Dog Community

How can I socialize my dog with cats?

Posted : 1/21/2007 9:30:56 AM

My dog wants to chase cats. I've gotten him to the point where I can get him to "leave" a cat when he's on leash, so at least he's not pulling and whining anymore (squirrels, unfortunately, are another story). But will my dog ever be ok with cats? Is there anything that I can do to help him?

Chase is an extremely well-socialized dog who was exposed to everything (and I do mean everything!) EXCEPT for cats. He's now 2 years old. He is not aggressive when he's chasing cats...it's definitely a prey thing. His eyes get bright, his ears perk up and his body language lets you know that chasing that cat would be about the most fun that a dog could have.

Last summer we went to my parents' house where he promptly chased one of their cats up a tree. Their cats are about one and a half. It was a complete accident...the cats were in the house, we were in the backyard, someone opened the door, and out shot the cat. My parents' cats are smart, self-sufficient little guys who have in and out privileges, and I know that they can take care of themselves, but it was still scary to see my big guy chase one at full speed. If he had caught up, I'm pretty sure he would have gotten a good scratch on the nose...but what if he had hurt her? Is there any way to know whether or not your dog could be a "cat killer"?

My parents love my dog and I love their cats. We would all love for us to be able to spend some time at their house (as it stands, pup stays with the in-laws when we're in town). So is there anything that we can do to help Chase understand that his "aunties" are not to be chased? Of course if we go to their house now, the cats are well-contained in the basement, but it would be unfair to them if we were there for a longer visit. It is, after all, their house. I'd LOVE for Chase and the cats to get along, but I'm not sure it will ever happen.

What would you recommend? Whether or not Chase decides that cats are for loving, not chasing, I'm thinking VERY close supervision of animals to make sure that the dog and the cats are NEVER outside together. Baby gates in the house so that cats can easily get out of the way. Anything else? Or do you think it's too dangerous for us to have Chase at the house for longer stays?

Thanks!

ron2

Posted : 1/21/2007 9:42:21 AM

There's a difference between play chasing and actual prey pursuit. Cats can teach him a lesson. More than likely, he just wants to play. Sometimes, the cat is asking for a fight. But it sounds like your dog is just wanting to play. You can introduce some control by calling a recall in in mid-chase.

random

Posted : 1/21/2007 9:45:19 AM

Thanks for the quick reply, Ron! I agree that Chase wants to play. But does he want to play with the cat as he would a dog, or does he want to play with the cat as he would a stuffie? Seeing as how the second option involves tearing the stuffing out, the whole play thing still makes me nervous. He shows a calm interest in small dogs and would NEVER chase them like that, so he definitely doesn't see a cat in the same way that he sees a cat-sized dog.

His recall is pretty good, but we're not yet at the point where I could call him off a cat at mid-chase.

the_gopher

Posted : 1/21/2007 10:02:25 AM

Are the cats running from Chase first? I only ask because my Mom's dog will chase a cat happily (chase is one of her favorite games), but always because the cats run the second they saw her...so in her doggy mind they were initiating a game! However there was one cool neighboorhood cat who loved dogs. He'd come mosying on up to Nikki and sniff her butt like a dog! Nikki never did anything but sniff back....b/c the cat never ran away.

I suggest continuing on recall. Baby gates and supervision when outside. In the meantime Chase might need to always be on a long lead so you can control him until his recall is better. Also by introducing a phrase like "no chase" or something else to say while you are pulling him off mid persuit (followed by a very yummy treat when he settles down).

Cita

Posted : 1/21/2007 1:29:52 PM

I had similar issues with my dog over Christmas, though fortunately he's a lot smaller. Turns out all he really wanted was to make friends. While at my father's house I kept him on a leash or locked up 24/7. He could approach the cats slowly, on a short leash, and when we got a distance away we would stop and I would distract him with a treat for being calm. Then maybe a couple of steps closer. Stop, treat. Then something totally different - change direction, go outside, play in a different room, anything. Basically I was trying to teach him to give the cats a "safe zone," and I was trying to show the cats that my dog wasn't going to bother them. By the end of a week, my dog could run up to a cat, off-leash, and would stop about 4 feet away. He'd look at the cat, tail wagging, and make some whimpery "play with me!" noises, but he wouldn't violate that "safe space" to harass the cat.

I think gopher makes a very good point, though - if the cats are running when they see your dog, your job will be a lot harder!

random

Posted : 1/21/2007 3:51:34 PM

Thanks for the responses. The cats are definitely running away from the dog. Next time, Chase will be introduced to the cat on-leash, in the house (instead of in the backyard, which never should have happened).