A couple questions about vocal pup and cats

[Lizabeth]

First, Miss Gidget is the most vocal dog I have ever seen! She wines, moans, yips, yaps and ofc barks often. She can not play with out being vocal lol, It isn't really a big problem most of the time, just such a vocal little girl she is. Is this typical of a BC or is it just the way she is?

 

When she chews on things she always wants me to hold it for her, This is would not be so bad if not for those razor sharp teeth of hers.

 

You know I thought that the biggest problem was going to be teaching her to leave the bird alone, boy was I wrong! the bird and pup have no problem. It is the poor cat who has the problem with the pup.

 

She stalks that cat, wines, barks at the cat, the chasing is not as bad as it was, seldom chases the cat anymore we got that under control. But I would say about 90% of the time if the cat is out in eyesight she is being watched or wined at or yipped at by Gidget. We are forever telling her to leave the kitty alone and all. But for some reason that cat just interests her to no end.

 

When she first came she thought the cat was some sort of evil being and would growl at her, its moved up to oh the kitty oh oh i want to play with that fuzzy thing. The cat wants nothing doing most the time

 

Their are times when the cat will go up to the dog and rub noses, one night Gidget was sleeping being good cat came up and wacked her a few times in her head then the cat ran away ( that does not help much in the teaching pup to leave cat alone I know )

 

We have a cat safe room that Gidget knows is off limits to her, she actually does well with that, though she has been known to lay outside of the room and try to get the cats attention to come out and play. We really are not sure if she would play with the cat or bring her harm it is hard to say so we just try to keep them away from each other. I'm wondering if all our good meaning attempts to teach puppy to stay away from the cat has made the cat all the more interesting to her?

 

I'm very amazed at how fast and how well Gidget is learning I know she knows that cat is off limits, it is just so tempting she can't help herself.

 

"On a happy note the "stay" and "back up" commands are improving! I can now tell her to stay and walk infront of her a little bit longer spans. The "come" is doing fantastic, Sits no problem. lay well lay is a bit of a slow one trying to get miss hyper to lay down is sort of fruitless rite now while shes still recovering. She is wound up like a 10 day clock. today is 12 days. We have started letting her get a little more exercise and is doing well.

 

Thank you again everyone for your input have a wonderful day

 

 

 

[Gloria Atwater]

I have a cat-staring dog, though she doesn't overtly DO anything. However, she is darned sure fascinated by our cats.

My advice to you is STOP the cat fixation, now. If you see her at the kitty room door, make her leave it. If you hear or see her carrying on at the cat, make her stop. Be stern if you have to, take her away from the cat and crate her if you have to, but make your point.

A bad habit developed now will be an obsession for life. You don't want to deal with this in 5 years, do you? That's how it is with border collies. She will not outgrow this, because it's self-rewarding and self perpetuating. I won't let another of our dogs fixate on cats again, that's for sure - and our girl isn't that bad. It's just a bad, dumb, annoying habit and totally unfair to the cat.

Best of luck!

~ Gloria

[Lizabeth]

Thank you Gloria! Then we shall keep it up and continue to tell her to stop. I have done everything from leashing her to my side. crate, giving her distractions like her bone or toys filling kongs with treats what ever I can do to keep her mind off that poor cat, And you know I feel that the cat should be able to walk through a room or join the family with out this stalking routine. If it does not get under some control she will never be aloud out of the crate when left alone, but if that how it has to be then so be it. I live with my daughter for now, its her cat and a quite nice cat at that.

[GentleLake]

I agree with Gloria.

 

And good for you for taking matters into your own hands and not allowing her to persist with this. It's an annoying habit at best, could be dangerous, and is just not fair to the cat.

[sandysfarm]

seconding that opinion - we have greyhounds too and you absolutely don't want staring or waiting for or vocalizing-at because it's predator behaviour. And please remember that cats out are for chasing and maybe killing, even if the same cat lives inside together with the same dog...open the door and the cat becomes lunch.

[Gloria Atwater]

Thank you Gloria! Then we shall keep it up and continue to tell her to stop. I have done everything from leashing her to my side. crate, giving her distractions like her bone or toys filling kongs with treats what ever I can do to keep her mind off that poor cat, And you know I feel that the cat should be able to walk through a room or join the family with out this stalking routine. If it does not get under some control she will never be aloud out of the crate when left alone, but if that how it has to be then so be it. I live with my daughter for now, its her cat and a quite nice cat at that.

 

 

You're welcome.

 

The one thing I might add is to please don't be afraid of using a plain old correction! It's fine to distract and redirect her, but sometimes a big strong NO is what it takes. Truly, NO is a very useful word. Depending on the transgression, you can even send her to her crate or corner to lie down. My Gael's default to avoid trouble is to lay on her bed in the corner. She can watch cats from there but she's not bothering anyone.

 

~ Gloria

[gcv-border]

Along the same lines of what Gloria suggested:

 

When my puppy came, he thought the cats were Da Bomb. He loved to chase, particularly when he came in from outside, he would go looking for a cat to chase. I would say 'NO CAT', pick him up and put him in the half-bath (door closed) for about 30-60 seconds. I think that within 2 weeks, he pretty much no longer focused on the cats. He doesn't totally ignore them, but his interactions are more curiousity now and a little playfulness, but no chasing, staring or stalking.

 

I am not sure if this would work for Gidget since she is only stalking, but it may help with her barking.

 

Every action [barking] should have a reaction [time-out in the small room].

[Lizabeth]

Thanks again everyone for your input and help, this cat of my daughters is really a sweet loving cat, last couple of days she has been going up to Gidget rubbing noses! Oh my dear goodness, I am trying so hard to control the stalking and now the cat goes and gets her attention!! We are trying the crate now to see if that gets through to her to cut this out. Things are getting a little better if only the kitty would help us out a bit and not provoke it lol Got to love them