My dog kills animals. Can I train her to safely live with other pets?

Oh dear! This is potentially a very dangerous situation for your cat, so I would definitely recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist if you want to keep both pets - he/she can evaluate your dog in person to help determine the level of risk involved, and will put together a detailed training plan to work on the problem. Generally, treatment for this problem would involve rewarding the dog for calm behavior around the cat, while also managing the situation carefully to ensure that there are no injuries - this may mean that the dog needs to be on-leash at all times around the cat, or they should be separated using a baby gate or some other physical barrier during training sessions until things are calmer. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

I'm so sorry you experienced something so scary last night. I'm glad your older kitty is doing OK. I certainly can't tell you that Ellie will ever be safe around cats. Often dogs that attack and shake cats in the way you described have a strong prey drive and will always be a risk to be around cats. If you are interested in keeping Ellie, I would recommend consulting with you veterinarian and consider consulting with a veterinary behaviorist ASAP. A veterinary behaviorist is a veterinarian who has additional years of training in behavior. They can also prescribe medications if needed. Hopefully you can find one near you here. http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/ In the meantime, be sure that every member of the household (including your children) are committed to keeping Ellie away from the cats. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Oh this is horrible. I'm sorry, you will not like this answer, but a dog who deliberately kills other animals is not safe and needs to be put to sleep. If Doggy can do this to a cat, imagine what he could do to an adult or even a baby. He is a dangerous animal, and I strongly urge you to take him into a vet now to discuss putting him to sleep. I'm sorry.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These behaviors can sometimes be changed or modified and improved. However, this usually requires in person training. I highly recommend that you consider contacting a local dog trainer who can help you in person. This can improve but does require a profesional to help you in person. Good luck and have a great day!

I personally would not recommend getting another dog for the house just yet. I'm quite concerned that Crosby is aggressive at the dog park and when you went to see a puppy. I would be very worried that he would attack a new puppy, causing it serious harm. The best thing to do is get him into a professional behavioral expert to work on his aggression. I never recommend owners try to deal with aggressive dogs on their own due to safety risks, it's best left to a professional. The professional can work with him and you on his aggression issues, and they can give their opinion as to whether or not another puppy would be safe in your home. Unfortunately some dogs are meant to be only dogs due to these issues, but certainly work with a trainer first before coming to that conclusion. You can ask your vet for a recommendation to one. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you want to keep Izzy then you need to invest in a Veterinary Behaviorist or pay for intense training for you and the dog. You have many years together and she is way too big to be this aggressive. Killing dogs is a lead in to biting children and people. If you do not take the reigns and try to control her then I agree with your Vet. You can't live your life isolated due to your dogs aggressive behavior. I wish you the best!

Hi there. I'm sorry to tell you this but Huskies are notorious for killing cats. It is unfortunately in their nature to chase and kill things that run from them....... This is going to be VERY difficult. If Villian did not run from him there may be a chance of getting some resolution but if Villain is scared (which is understandable) and he runs, the higher the chance your dog will eventually catch and kill him. I'm not trying to freak you out but I want you to be realistic. They are not a breed known to be good with cats or even small dogs. Of course there are some that are fine but if you have to play the odds.......most are not. That being said I feel like your only real shot is to have a dog trainer come to your house, assess the situation with all the family members and pets and then hopefully they can help you try to modify your dog's behavior and response to the cat. I will tell you, instinct is a hard thing to overcome. I recommend you try BarkBusters. They are really good. I don't think there is a trainer right in your city but call/email them anyway and see if they can help you or recommend someone in your area that can. http://www.barkbusters.com/dog-training-pennsylvania-experts You can also try UPenn Behavior service. They are not close to you but sometimes they do phone consults or Skype. https://www.vet.upenn.edu/veterinary-hospitals/ryan-veterinary-hospital/services/behaviormedicine This is a veterinary behaviorist you could also try calling for advice: http://www.reisnervetbehavior.com/ Remember, this is not going to be a quick fix. This is going to take a lot of money, dedication and time. This is a very tough issue. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you guys!