September 07, 2021

Can you ever trust a cat-chasing dog around cats if you are not present to correct them?

Full Question:
If a dog is known to chase cats, and the behavior is worked out with corrections (I'm thinking e-collar), can they ever be trusted with them when you're not there to correct them? The question kind of relates to the theme in the Dealing With Dominant and Aggressive Dogs video about how a dominant dog will respect family members while the pack leader is around but not necessarily when the pack leader isn't around. I've owned two other dogs that had strong prey drive with rabbits and squirrels but wanted nothing to do with the cat (it’s an outdoor cat). A lot of the shelter dogs in which I've been interested are said to be "not good with cats," so I've been passing them over. Thanks.
Cindy
Cindy Cindy's Answer:
If I have to use corrections to stop prey-based behaviors then my personal choice would be to not ever trust them without my supervision. I have horses and my dogs are neutral to them but I would never trust my dogs to make the right choices without me there should the horses start galloping around. Same with cats, squirrels, and rabbits on our property. I've also gotten a fair number of messages from dog owners who have raised puppies with cats only to have the dog kill or injure the cat during some sort of incident later on so there are never guarantees.

It's something you need to weigh out and decide based on the dog's core temperament and interest in cats. The temperament and behavior of the cat is a factor as well. Just because a dog is good with one specific cat doesn’t mean the dog will be good with all cats. If in doubt, I would supervise if possible.

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Expert Dog Trainer Cindy Rhodes
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