How do I stop my Border Collie from chasing and whining at the cat?

You can set up a situation with some friends to discourage Arlo from chasing cars. Have them go by with a driver, and a passenger behind the driver. As Arlo gets close to the car, have the passenger squirt him in the face. You might have to add a little bit of hot sauce, lemon juice or vinegar to the water. This may have to be repeated several times, with different cars, until Arlo gets the idea that chasing cars is no longer fun. Recognizing that a Border Collie naturally chases things, it is still possible to train him not to so that you don't have to resort to the suggestion above. If he is food motivated, you might try distracting him with food as a car approaches and rewarding him for leaving it alone. If he has not been to an obedience class, I would strongly suggest that as well. If you have further questions, you can click on the prompt to inititate a consult. Good luck with this!

Border Collies are a herding breed so this may be difficult to break this habit. When you give him what he wants after nipping you, you are rewarding his behavior and so he will keep doing it. Ignore him, correct him or distract him. You may also look into a professional trainer which may be your best option. You may also read some books about dog training and behavior. There is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who may be helpful. Best of luck.

Some dogs have a very high prey drive, and it may be that the cats running away trigger this instinct in her, even if she doesn't hurt them. Working on desensitizing her to the stimulus (cats) through training techniques such as BAT (Behavioral Adjustment Training) may help her start to ignore them. Usually this works by starting from a point far enough away that she doesn't react, and gradually moving closer to the target while redirecting her behaviors. Redirection with toys and appropriate treats can also help. At home, making sure to have baby gates up and places your cats can get to up high that your dog cannot can help ensure they have a place to relax and observe without being constantly bothered by Nova. Redirecting her behavior to something else when she gets too focused on the cat, either by practicing some training in a different room, going outside, etc can help. You also don't want to let the kitten and Nova be unattended together as even the nicest dog can accidentally hurt a smaller cat in play.

Hi there. I would recommend keeping him on-leash in the house for now, and keeping some tasty treats handy. Every time he sees one of the cats, praise and give him a treat. Before long, he will start to look expectantly at you for his treat whenever he sees the cats, instead of trying to chase them. Once that happens, you can start to allow some off-leash freedom in the house as long as he's doing well. If you don't feel like you're making much progress after a week or two of this, I would recommend getting in touch with a qualified trainer in your area who can work with you in person. You can search for one nearby here: www.ccpdt.org

There are a few things you can do: One, if you noticed Jessie going for your cat, break them up and place them in separate areas for a bit to settle down. Once calm, you can then reintroduce them. You can also redirect Jessie's behavior to something more appropriate such as a chew or puzzle toy that will hold her attention, or work on a few basic tricks such as paying attention to you or sitting for a treat. This can help teach her what you want her to pay attention to, and that the fun stops if she becomes too focused on your cat. Second, having a sort of "sanctuary" for your cat that Jessie can't get to, such as a room that is gated off by a baby gate can help ensure your cat has a place to go and relax without being bothered. You can place your cat's food, water, litter, etc in here to allow your cat to eat and rest. Having plenty of perches such as cat trees or other perches that your cat can get to and your dog can't can also help give your cat a chance to get away and observe without being bothered. Be sure to never leave the two together unattended as even the sweetest cat or dog can accidentally injure the other!

Border collies tend to have a high predatory drive, but some of them will do well with cats. Unfortunately there isn’t really a way to know this without trying. I would be very guarded an make sure they are not left alone together for quite a while until you know how they will react to the cat. Best of luck and I hope things go well! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Kelpie crosses can be fine with cats, but they must be introduced slowly. When you first bring your puppy home, I would keep them in rooms separated by a door. This way, they can get used to the smells and sounds of each other without contact. Make sure your cat has a litter box, food, and water in their room. You can also place a blanket with the puppy's smell in the cat's room, and a blanket with the cat's smell in the puppy's room. I would also consider get a Feliway for your cat and a DAP for your puppy. These are pheromone diffusers that help with anxiety and should also help ease the transition. Once both pets seem relaxed with the current situation, swap rooms placing the cat in the puppy's room and vice versa. You can do this switch several times over the course of the introductions. Once they are both comfortable with the smells of each other, it's time for them to meet face to face. I would introduce the puppy on a leash to the cat while he is in a cat carrier or on the other side of a baby gate. Reward the puppy for being calm and quiet near the cat. Once they seem comfortable with each other, the baby gate can be taken away. Make sure your cat has a cat tree where he can escape from the puppy as needed, and don't allow the puppy to chase the kitten. I will give you a link to a website that details how to train the puppy not to chase the cat: http://bestfriends.org/resources/dog-chasing-cat-tips-stopping-behavior