how to make a dog and a cat to stop fighting?

[My Dog Brookie]

Hey Guys,
I have a puppy who is almost a year and i also have a 5 year old cat and they don't get along!! The dog lke to chase the cat and the cat does not trust the dog! any advies?
HELP

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by My Dog Brookie

Hey Guys,
I have a puppy who is almost a year and i also have a 5 year old cat and they don't get along!! The dog lke to chase the cat and the cat does not trust the dog! any advies?
HELP

Stop the dog from chasing the cat. Tether him to you whenever the dog and cat are in the same room, and never ever leave them alone unsupervised. Does the cat have a place he can go to get away from the dog? A room that the dog can't go into, some high up perches like a bookshelf or tall cat condo? You will also need to work on your pup's obedience. Here is a good article I think you should read: http://www.labadoption.org/wp-conten....pdf#zoom=100%

[Bina]

I definitely agree that doggie needs some training and obedience work, he is in his teenager years and will do what he wants if he is permitted to. It's up to the owner to take control and make sure doggie has lots of exercise time; a tired dog is a good dog.
Hopefully kitty cat has enough "hide outs" and special time of her own. Good Luck.

[kathryn]

Use a squirt bottle if you can. Doesn't hurt the dog, but the shock value gets them.


http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimal...ChasingCat.pdf

• 435-644-2001 • www.bestfriends.org
Preventing Your Dog from Chasing Your Cat
By Ann Allums
Chasing is a natural instinct for a dog,
but it is not appropriate behavior in
your home when directed toward your
cat. The following guidelines can help
you deal with this behavior through
management (preventing the problem)
and training (motivating the dog to
change his behavior).
Management means arranging the
environment to prevent the behavior.
Ideally, this happens right from the start,
so your dog never has the opportunity
to act inappropriately, and your cat
doesn’t have to endure it! Prevention
of the inappropriate behavior is very
important, since cat-chasing is a self-
reinforcing behavior (i.e., the more
the dog chases, the more he wants
to repeat it). So, if you’re introducing
a new dog or cat to your household,
please read the resource called
“Introducing a Cat and a Dog.”
If at any time during the introduction
process, the dog barks, fixates on the cat or tries to chase the cat, give the dog a time-
out. You’ll also want to use the time-out process if you have a dog who has already made
a habit of chasing cats. A time-out involves removing your dog from the situation so he
cannot continue practicing inappropriate behavior.
So, decide on a time-out room (a bathroom, for example) in advance. The instant your
dog starts to behave inappropriately toward your cat (chasing the cat or whining), calmly
tell your dog “time-out,” then go to him and lead him by the collar or leash to the time-
out room. You should act and speak calmly to avoid arousing the dog even more. After a
minute or two, release your dog from the time-out in an equally low-key manner. If the dog
comes back from a time-out and repeats the inappropriate behavior toward the cat, he
should immediately go back to time-out.
To increase the chances of success, reward your dog for desired behavior. Reinforcing
appropriate behavior teaches your dog what you want him to do (i.e., behave appropriately
around your cat). Prepare a ready supply of great-tasting training treats — small bits of
whatever food your dog finds most enticing. As soon as your dog looks away from the cat,
praise him profusely and give him a treat. Repeat every time your dog ignores the cat.
Your dog will learn that whenever he sees your cat, rewards are forthcoming from you if
he looks away from the cat. You are training your dog to perform a certain behavior upon
seeing the cue (the cat). Just make sure the treats you are giving are more desirable to
your dog than the fun of chasing the cat!
Once you’ve established what you want your dog to do (ignore the cat) and you’ve
built a reward history for that behavior, you may choose to allow the dog more freedom
around the cat. At some point, you may need to help your cat change her association with
your dog by feeding her tasty kitty treats while she’s in the dog’s presence. (During this
exercise, make sure the dog can’t chase the cat.) Also, modify the environment so that
your cat has a safety zone, a place that is inaccessible to your dog. Set up baby gates to
create safe rooms, provide lots of high perches for your cat, and always supervise your
dog when the cat is around.
If the chasing persists, the motivation for your dog could be boredom or he could need
more exercise. So, give your dog appropriate outlets. For instance, make sure he gets
plenty of physical exercise, like running off-leash, playing with another dog friend, playing
fetch with you, or swimming. A tired dog is a good dog, and tired dogs do much less
chasing. Also, provide a variety of appropriate chew toys. Some ideas for appealing chews
are stuffed Kongs, pressed rawhide and frozen broth. For mental stimulation, teach your
dog basic cues or tricks. A reward-based training program will teach your dog to listen to
you, provide him with alternative behaviors to perform, and exercise his brain.
In summary, prevent the problem from occurring; be consistent in training and reward
appropriate behavior; be persistent with instituting the time-out as a consequence for
inappropriate behavior; and make sure your dog’s social, physical and mental needs are
being met. Finally, never leave your dog alone with the cat unsupervised, since behavior
can never be guaranteed.
Ann Allums, a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT), was a dog trainer at Best Friends
from August 2004 to September 2010.
See also: Introducing a Cat and a Dog

[Dogastrophe]

Agree with the other posters. You should stop the puppy from chasing the cat. Although the puppy may be doing it for no reasons other than puppy fun, the cat does not understand this. When push come to shove, the cat will end up retaliating if it feels it's the only option, which can (and likely will) result in an injured puppy (scratch to the eyes, nose, etc) and can result in injuries to the cat.

The puppy will want to meet and play with the cat, however your cat will dictate the terms. Puppy needs to understand that the cat is not a toy. Squirt bottles work great and you will find that you become an expert shot with them in a few days (I have one bottle that will squirt about 10 feet that I can put a stream of water behind the dogs ears if needed ). In time, you may only have to call the pups name and show the squirt bottle in your hand for him to back off)

If you can find a safe place for the cat to go and hide, it will, in time (week, month) start to venture closer and closer to the puppy but will know that it always has a safe get-away zone.

We blocked off one room with a baby gate that is a dog free zone. The dogs don't challenge the gate and our cat knows that they are not allowed in the room.

Best of luck!

[sugarcatmom]

If you do use a squirt bottle, you better have excellent aim. Accidentally getting the cat in the cross-fire is only going to increase his anxiety around the dog.

[Dogastrophe]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

If you do use a squirt bottle, you better have excellent aim. Accidentally getting the cat in the cross-fire is only going to increase his anxiety around the dog.

Yes, excellent point. Be sure you will only get the puppy with the squirt.

[kathryn]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

If you do use a squirt bottle, you better have excellent aim. Accidentally getting the cat in the cross-fire is only going to increase his anxiety around the dog.

Yeah, don't be like my mom who usually ends up squirting me in the eye or in the ear when she is aiming for a cat

[Bailey_]

What type of breed is your puppy?

We need to remember that certain breeds will display higher instincts to chase small animals, compared to others. It's important to acknowledge this - to better understand our dog and the reasons why he's chasing her.

It could be that your puppy is a high-energy breed, and simply needs more excercise/stimulation during his day to lower his drive to chase your cat; OR he could simply be doing it more out of instinct compared to those energy levels.

Whatever the reason, as already mentioned, it's important for you to establish safe boundaries for both your dog and cat.

Ensuring that there are strategically placed shelves and cat tree's will also help your cat to safety. Tethering your puppy to you when the cat and dog are in the same room is a great initial starting point, but correcting the behavior is even more important. Any intense focus on your cat from your pup needs to be redirected appropriately.

You mentioned your cat is five years old, but how long have you had her in your home? Was the puppy first - or the cat? Is this the first dog your cat has been around? How long have the cat and puppy been living together?

[My Dog Brookie]

Thanks guys for all this great information!
We have tried to use a spray bottle with water but the puppy is staring to get use to it.
She is a schnoodle a (schnauzer and a poodle). She has lots of energy and very playful!
The cat does have a place up high above the cupboard, but she likes to come down once in awhile.
Any more advice would be great

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by My Dog Brookie

Any more advice would be great

How's the obedience training going?