Christine ,
I think you are doing the right thing re-homing the dog . Just don't let your emotions get in the way later and change your mind . It may be bad for both dog and cat .

With kids it's very hard for many people to find the time for these types of dogs . They require alot of attention , monitoring and sence of responsibilty . Keep that in mind when attempting to find a new home for him . Taking on the responsibility of such a dog means you may have to make some very hard choices . Be prepared for that if your can't find someone capable of owning him .

Good Luck

I am so sorry for your losses Christine.

I just wanted to add, our 18 month old GSD rescue dog IS opening our back patio door to get back inside. I have had dogs all my life, and the new GSD is my 3rd GSD. I have NEVER had a dog that could open doors. I was shocked when I saw him stand up, take his paws to the knob,open the door, and walk inside <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />!! He is crated when we are gone...thank goodness!!

Good luck on whatever you decide....
Debbie

ANOTHER THOUGHT, hope some of those that posted come back...

As I have been reviewing the day this happened in my mind of course I question if I closed the door correctly, ensuring it latched, or if this dog opened the door. I guess I will never truly know. But here are some things I do know now that I have calmed down and think about it.

First I noted the cat food in the bowl was gone. Now he knew the cat food was in there. We are hand feeding, so maybe he was not getting enough and decided he would go through the door to get to the food.
Then I noted the cat did not have puncture wounds in it as one might think. This scened was a messy room, but not an overly bloody room. Meaning my jewlery box was broke as I stated, not hard to do for a 78 lb dog and a few items messed up around the floor.
As for blood, since I did not describe it in detail it was left to be assumed there was blood every where. Quite the contrary, there was "blood on the wall" as I stated, but it was minimal and as I just clarified, the cat did not have punture wounds. One might ask why this is all significant too me? Some might be thinking "crazy woman the dog just killed your cat, are you nuts"

No, just thinking this through, probably too much, but I like to try to understand why things like this happen. Knowing I probably never will.

Anyhow, back to why this is all significant to me.
Well, about 48 hours later after I calmed down, I observed my oldest kicking a foam soccer ball to the dog outside. Not a good thing I told my son, at the same time he pulled some of the foam off (he could swallow the foam). He picked the ball up and shook it in play. As I saw that I thought, could it of been that he did go in my room for the food or out of curiosity as to the cat, he had seen her on several occaisions. And when he saw the furry white thing on the floor, that moved, did he pick her up, or go after her like the ball and shake her. In play, one might wonder? This would explain no puncture holes, the broken neck, blood from the nose and the minimal blood on the wall.
For all I know the previous owners let him play with fuzzy/furry stuffed toys in that manner and he could of been doing the same.

NO EXCUSE, I know, and it does not make it any less of a concern, but could it be he did this without intending to be vicious? I would of thought if he attacked her as prey, that the scene would of been gruesome, am I correct?

This does not change the feeling on doing a re-home. I guess it is me trying to understand what occured. I know I won't have an explanation as no one was present, but wanted to share these thoughts and maybe get some feedback from those that may of dealt with cat & dog introductions or problems such as this.

All the large breed dogs I have had or cared for, were okay with other dogs, cats and people, as long as the people did not threaten us or family members. They may of went after rabbits or foxes, but rarley a cat. And the cats they did chase were usually the barn cats that got away, after provoking the dogs.

My guess is he killed the cat with the intention of killing it . I've found a few rabbits and cats that were unlucky enough to enter my first dog's backyard . There was very little blood and though I'm sure there were pucture wounds I could not find them in the fur . Sometimes puncture wounds seal up quick . I've seen it on occassion and the death is very quick and clean .

This dog is a danger to cats and needs lots of supervision . Please do the right thing .

Like I said before, my coworker's new "cat-friendly" dog killed BOTH her cats. She kept the dog b/c she wasn't sure what killed it...until the second one was killed. Lack of mess does not equal lack of intent. And I wouldn't call it vicious; vicious is a *human* emotion-he's just a dog with drives/instincts that IMO are too deeply ingrained to be safe around other small animals. I think it would've been messier if he had the intention of eating the cat, but I think his only intention was to kill it, hence the lack of blood. It really doesn't take much for such a powerful dog to kill a cat.

Thanks.

I think the right thing for him is a home where he is the only family pet with the exception of some fish.

I don't want to return him to the humane society because they will euthenize him, so I think an American Bulldog rescue will be the answer. That means I may have to hold on a little longer, but we are working it out and will do so until we can get him a good home.

He is a very obedient and loving dog. He is awesome with children, even my 3 year old, but as a strong dog, whoever gets him must understand they must always supervise if young children are present.

Like some humans, he is not a cat person!

Christine, ask ABD Rescue if they can maybe find him a different foster to hold him while he's up for adoption so you don't have the burden of keeping him separate, and also so you don't get more attached. If you explain the situation, perhaps they'll help you out. I wouldn't return him to a humane society either, with few exceptions.

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"However, I know and my instinct, tells me this won't work out."

Use your instinct. Your 2nd cat will eventually be romping with your other dog and cat in pet heaven.

Didn't the rescue shelter tell you any thing about his compatibility with cats? I thought that was standard stuff in rescue shelters. Or did they give you a maybe good/maybe not? Well, at any rate, if you do foster him out again, at least you can be the one to verify "yes, he kills cats"

I am sorry for your loss.

Thanks for your words.
I will follow my instinct.
And yes, I agree our Cat and Dog are chasing each other in pet heaven, it helps my 8 year old deal with it.

At the humane society they gave me the we don't know first. Then they gave me the he is bad with children, cats and other dogs. However, the previous owner, he was given up in a divorce, said he was good with children 2 and up, was raised with another dog and he did not know about the cats. He is awesome with children. With other dogs, he is okay if leashed, he has done awesome in obedience training.

I knew that since he was not raised with cat's there could be problems. I also knew, he may of adjusted. That is why I kept them separated and was following Ed Frawley's advice on introduction.

I felt he desreved a chance to adjust to them, but we never really got that far.

Thanks again.

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What age are your kids?

I'm not a breed basher by any stretch of the imagination but I wouldn't trust this dog around my kids.

I have always been very wary of rescue dogs since my mother brought one in when I was a kid. A better treated dog you never did see and it still took a chunk outta me! Even though I loved the dog it had to go.

Keep your cat and your kids safe!

John

Thanks for the reminder. My children are 3, 8 and 16.
The 3 year old is constantly supervised if with the dog. They are not allowed to be alone together. The 3 year old is no more trustworthy then the dog. But I must share that the dob is awesome and tolerant of my 3 yr old, but I know that is not always the case. Heck my Beagle had snapped at my 3yr old, so that is the case with any dog.
We have all been taking turns hand feeding him. And like the 3 year old, the 8 year old is supervised with him to some extent. He is allowed in a separate room with him, to walk him in fenced yard, but never to play or be completely alone.
My eldest is assisting in the training we have been doing, you know, some say "obedience training is for the owner, not the dog".

This keen awareness of keeping my "cat and kids safe" is what has pushed me to re-home him.
As my husband said, I must be comfortable with him in the house with the children.

Thanks for your input.

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You've dropped the ball once and your mistakes cost the life of a cat.

Make the decision now - re-home the cat, or re-home the dog.

Any other decision is selfish and places the next cats life at risk.
Do the responsible thing.

Not sure if I should share my thoughts on this posting?
I am a bit confused on intent of this advice? Seem to be a bit of an attack to me?