ami wants to play and kitty...well, Kitty even in her prime would not survive to Ami's play.

I highly recommend that you keep them separate, have structured times where you are sitting with puppy on short leash, doing whatever you do (reading, cooking, computer, tv...) and just allow kitty to be in the room. Be prepared to exercise a strong leash and verbal correction. If you are comfortable AND trained with ecollar, perhaps that may be a used, also. Not as in correct when dog pounces but low level stimulation just at the point the dog recognizes cat is around. KInd of the mother with eyes in back of her head...a stern "eh eh eh" when dog even looks in that direction.

I'd read to hold the kitten there so he can sniff her and get used to that. Yeh we do have times where she just runs around and he's on a lead in the same room. It's not even been a week yet. Every now and then I will try and get his attention and he gets a treat if he looks away from the kitten

You absolutely, number one, have to be able to reliably, consistently, break his focus from that kitten.

I know it's going to be a lot of work but there's no way I'm getting rid of her even if it's annoying always being shut in one room.. just hope it is possible to have them live together. He doesn't seem aggressive near her.. his body language to me anyway doesn't say aggression

I've found clicker training to be a great way to teach my dog anything. Is your dog clicker trained with basic commands other than what you're attempting to do now? The first clicker command is always getting them to focus on you with "watch me" or whatever command you're using. I think breaking your dog's focus the way you are is great. Try taking it to the next level by taking him to PetSmart or Petco where there are a million distractions and getting him to focus. If he knows that no matter what is going on when you give your command, it could make the world of difference if he's gunning for the cat. I would also make sure the "leave it" command and "drop it" are in your command arsenal just in case. These commands saved our daughter's Guinea Pig when it found it's way into our husky's mouth! I wouldn't force any interaction between your dog and cat but let them figure each other out under your COMPLETE supervision. As for our cat, our husky was very focused on her at first and the cat loved to torture the dog by getting as close as possible but still being out of reach. It took a couple of months and a few scratches on the nose but the husky ultimately saw our cat as part of the family.

The cat is getting a bit more confident.. the other day she was getting closer to him without hissing.. he just sits outside the room she is in all day. I don't think he quite has drop or leave so will work on them as well.