Dog Cat Training

How can I train my dog to get along with a cat?

I own a 1 year old German Shepard who has only lived with other dogs. Now that he is the only dog in the house I want to get a cat but I am clueless on how to get my dog and cat to be friends.

GSDs tend to have high prey drives. It's important to get a cat who isn't scared of dogs. A cat who runs away is going to tend to be chased and possibly even killed (as prey). Check with friends who have dog-wise cats and ask if you can arrange for your dog to meet their cat. Keep your dog on a leash, of course, for safety, and see how he reacts. Each dog is different. My male will casually sniff a cat and then he loses all interest. One of my girls likes to suck on cat heads. Some cats disapprove of this, but one of mine thought it was actually great fun and they became best buddies. My other girl thinks it's great fun to dip her stuffed raccoon in the water bowl and then mash cats with it, which apparently no cat really appreciates. I wound up taking away the raccoon and now the cat will sleep curled up with her happily when it's cold out. She will tend to chase him when he gets a wild hair and goes running through the house, but I've taught all my dogs "leave it" and then the more specific "no kitty." She grew up with cats in the whelping box so I'm not worried about her hurting him when she catches up (she just thinks they're playing tag).

Once you can get a dog to "leave it" with liver, he'll "leave it" for just about anything if you get the command out fast enough.

I'd go for an adult, dog-wise cat, and set up a dog-free zone for the cat. I have a kitty buffet, a desk in my kitchen, where I give the cats food and water, and they have beds. It's out of reach of the dogs, so if they need time away from getting moistened, they have a place to go.

Cat Clicker Training In Action


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