Cat Training Your Dog
By Renee McCartin
Disclaimer: THI S IS NOT FOOL PROOF! I do not guarantee in any way shape or manner that your cat unsafe dog can be fixed. This is how I work with dogs. Use at your own risk
Yes, you can have Sighthounds AND cats (or small dogs), it just takes a bit of work and a whole lot of patience! AND common sense.
A note before you go any further. No
dog is 100% cat safe. Things happen, cats act strange one day causes dog to
attack, cat is sick, same thing, you just never know.
Know your dog, watch out for your cat and know that accidents can still happen
unless you keep them separated. This article should not give you false hope of
no problems ever happening, but hopefully will help guide you in properly
bringing in a new dog and having some harmony at Home.
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If you are getting a Rescue, ask them to cat test the dog in question before ever bringing him Home. This isn't always fool proof, but it weeds out most of the untrainables who have nothing more on their mind than a cat sandwich. Have patience, there may not be one available right now, but don't endanger your small four legged kids at Home by bringing in an animal that could be dangerous to them.
If getting a puppy, I strongly recommend getting one from a Breeder who has cats. This allows early socialization with Felines, and will help teach the pup that cats aren't to be chased and they have pointy things on their feet. Yes, you can get a puppy from a Breeder without cats or small dogs, and have them grow up fine, but if you've never dealt with training a puppy to ignore cats/small dogs, it stacks the odds in your favor to find a Breeder who has the same situation as you do.
In the early 90's, I did Greyhound rescue, fostered over 30 dogs, and in that time I found there were basically four levels of prey drive.
1. None. My Foundation Bitch's daughter Nakita is one of these. She
had absolutely, positively, NO prey drive. She would've been a
failure as a hunting dog and would lay out in the yard with the
barncats, sun bathing, occasionally watching her yardmate chase the
deer across the property.
2. Some interest, but not much. A "Oh, what's that? Oh, it's just
the cat. Oh look, a bone."
3. More interest, very alert. A dog like this may takes a little
time to lose attention with the cat, but it's just more than likely
interest than anything. They eventually 'calm' down, and only become
interested again if the cat is doing the Kitty 400 around the house.
4. The Din Din Level! I've found these dogs just about impossible to
rehab. They usually will sight a cat/small dog, and are on their top
toes, ears up/out, may salivate, tremble, and will pay attention to
nothing else but the cat if it's in sight. A dog like this will
attempt to chase the cat if the feline flees its sight. I would
never, ever bring a dog like this into a Home with small dogs or
cats.
This is how I integrate dogs into my household. It's not the only
way, it's not the fool proof way, but it's the way that I learned
with the Greyhounds, and the way I recommend to my puppy buyers
The first three are workable. What you need is
a. a muzzle. I prefer the racing muzzle, not wire muzzles. (You can
forgo this with a puppy)
b. a 6 ft leash
c. multiple babygates-they now make great baby gates that have a
door at the bottom a cat can get thru!
d. a safe haven or three for the cat
e. patience (And a LOT of it)
f. crate
g. goodies, and lots of them.
Adult Dogs:
If possible, attempt to cat test your prospective dog BEFORE you
decide to finalize the Home arrangements.
Pick a room, any room. This is the cat(s) safe haven. In other
words, no dogs are allowed in here. Put food, the cat box, etc in
the room. I try to have multiple cat safe rooms, including the
computer room (where we spend most of our time), where if the cat is
afraid of the dog, or apprehensive, he can still get people time
without dealing with the dog.
Block the room(s) with babygates. An important note about babygates.
Put them so the cat can go UNDER the gate. If the cat is running and
the dog is in hot pursuit, it's much safer for the cat to scoot
under the gate, then jump on top and be face level with the dog.
Yes, it's more inconvenient for us humans when stepping over the
gate, but in the long run, you may appreciate it.
The day you plan on bringing your new dog into the household, set
your cat up, safely enclosed in a crate, in a room. Let the dog in
the room, but don't pay undue attention to the cat. Just sit and
watch, call the dog to you, make sure you have those goodies always
available so when he turns his attention to you, and ignores the
cat, he gets a great snack, and lots of praise, and I do mean LOTS
OF PRAISE.
For the first week, I do it this way, or vice versa (dog in crate,
cat loose). If the dog ever shows interest in whatever the cat does,
I call the dog's name, and when he turns his attention away, lots of
praise, lots of goodies. This allows the dog and cat to get used to
each other, slowly, but safely. If the dog is in the crate, pick up
the cat, and sit in front of the crate, petting the cat, talking to
the dog. Yes, they don't understand words, but you're helping him
realize the cat is yours, not a toy.
Week two or three(or even four, take it slow, do not rush things).
Set up whichever room you are occupying with baby gates put up as
explained above and then muzzle the dog, and leash him/her. If the
dog is a third level prospect, I'd tie the leash to your waist as
you're moving around the house, always gating the dog in the same
room as you. If he shows undue attention to the cat, do something to
catch his attention (Depending on intensity of stare, anything from
his name, to a whistle, to a sharp tug on the leash). Remember to
always praise, and to always give treats. You're teaching the dog it
pays big time to ignore the cat. When the dog starts to ignore the
cat more and more(I'd say week 3-4) as your smaller companion moves
around the house, you can drop the leash (keep it on, allowing you
easier access to the dog if he lunges at the cat), and leave the
muzzle on.
If at anytime, the dog chases the cat, and calls off the cat easily,
lots and lots of praise, and let him win the jackpot (the best,
tastiest goodies in the house!). If, on the other hand, you have to
catch that leash, let him meet god. God in my house usually involves
a lot of screaming, yelling, noise making. (Pots being slammed,
crates being slammed, etc), and then crate time.
Keep working at it, but always make sure there's an escape route for
the cats.
Remember, this will not happen over night with most dogs, and it make take
you a month to two months or more to get them 'cat safe'. If you
have small children in the house, make sure the cat is safely locked
away if the dog is loose, and if the dog is up and the cat is loose,
make sure there's a clip on the crate door to keep little ones from
accidentally opening the crate.
Hints:
1) Feed the dog in the crate. If you have nosey cats like mine who
think they have to eat with their 'big sibs', it keeps accidents
from happening over food.
2) Never, EVER leave a dog that is a level 3 or above alone,
uncrated, with a cat. I have a Greyhound who borders between 2 & 3,
and she is never left loose with the cats. She is either crated, or
in the bedroom with the door locked.
3) It is in the cats best interest to not leave multiple dogs loose
unsupervised. For the safety of all involved, if I'm not Home, the
dogs are outside in their yard, or in their own room. I have a few I
trust unsupervised with the cats, ALONE, but never together.
4) Never carry a cat/small animal around in your arms with a gamey
unmuzzled dog. Accident waiting to happen.
5)No matter what, I would never trust a Sighthound outside with a
cat. Yes, some such as Nakita are safe, but I'd rather be safe than
sorry. If your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, you can not expect your
dog to know any different and many many household pets end up dead
at the jaws of a dog who in the house, would snuggle with them but
outside the prey drive kicked in.
Puppies
If your puppy has grown up with cats, it knows to respect those
claws and should fit into your household easily. Again, follow the
above hints. Even my Obie, who's nursemaid when he was sick at 4.5
wks old was Mama Cleo, our calico, would probably have killed a cat
if he had found it outdoors.
Do not allow your puppy to chase or mawl the cat. You should use
basically the same technique listed above, call his name, and
deliver lots of praise, and goodies/toys when he comes. If you have
to, use the long leash, for a quick reprimand if he won't listen.
Hopefully, you'll have one cat who won't take a snotty puppy well,
and a quick one-two punch across the nose will stop any further
investigation.
Final words: Don't let your guard down, just because he ignores him
as soon as he walked through the door doesn't mean he's totally
cat/small animal safe. Watch how he evolves over the first week,
using crate, leash, and diligence at all times. Patience, do not
push, do not take shortcuts, or it could result in a dead cat/small
dog.
And Remember: A responsible & Ethical rescue group or Breeder will
understand if the dog doesn't work out because of prey drive issues,
and will WILLINGLY take the dog back at any time, no questions
asked. Just make sure you do the introduction responsibly and
slowly, giving both parties involved the best chance to get along
harmoniously.
More photos of my dogs with my cats
Cleo & Obie
Cleo & Obie Pt 2
This site is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Schatzi, Obie, Sushi, Cleo & all my other loved ones waiting patiently for me at the Rainbow Bridge