Help Dog Attacking Cat

Irishlife

Irishlife

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My friend is in hospital and it could be for a long time. I have taken in a golden cocker spaniel of hers who she had only owned for a week. He is 3 years old a bit spoiled not that well trained but a nice chap who doesn't touch things in the house but will launch himself onto sofas and beds etc.

The only problem is I have a little kitten cat not quite adult yet but quite feisty and able to defend herself. The spaniel has attacked her again today this time badly and I did not think I was going to be able to separate them.

It is only day 2 and I am frazzled keeping them apart. There is nobody else to take the dog and I do not have the time to try and retrain him. Any tips for getting him to leave the cat alone as It is inevitable they will come across each other in the house even though I will be keeping them separate.

Also our little Jackahuahua puppy is arriving this weekend and I am dreading it with this spaniel

Nice bones for all your dogs............
 
Well done for taking him in :)

Not sure what advice I can offer, I'm very much not an expert! Could you distract him with a sharp noise? Such as a hand clap, an "ah ah", squeaky ball etc.

And we must have jackahuahua pics when he arrives :D
 
Mine can't be left with the cat, and he's been here around 5 months :rolleyes: He doesn't go for her, but will try desperately to make friends, and then tell her off vocally and at length when she gives him a bad tempered slap across the nose (in all fairness, she is heading on 18, she's entitled to be grumpy).

Only advice I can offer is to distract/tell off when he approaches the cat as Rana suggested. If he ignores you move him away for a few minutes. And when you leave the house arrange doors/windows in such a way that they can't meet and wind each other up. I wouldn't try to keep them apart as long as you're there to supervise though, or you waste the opportunity for them to get used to each other/correct unwanted behaviour.
 
I have 5 dogs and 3 cats- all dogs even the confirmed cat chasing, chicken killing dog had the rules laid out simply for them from day one

NO DOG CHASES CATS IN MY HOUSE!! :D
I now have 5 dogs from ages 10 years to 18weeks know that the chasing,growlin at /barking at cats is strictly prohibited!
My youngest cat is about 8 weeks old- a rescue and was never alone with the dogs until I knew she was safe to be so.
And I do trust my dogs- I just dont think its fair to set them up for a fail so made sure I was around when they were mixing.
My cats are all comfortable with the the dogs and as such dont run when neighbors dog comes a calling...a safer option as a running cat is a red rag to some dogs!!;)
 
I'd either get a crate or the minute he shows inappropriate interest in the cat, out of the room, quick calm, no fuss, just out, let back in, in a few minutes. Repeat for as long as the dog takes to 'get it'.

You can also try and attract the dog away with a toy or food but not if his chase drive is high.
You could also keep him on a line in the house (without a loop on the end, get a cheapo lead and cut the end off) and physically pull him away.

Or, as suggested, if he reacts to noise, very sharp NO or LEAVE IT or AH AH.
Please use your biggest, baddest, deepest voice, IE, you're in for it if you don't listen to me (not suggesting violence, just mean what you say).
There are blokes at our club who positively ask their dogs, would you mind not coming out of that downstay - DOWN means DOWN, so when you say NO, or LEAVE IT, say it with real conviction, yeah, it may give him a shock but it is better than the alternative.
 
Try half filling a small plastic with stones and shake this loudly at it every time it looks at the cat with a sharp no! Stopped ours straight away!
 
If its any consolation, we rehomed a year old lab six weeks ago that was totally nuts and sounds quite similar (although never got hold of the cat, but chased her around and barked). He has very quickly calmed down, and could be described as almost well behaved now and again! He just needed exercise, and lots of it... Our dog had already had three homes before us, along with a rescue kennel just before we got him - he just needed to feel like he knew where he lived, and what the ground rules were.. The other night he was asleep on the settee, and the cat got on him and curled up, and he didn't bat an eyelid! The dog that you are talking about is probably totally confused as to who it is living with.. Well done you on helping your friend. I'm sure he will settle down soon. Hang in there.
 
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