We could really use some insight and suggestions. As I've read through the various posts on the forum, I haven't quite been able to find an answer to our situation.

We have two dogs, Blue Heeler/Bull Dog mix and another mixed breed Terrier/Greyhound?. The Heeler mix is 7-1/2 years old and has been an only dog until last summer when we added the other dog (about 8 months old). They've gotten along just fine, the Heeler doing her "herding" thing as usual. She has never bitten anyone or anything. She used to pack around a little stuffed animal all day long and always seemed like a little mother.

About 5 days ago we brought home a kitten. The younger dog took to him like we expected. Our Heeler has become very scary.

She goes into that "trance like" state as has been described before, drools and trembles when we are holding the kitten anywhere around her. If we get too close, she snaps at him and tries to bite whatever she can get her mouth on. She's spending a lot of time in her kennel for the kitten's safety. She has SUCH a strong mouth grip that if she ever DID get ahold of the kitten it would not be good. (I think that's part of her bull dog genes.)

1. Will she outgrow this in time?
2. Is there another issue going on that we should pursue? (i.e. medical)
3. Is there some way to help her adjust to the kitten?
4. Are we right to be concerned. We were told by her previous owners that she was Blue Heeler/Bull dog, but she looks an awful lot like a Pit bull with her body structure.

Would really appreciate any help. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

There is an article on the site that discusses how to introduce a dog to a cat or kitten... http://www.leerburg.com/dog-cat.htm You should read that. The dog may be OK with the cat in time, and the dog may not. A lot of that will depend on your ability to control the dog and the dogs OB levels as well as introducing them correctly.

We had a litter of kittens recently and it's Remi's first time around little ones. We introduced them (and him) to them the way the site describes and now they get along OK. I wouldn't leave Remi alone with the kittens for any extended period of time (he does have high prey drive) but I'm not worried about him taking a head off either...

Hope that helps...

My ACD loved to do that to cats as well. I am a firm believer that all cats must go to heaven. Right now. I would give the cat back. The things you are going to have to do to your dog are more than you are probably willing to do. He was there first. And the cats life will be hell. I just hate cats. But since you grew up watching Walt Disney, and actually seemed suprised that your dog wants to crush your cat I will tell you how to make things better.

1, Get rid of cat.

2, Acd's body shape is like a pitbulls. Stop blaming the dog for wanting to eat the cat. They are supposed to.

3, Get rid of the cat.

4, by description a good ACD is a dog that will eat whatever won't eat it first.

5, Get rid of the cat.

Many dogs that have not been introduced to cats at a young age are never going to be reliable around cats. My huskies that were raised with cats would not give a dispensation to all cats -only specific ones and only inside the house. I think in this instance it would be more fair to both the kitten and the dog to rehome the kitten. I like cats but have decided not to have any more after my old ones passed away(oldest 20.5 yrs!).

I have 3 indoor cats, and 5 or 6 outdoor cats. I have 10 dogs (most in the kennels) I have a club that trains out at my property 3x a week (add more dogs .. somewhere between 5-12 depending on the day)

Not a SINGLE ONE (expect my Golden who lives in the house) could EVER be trusted with the cats. They would (and have tried) to kill them in an INSTANT. The only time they can be trusted is when on the end of a leash.

Yes you can put some OB on the dog, but never fall into the trap of thinking that because the dog does nothing when it knows you are looking that it will be that way when it knows you are not looking!

Seeing a kitten mauled to bits by your dog is not pretty.

Either make MAJOR effort to keep them totally apart at ALL times.. or get rid, because a time will come when you are picking cat fur out from between your dog's teeth <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My vet's receptionist offered me a kitten as a doggy chew toy once <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> hmmm drive building exercises with REAL prey, there ya go <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

On my website there's a protocol called "Crittering and Dog to Dog Aggression." Using it I've stopped many dogs from chasing cats and other animals. My own four dogs live with a cat and there's never a problem.

You can't change what's in a dog's brain but you can affect his behavior.

I have a dog who behaves very differently to my cat when she is being held by me, versus on the ground. When I hold my cat she jumps at it, and is nuts. When the cat is on the ground she herds it, but is very calm. She also goes nuts when someone carries a dog past us. She believes it IS prey, and we have worked hard on getting her to realize that I will NOT accept that behaviour. The key to having cats around dogs and vice versa is to introduce the two when either both are young, or the dog is young. I have one cat and 4 dogs. The all are very fond of the cat, because she acts like a dog. She doesn't run from them, and is calm. With bringing a new kitten into the house, you have to be very careful to confine BOTH at first, so they get used to the fact that another species is in THEIR house. You must NEVER EVER allow the dog to chase the cat, that seals the predator prey mode and you will not have a long lived cat if the dog has a high prey drive. When I got my cat, my dog was crated and then on leash as the cat got to know the place. This worked very well. The cat is now 12 years old, and treats all the dogs as her equals and they her.
Julie

I have to say that your post was great for a laugh!! I had to read it to hubby!!! You're right, it's all DISNEY'S fault!!

BTW, what the heck is an ACD???

Thanks for the link. I had kind of reviewed it but wasn't sure if it applied since it was bringing a dog into a home with a cat. I'll see if I can work on some of those ideas. I'm thinking that at this point we will have to be content to keep them separated and hope that we can improve the situation eventually.