I am hoping someone can give me some advice concerning my cat aggressive GSD. First, I will give you some background info. Recently we adopted a third dog into our household. Prior to the adoption we had 1 gsd and a gsd mix. Both dogs have been living with my three cats. They get along fine with the cats. My GSD Max was 7 years old when I brought a kitten into our house. The kitten was part of a feral colony. Had Max had an adverse reaction I would not have forced the issue. I was not set on having cats at the time. Max had not been a fan of cats -at least those who came in his yard. I knew there was a reasonable chance he would not want one in the house. With that being said, I introduced them and told Max that the kitten was mine. That was that. Perhaps it was little too simple, but 4 years later I have 2 more cats and he knows those cats are mine as well.
Ruby, our mix, came from a rescue as a puppy. She was also introduced to the cats without issue. Apparently I have just had tremendous luck. Anyhow, a month ago my luck ran out. We adopted a new dog named Magnus. Magnus is 10 months old. I asked if Magnus had been around cats. The rescue said they were not sure but he seemed to love other animals so they thought he would be fine. I should not have eagerly accepted that as an answer, but I was stupid and I did.
When I introduced Magnus to one of our cats, he lost his mind. He growled, barked, lunged and did everything he could to get to the cat. He was on a leash at the time, but the experience was horrible. The cat I introduced him to is an absolute dog lover. Now that cat is scared to death of him. Since then we have been trying to work with him so that he is use to seeing the cats. Only one cat will stay in a room with him, and that is only because she is deaf. When we have him spend time around the cats, either he is in the kennel and they roam free, or they are in a cat carrier and he is on a leash. This has been going on for weeks. At times I feel we are making progress. Sometimes it feels like an exercise in futility. When we are not doing one of our cat sessions, the cats are in the basement.
I am starting to think this situation is beyond help. At times,he is relatively calm when seeing the cats. But if one of them moves to suddenly, he loses his mind all over again. When we put the cats away, it is if he is on the hunt for them. He claws our closed doors barking and growling as if there is something behind them (like a cat) he wants to get to. He jumps baby gates to get into our back room where I keep the cat carriers and then he attacks the cat carriers. At one point, my son took a cat into his room for a brief period. While the cat is no longer there, the dog can smell its scent and attacks my son's bedroom door. I am incredibly frustrated to say the least.
We are doing obedience training. I am working with him daily. He is a very kind and loving dog in every other possible way, but when it comes to cats he is a terror. Has anyone else had a similar experience? I have had quite a few people tell me their dog has chased cats. This dog does not simple wish to chase them. I am hoping someone else here has a reformed cat killer living in their house and can give me some tips. Thanks in advance.
Ruby, our mix, came from a rescue as a puppy. She was also introduced to the cats without issue. Apparently I have just had tremendous luck. Anyhow, a month ago my luck ran out. We adopted a new dog named Magnus. Magnus is 10 months old. I asked if Magnus had been around cats. The rescue said they were not sure but he seemed to love other animals so they thought he would be fine. I should not have eagerly accepted that as an answer, but I was stupid and I did.
When I introduced Magnus to one of our cats, he lost his mind. He growled, barked, lunged and did everything he could to get to the cat. He was on a leash at the time, but the experience was horrible. The cat I introduced him to is an absolute dog lover. Now that cat is scared to death of him. Since then we have been trying to work with him so that he is use to seeing the cats. Only one cat will stay in a room with him, and that is only because she is deaf. When we have him spend time around the cats, either he is in the kennel and they roam free, or they are in a cat carrier and he is on a leash. This has been going on for weeks. At times I feel we are making progress. Sometimes it feels like an exercise in futility. When we are not doing one of our cat sessions, the cats are in the basement.
I am starting to think this situation is beyond help. At times,he is relatively calm when seeing the cats. But if one of them moves to suddenly, he loses his mind all over again. When we put the cats away, it is if he is on the hunt for them. He claws our closed doors barking and growling as if there is something behind them (like a cat) he wants to get to. He jumps baby gates to get into our back room where I keep the cat carriers and then he attacks the cat carriers. At one point, my son took a cat into his room for a brief period. While the cat is no longer there, the dog can smell its scent and attacks my son's bedroom door. I am incredibly frustrated to say the least.
We are doing obedience training. I am working with him daily. He is a very kind and loving dog in every other possible way, but when it comes to cats he is a terror. Has anyone else had a similar experience? I have had quite a few people tell me their dog has chased cats. This dog does not simple wish to chase them. I am hoping someone else here has a reformed cat killer living in their house and can give me some tips. Thanks in advance.