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  #1  
Old October 23rd, 2008, 12:09 AM
k.harding k.harding is offline
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If i have to get rid of my dog

It pains me to type this but i need to know my options, our dog has become agressive to our 2 cats (1 incident each), and i know my wife couldn't get rid of the cats, if i had to find a home for my poppy i would want to make sure she was going to a great home where she would be the only pet, shes a great dog with one of the best personallities i have ever seen in a dog, i only moved to canada in april and IF it came to this could do with some pointers.
Thanks in advance for your replies
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 06:04 AM
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happycats happycats is offline
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some more info would be helpful

How old is your dog, what breed is it ? (pic's would be nice )
How long have you had the dog? How did you you introduce your dog to the cats?
What are all the things you have done to ensure all your pets get along?
What exactly has the dog done to the cats?
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 07:36 AM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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how long has he been around the cats? and does he have a history of this behavior?
Stacer had trouble with our rescue dog and her two cats, She adopted Skylar in March of 08 and now they all live happily, she'd be a good one to advise you. If its the case where you'd like to try to get your dogs use to the cats
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 08:27 AM
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Rainy Rainy is offline
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Training,training,training and crating the dog when no one is home or giving the cats a safe room will work!Good luck!I agree more info is needed to help but so far these are my suggestions.
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  #5  
Old October 23rd, 2008, 08:43 AM
BenMax BenMax is offline
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Hi - I understand and hear you. Please provide what breed your dog is and describe the behaviour that your dog is exhibitting with the cats. Based on this information we (collectively) can try and help you.

Here there are trainers, animal behaviour specialists, a vet, rescue groups and shelters and others with a tremendous amount of experience. We may be able to help with any of these above people.

Sometimes this can be 'fixed' and other times it just cannot.

Please give us more information (also - what province do you live in?)
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 04:14 PM
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growler~GateKeeper growler~GateKeeper is offline
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This is k.harding's other thread that describes some of the issues between the dog & cats http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57689
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 05:39 PM
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Yup, we had some issues to work with when we brought Skylar home to meet our resident felines. I didn't think we could get past some of the aggression (and considered having to return her to Melinda) but now the cats and dog live harmoniously.

If you'd like to know how we worked it out I'd be more than happy to post what we did.
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 06:11 PM
k.harding k.harding is offline
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Sorry if I repeat any details, but I want everything to be clear. (I am Kirk's wife and he wrote the other postings)
Our dog is a collie mix (Poppy). We rescued her in 2005 while living in England and then adopted our cat, Harry, the following year. Poppy was only aggressive to Harry once when we lived in England and it was soon after we first brought him home. After that single incident, we watched them closely and have always kept them separated when we weren't at home. They seemed to have worked things out and even slept and played with eachother. In April of this year, we moved to Canada and brought both pets with us. (a stressful situation for both of the little guys!!) Poppy's aggression started almost immediately. Towards other dogs she will be very calm and then just suddenly attack them. We are now living in our own home and another cat is present (Miles). Up until recently, Poppy hadn't bothered with the cats. Then one day as I was brushing Poppy (for fleas which she recently acquired), Miles walked into the room and Poppy sprang on him. It's important to note that Poppy doesn't like being brushed and was growling at me while I was doing this. Since attacking Miles, we have kept the two of them separate and watched closely whenever Harry was around. The incident with Harry occured last night. I had just finished brushing Poppy and was sweeping up the hair. Harry came walking toward me, and again Poppy sprang. It was much more difficult last night to separate the two of them. We are very lucky that Harry wasn't seriously physically hurt. What is also concerning is that immediately after we separated Harry and Poppy, Miles was so scared that he peed on Kirk when he picked him up.
We are at a loss and don't know what to do. Poppy was rescued, as were the cats, and we are committed to doing what is the absolute best for each of them. All the pets have 'safe places' where they can each go to be alone when they need to as well. We have to be careful with this though, as Poppy has become extremely territorial of her 'space' and will sometimes show aggression if another pet enters the area.
Any ideas, suggestions, etc would really be appreciated.
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 06:36 PM
aslan aslan is offline
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Hi Kirks wife, it sounds like you have a few things going on all at one time. Poppy is really stressed from moving from england to your brothers where there were other dogs, she went from being in one pack position to another, then she's been moved again. If i read your husbands other thread correctly, the new cat already didn't like poppy right. thus more stress. fleas at the best of times will make a dog irritable. so you have a highly stressed and itchy dog, you brush her which your husband says she hates, even more stress. I personally would try and keep her as relaxed as possible, keep the kitties away from her and 'her" new space until you gets more comfortable, then re-introduce them slowly. This may take a little time but it's definately do-able. goodluck
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Old October 23rd, 2008, 07:02 PM
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happycats happycats is offline
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Hi Kirk and Kirks wife

I don't know if you've heard of cesar Milan, but he's great, and here is his website http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/
I have used his methods with other dogs and my cats, I have alos used them with my dog Buddy. When we first got Buddy back in April (we also have 4 cats) he at first was okay with them, but as soon as he felt comfortable, and probably becuase he came from a bad situation, he started to become posessive with me, and with his food, and even went after my smallest cat.

I used Cesars methods, and if Buddy even focused on any of the cats, I corrected him, with a loud hey, and a quick and firm five finger tap to the body or neck. the dog has to know you are the leader and you don't need to be defended. Always be calm, and always be consistant, never act out of anger or frustration, as a dog will not respond to it.

Buddy now completely ignores our cats, and even squirrels (he used to eat them)

Check out that wwebsite.
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  #11  
Old October 23rd, 2008, 08:18 PM
k.harding k.harding is offline
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Thanks for the suggestions!! It has given us a bit of hope that maybe this can be fixed!! We will definitely check out that website too!!
Kirk and Loren (Kirk's wife lol)
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  #12  
Old October 23rd, 2008, 08:27 PM
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happycats happycats is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by k.harding View Post
Thanks for the suggestions!! It has given us a bit of hope that maybe this can be fixed!! We will definitely check out that website too!!
Kirk and Loren (Kirk's wife lol)
You all have been through many changes, so there is bound to be some tension.

Hang in there I know how you feel, there is no way I would allow any dog to hurt my cat's that's why a dog needs to know it's at the bottom of our pack. (I have also dog sat many dogs as well as fostered one)

Oh, and Cesar Milan has his own show, on the National Georgraphic channel every day.
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What is man without beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.

~~Chief Seattle (Duwamish tribe)~~
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  #13  
Old October 24th, 2008, 10:22 PM
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bcgirls12 bcgirls12 is offline
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If it helps any at all, I brought in a foster dog who went after my cat twice within the first 2 weeks. I thought for sure this wouldn't work and I asked the rescue I work with to remove him to a home more suitable without cats.
Of course they had nobody to take the rescue so I kept him, I couldn't send him to a kennel and destroy his life. He has been with us for 8 mths now and the cat is smart enough to stay out of his way, but my foster doesn't have them same interest in the cat that he had when we first got him. He still watches the cat but I feel much more at ease now than in the beginning.
He has learned that the cat is not a play toy and he listens on command to leave the cat alone. So in time things could very well work out.
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