Preventing the Dog Chase: Tips on Training Your Dog
April 22, 2013 • At Home
FIDO loves cats – REALLY we do – and our friend and Guest Blogger Grace Sumrall, shared this great article with us – enjoy!
Alot of people, like myself, have a big heart when it comes to owning pets. We love to open our homes to any animal in need. The problem is some pets just do not cohabitate well, such as cats and dogs. It must be animal nature that drives them to dislike each other, although it is also possible to make them live in harmony. However, occasional chases are hard to prevent, whether it is caused by playfulness or dislike. When it happens, you can expect a ruckus in your homes that can lead to damaged furniture or appliances.
If you have a dog that just can't seem to ignore the thrill of a good chase, I've got some tips that may help you create a more peaceful environment for your two loved ones.
Know the Cause of the Chase
Dogs do the chase for various reasons and you have to be a keen observer to know what drives them. Most of the time it is to protect their territory, especially if you had the dog first and then introduced a cat in the household. The dog would see the cat as a trespasser that he has to chase away. It can also be simply because of excitement. Dogs are playful by nature and seeing a running cat can trigger a "play time" signal to them. Finally, it can be due to the dog's predator nature. Cats, being small, may look like a prey for them, although you will hardly see a dog actually devouring a cat. They just react to the situation by chasing after the prey.
Get Your Dog Used to the Cat's Presence
You need to be vigilant in training your dog, and this does not only deal with the presence of a cat. A dog that has undergone proper behavior training will likely be easier to train with regards to cat chasing. You should be able to give an effective "no" command to your dog so that he will instantly follow your restrictions. With this in place, getting your dog used to the cat can be your next focus.
One way to do this is to tie your dog near a cat. Keep the distance far initially. You will notice some agitation in the dog when you do this. Give him a command he already knows and reward him with a treat once he follows. This gives you control over him in the presence of a cat and also makes him link the cat with the treat. Gradually lessen the distance between them every day, but make sure the dog has reached the point of comfort before doing so.
Observe how your dog and cat react when in a room together. If the dog tries to go after the cat, hold back his leash so that he will know that it is not right. When there is no more aggressiveness between them, you can start untying them with their leashes still on until you get to the point where you can remove their leashes.
Do not punish your dog as this can only drive him to be more aggressive. Kind and patient training is the key to get them to living in harmony. You should also make sure that you keep your cat safe during the training sessions as your dog can hurt it unintentionally and this can be traumatic for your cat.
About the Author: Grace is free lance writer who is always on the look out for great tips like finding cheap pet supplies to finding useful training tips. She loves to spread the word in hopes that fellow pet owners will benefit. When she isn't writing or taking care of her animal friends, she enjoys spending time with her family and reading a good book.
Photo credit
photo1: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/47/120008747_5cf9252b3c.jpg
Funniest Dog Chasing Cat
Our dog, Salem chasung the neighborhood cat. Too funny!!
