How can i stop my dog chasing my cats

Gillybean

Hi guys

We have now adopted Gypsy who is a 14 month (approx) old collie cross german shep. She is lovely, very affectionate if not a bit highly strung! Our 10 year old Lab loves her and they get on really well.

The only problem is she is obsessed with chasing our 3 cats - to the point where one has moved out!!

We have a stairgate at the top of the staris now to offer some sanctury to the cats but have had to replace the cat flap 4 times in 4 weeks as Gypsy will ran after them and hit the cat flap with her head as they run out!

They will sniff each other through ther bars of the stairgate when we encourage it and Gypsy will wimper but has at least stopped barking at them!

She doesnt want to hurt them - i think she just wants to play with them (she runs at other dogs when out)

We really need to get ontop of this now as today I found one of the reamining cats has started to go to the toilet in our bedroom as he is scared to go downstairs!

HELP PLEASE!!!!!! Sad

Gypsysmum

Hi

I would train a "leave" command.

Start by getting her interested in something like a treat or a toy.
Cover it up with your hand so she cannot see it.
When she looks away from it praise her and give her a reward from your other hand (This is where the patience comes in).

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

When you see that she understands that she has to look away in order to get the toy or treat add the command "leave" as you cover it up.
If she looks away after you say "leave" praise her and give her a treat from your other hand.

Practice this exercise all over the house and in and out of the garden with all sorts of things.

After she seems to be getting the hang of it start using a cat.

Put the cat in a cat basket (to keep it still). Put the basket in a room in a high up place (to make it easy for the dog).
Bring the dog in on a lead and when she shows an interest in the cat tell her "leave" and reward her really well with a high value treat if she looks away. If she will not look away then you have to go back to the first stage again!

If she looks away then repeat, repeat repeat.

Once she is good at this level in several places then lower the basket slightly.

Keep going until she can ignore the basket on the floor in lots of different places.

NEXT - Put the dog on a lead and take her into a room where the cat is loose. Make it as easy as you can for her to "leave" the cat and really reward her when she does. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

NEXT - put a long line on the dog and let her trail it round the house so that you can tell her "leave" if she shows interest in the cat and put one foot on the line if she takes off after it. If she leaves it then give her the best reward she could ever have.

Put a cat tray upstairs for the poor cat to use while all this is going on Wink

Good Luck