Dogs and cats

katiek102010

How on earth to I get my dog to accept my kittens.

It's been 2 months and he goes absolutely mental everytime he sees them.

I don't want them to be friends I will be happy if he ignores them

Buddy Bubs

I've 2 dogs and 1 in particular will never accept cats. Everything else no problem, loves looking at birds, ducks, squirrels in the park but when he sees a cat it's just pure hatred and he goes mad. I don't think I could change how he thinks.

katiek102010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117882814#Comment_117882814

Do you have cats at all? He never showed this before although I don't think he has ever been around cats

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117882867#Comment_117882867

No, but the neighbours do. And we bump into plenty of them on walks. It's just in his makeup to hate them. No reason, just sworn enemies. What I'm saying is that it might not be possible to integrate them. Not every dog will tolerate cats. My dog is a sweet, affectionate dog but turns into an angry ball of teeth and aggressive barking near a cat.

katiek102010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117883226#Comment_117883226

That's what's happening here. My other dog has no interest in them whatsoever

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117884239#Comment_117884239

My other isn't as bad but get them both together they'll behave badly towards cars. I honestly don't know how to integrate them into same home. I wouldn't even try but you have done so and presume you want to keep them all. But if he's not happy after 2 months it's probably time to get onto a good trainer but I'm not sure this is even possible for some dogs. Some are hardwired to hate cats. It's amazing to see the change in mine when he sees a cat in the garden or out on a walk. I even started a thread asking would I be in trouble if he killed a neighbours cat in my own garden because I think thats what he'd do, he was nearly caught 1 cat a few times. Luckily the cat steers clear most of the time now.

sillysmiles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058208538/dogs-and-cats

What is your dog doing? Trying to chase them? What commands does your dog respond to? Can you teach him a leave command and then used that when the cats are near? And in the meantime, making sure the cats have a height to escape to.

katiek102010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117900163#Comment_117900163

He is usually extremely good. He is going crazy barking and he does chase.

Up until this he has always responded to leave but for some reason he is completely ignoring me.

Im having a small bit of success with bed and him going into his bed in the sitting room.

katiek102010

I also should add he is going hysterical when I go into the kitchen and if he knows they are in there. It's like he thinks they are going to kill me

Ashbx

Has your dog ever been around cats before? Introduction should have been made slowly and on neutral ground and probably should have been done before you officially took on the cats.

Training could help but as other posters said, some dogs just hate cats and there is nothing you will be able to do about it. You say its 2 months later and your dog is going crazy and hysterical? Its not fair for your dog or your cats to be living in a stressful situation like that and god forbid the dog does get the cat one day. I hate to say it, but you may need to consider rehoming the cats or dog.

Literally just last night I watched an episode of "My Cat From Hell" where the actual problem was the cat owners 2 small dogs who went completely mental every time they saw the cat, and had the cat so terrified it lived on top of their fridge.

With training they were eventually able to assimilate the dogs and the cat to live in peace, but it did take time and effort.

I had a dog and a cat for years, but I had the cat first, sometimes it works better when the dogs come second. The kittens will start to fight back, in time, and then it could get nasty.