Cat Issue

[MichelleTomeucci]

My four month old, Romeo, was allowed to "chew" on the cat that the breeder has...well he has carried that habit here. He is constanly chasing my two cats, pouncing on them, putting his mouth around their necks and bodies. I'm so afraid that one day he's going to hurt one of them. He's not doing it out of aggression whatsoever...just playing but because he's going to be soooo big I don't want him to accidentally hurt one of them. I have tried everything I can think of to get him to stop.

Any ideas??

Thanks!

[Meatos]

My 4.5mo female is doing the same! It's not out of aggression, but she just plays way too hard. And the cat is the total instigator!

We're working very hard on the LEAVE IT command. I know Scarlett's body language well enough to say LEAVE IT before she even pounces on the cat, and that counts for a lot. Interrupting the behaviour to prevent it from happening is really your best bet.

If she does get the cat, we're also working very hard on the DROP IT command. DROP IT is harder to master, though. I've grabbed her scruff, or put her in her crate for a 30-second time-out. Once, I was so desperate that I actually bent down and bit her on the scruff. It worked wonders! But I don't really want to get into the habit of biting my dog...

Slowly but surely, she is learning to ignore the cat. Constant vigilance is really the key here.

This has been hard for me to figure out, but others will "claim" objects. You can't take the cat away, but command that the dog drop it, thus relinquishing it to your ownership. You then stand over it and "claim" it as yours. This is supposed to deter them from taking what is yours, but so far Scarlett just laughs at me...

[MichelleTomeucci]

Thank you so much for your help.

I have done the exact same things as you lol...guess our dogs just like our little kitties! The only thing I haven't done is the "claiming" it part. I'll have to give that one a try.

Thanks again!

[Meatos]

Ha, they definitely do like the kitties. Scarlett likes Apple so much that she will carry her by the scruff or hind leg all the way through the house!

We're always freaked out, but Apple always comes running back for more. Argh! It's like both pets are secretly plotting against us to make us crazy!

[ROTTI2DAYNE]

Also with the drop it command you could first try training her to do this with her toys, such as ropes and balls, this is what I used to train my male Rott to do this, and now whatever he has in his mouth he will drop on command as long as it is not his kibble or a chicken leg. It is easier to do this with objects you can physically take at this age, than prying his mouth off the cat with the leave it command. Put him in a sit to begin with give him the ball, and while he chewing on it pry the toy out of his mouth with the drop it command, and as soon as you got the object out of his mouth, lots of praise for him relinquishing the object to you, and eventually he will learn to just give instead of possessing the item.

[MyDaneBaby]

I find taking hold of the toy, say drop it & quickly blowing in the nose works well. Definately give treats as soon as he does and tons of praise. Start with toys & then the cat. Of course if he's one of the rare few that grab stuff to get a treat for dropping it, then only keep up the treat portion short term.

[MichelleTomeucci]

Great!

Thank you so much for all of your input! My fingers are crossed that he stops being stubborn with the kitties lol. I know he loves them...just a little too much.

He hasn't started carrying them around yet lol...prob bc they won't let him though!

[Devil Dog]

Perfect solution...spray bottle. Stops them in their tracks.

Dee

[Jakhi]

There's a few things you can do depending on the situation.

1 - give kitty a VERY HIGH (lol) safe place, or a room the dog isn't allowed into. Baby gate the room, of get a little cat door so that only the cat can get in. This way if kitty ever feels harassed she can escape.

2 - lots of leave it/drop it practice!!! Get a toy puppy doesn't like very much, then let them play with it for a few minutes. Go over and offer a treat as a trade, take the toy and give the treat. Here's the sneaky bit, take the toy, rub peanut butter on it, then give it back! This teaches your dog when things go away they come back BETTER! best way to teach drop it ever, esp if the dog is going to be around little kids who can't 'claim' things.

3 - don't worry about it if that cat's ok with it. If kitty is getting upset it's time to stop, but honestly getting swiped a few times might be a good teaching tool. Scarletts mum, in your case I would let them do it. If the cat likes it she's not hurting him. Not to mention that it's unfair to only scold the dog if it's the cat who started it! (I had a friend who did this, it drove me nuts!) Yes danes are big and need to learn boundaries, but I think that as long as the cat is ok with it and has somewhere safe it can go...let them play to an acceptable point.

JMO, and good luck with your pups!

[RustyNail]

Good post Michelle--thanks.

I have a couple of Bengals I've been really worried about. My Dusty will chase them and mouthe them constantly. I have been using the same technique Dee suggested with the spray bottle which stops Dusty in her tracks and lets her know I don't approve. Unfortunately, as with Scarlett's Mum, My kitties are the instigators and seem to enjoy the attention. I don't even consider it realistic to get Dusty to turn down a taunting invitation to play. The kitties have lots of safe-space inaccessible to Dusty and they do tend to stay clear when Dusty is out of control with the "Zoomies" which is when she is most likely to unintentionally harm one of the kitties. Do let me know if you make any progress.

[Devil Dog]

I "know" dogs fairly well but for a long time not cats so much altho I've always had a couple of house cats. Then while working at a cat and dog boarding kennel a gal that worked with me that "knew" cats told me that.. a smart cat knows when a dog will hurt them and avoid those dogs, if they can. Over the years since then I've found this to be mostly true.

Dee

[RustyNail]

Dee;
I agree with you that cats tend to know a viscious dog when they see one--my concern would be for unintentional injury since these dogs are so powerful.

[MichelleTomeucci]

Thanks a lot!

I started out with the spray bottle technique but eventually he just starts laughing at mommy..haha yep you squirted me now let me continue playing with my kitties! lol

He seems to be making a little progress since we first started working with him so my fingers are crossed!

Thanks!

[Titan_87]

My cat is an instigator when it comes to my 9 month old dane. Instead of teaching that he can not play with the cat at all, I taught him that he had to be laying down and on her level. He is not allowed to chase or run up to the cat, but if she's laying on the ground he knows he can "crawl" his way to her on his belly. She loves to play with him and will wrestle right back and when she's done, she gets up and walks away.

[Devil Dog]

Thanks a lot!

I started out with the spray bottle technique but eventually he just starts laughing at mommy..haha yep you squirted me now let me continue playing with my kitties! lol

He seems to be making a little progress since we first started working with him so my fingers are crossed!

Thanks!

Add a little something to the water in the spray bottle..lemon juice or ammonia. Just don't get in his eyes.

Dee