My dog keeps treating my cats like puppies. How can I stop her?

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

The best thing to do would be to keep them separate. We know that Bianca isn't trying to hurt the cats, but see it from your cats' perspective. This loud, big, rambunctious dog (scary!) is coming up to us, maybe it wants to eat us! We should protect ourself! Oh, no, it's getting worse! RUN! Cats are inherently wary of dogs. There have been cases of cats and dogs cohabitating peacefully and one day the dog fatally attacks a cat. Allowing the cats a safe, peaceful area of the house will help a lot with the tensions. They make baby gates that have a small door that a cat can pass through. You could put this gate across a room so that they have a space that they are always safe in.

This will take some time because Koda is a puppy and he thinks he is playing. Here is a helpful link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-introduce-a-dog-to-a-cat/ make sure Koda has lots of other outlets for energy with lots of daily activity, play sessions, exercise and training. Keep him on a leash in the house at all times until the chasing/rough play phase is over. You may also want to read a few books about dog training. I like the trainer Victoria Stilwell and I recommend to read some of her books. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello! There are definitely things you can do to help modify this behavior! I would recommend starting by watching some dog training videos- the user Kikopup on youtube is a good one. Good dog trainers will always focus on positive reinforcement. Beware of dog trainers that claim to use dominance or punishment for training, as these methods can do more harm than good. Start by training Ali to sit and stay for a treat. On walks, have her periodically sit on command. You may need to bring REALLY good treats to bribe her at first! Eventually, you can have Ali sit and look at you every time you walk past a cat. This breaks the cycle of chasing behavior, and over time, she will learn to not pull on the lead and become more focused. This is how I trained my cat-reactive dog to go on walks, and it took a couple of months of dedication, but he doesn't even notice cats anymore! I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! :)

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Chasing behavior can be normal, especially in certain breeds of dogs. It is important for your cat to have a safe space to escape to; I typically recommend a baby gate at the base of a stairwell (if possible) to allow the cat to jump over to escape to an upstairs level when he needs to escape. It is something that may improve with time, or it may not. When Cash starts chasing the cat, I would recommend distracting him with a different game or toy to redirect his energy and focus his attention in a different direction. I hope these suggestions help!

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!