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January 02, 2012

How do I break my dog's habit of chasing my one stupid cat around the house? Would a pinch or ecollar be helpful?

Full Question:

Cindy,

My 4 year old GSD does not bother with two of my three cats. They are smart enough to know that he's a big goof ball, so they let him lick them a few times until he gets bored and walks away. He likes all the cats, BUT the third cat is too damn stupid to realize the dog is just being playful. He's not afraid of the dog, he just doesn't want to be bothered. Of course, the dog's natural prey drive kicks in when the cat runs from him. The dog would NEVER harm any of the cats, but how do I break the habit of him chasing the one stupid cat around the house? I have pinch collars, leashes and an e-collar. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Cindy's Answer:

Hi,

I would use the ecollar to interrupt him the MOMENT he even looks at the cat.

I would also say, never say never, when it comes to cats and dogs. We recently got a call from a customer who had a 4 year old GSD that was raised with all their cats and it killed one of them right in front of the family. They were horrified, understandably. I think what happened is the cat accidentally hurt the dog while they were wrestling around and the dog simply reacted reflexively. When cats run, even dogs that are friendly to cats can change their feeling to something that may end badly for the cat. I would definitely correct this.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Rhodes

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