Molly Huff Webboard User Reg: 12-16-2014
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I have an 8 week old GSD pup who,is going to be trained In Schutzhund/IPO...I don't want to diminish her natural prey drive but I also need her to learn disiplin in the house.I am very green to raising a working puppy so I am conflicted in how to properly manage her natural prey drive while allowing her to still have freedom outside of just locking her up all the time. She is exercised and I am stimulating her.
I have 3 cats and she cannot...absolutely cannot go after them, but since she is a high drive dog all she wants to do is chase them...I just started leashing her in the house to manage this...what else can I do to make sure she absolutely understands the cats are off limits?
Duane Hull Webboard User Reg: 09-23-2011
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I have an IPO dog that loves to chase the neighbor's cats from our yard. She stops at the edge of our yard, or if I tell her "NO!" or "leave it". In IPO, she will learn that she has to control herself, even when in drive. Stopping her from chasing won't diminish the parts of prey drive that she will use in training.
As far as living with cats, I would never ask my dog to do that. That would create too much stress, which in turn would affect our relationship. However, it can and has been done, and maybe someone will offer advice for you. You may have to manage that situation as long as you have the dog and cats.
Molly Huff Webboard User Reg: 12-16-2014
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I had the cats before the dog, so they aren't getting thrown out in the cold just because I chose to have a working puppy...right now it's winter where I am at so I cannot kennel her.
After you have formed a bond with the pup, begin to do a very firm correction for anything at all to do with cats. Looking at the cat is the same as chasing the cat, and should be corrected. Step between the cat and the pup, and get pissed.
Never laugh at any pup-cat interaction. And don't leave them together, unsupervised.
This is not a big deal, and will not change any drive for prey. You are just setting a limit on your cats in your home.
A good cat can "take" most 8 wk old pups so be careful.
Molly Huff Webboard User Reg: 12-16-2014
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Thank you that is good advice...my cats are very very dog friendly and used to being in close proximity...they have plenty of hiding spots but just prefer to be with us and our dogs...however I have noticed that even a good hit and hiss from the cat only seems to fuel her desire to chase more...obviously as a well bred working GSD...she is made to take a beating and want to keep at it...like I said we have since leashed sher for control...should I reward her anytime she is in proximity to a cat and ignore it?
Kristin Muntz Webboard User Reg: 05-09-2012
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I have a cat dog that wants to kill my cats.
I use baby gates to keep the house separated and shut the cats in back rooms when I want him to have the relative roam free of the house.
Downside: I can't really teach him to jump over anything just yet, because once I do, he will connect the dots pretty fast and those gates will mean nothing. He's perfectly capable of hopping over them, just doesn't know it yet. If he sees a cat and reacts, he's crated immediately.
Candi Campbell Webboard User Reg: 03-28-2013
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Quote: Molly Huff
I have an 8 week old GSD pup who,is going to be trained In Schutzhund/IPO...I don't want to diminish her natural prey drive but I also need her to learn disiplin in the house.I am very green to raising a working puppy so I am conflicted in how to properly manage her natural prey drive while allowing her to still have freedom outside of just locking her up all the time. She is exercised and I am stimulating her.
I have 3 cats and she cannot...absolutely cannot go after them, but since she is a high drive dog all she wants to do is chase them...I just started leashing her in the house to manage this...what else can I do to make sure she absolutely understands the cats are off limits?
By pack structure management & obedience training lessons you can prevent her from going after the cats while In Your Presence & Under Your Control -- But you can never keep her from killing a cat if She Is Alone & Wants Her Way
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Preventing MY IPO GSD Puppy from Chasing My Cats
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