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Post by amoritay on Sept 29, 2013 8:47:50 GMT -7
Ok guys....I need some advice... Daughter had to move back in and along with her came her cat, she has been here for a week and so far so good with the cat and Jezzie (the one i was most concerned about)...but...my 9 month old German shepherd acts like he wants to eat the cat...I have never seen the hair on his back stand up before, along with his big boy bark when he sees the cat...I am terrified he's going to hurt or worse kill the cat..How should we go about letting them get to know each other safely so we can coexist? Oh and the cat has been declawed so he can't really slap Neeko (shepherd) with his claws to back him off.
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Post by lenke on Sept 29, 2013 10:51:59 GMT -7
ok, its actually very simple. Keep a leash on GSD pup, then allow kittie out. When pup reacts wrong (to your comfort) to kittie, a short leash pop with a word like "Oi!" or "Tsht" or "Hey". You shouldn't need to do it more than twice and it will all be good.
Also, make sure there's a haven for the kittie that is sacrosanct - i.e. NO-ONE is allowed there, ONLY kittie.
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Post by amoritay on Sept 30, 2013 5:44:59 GMT -7
Thanks Lenke I'll give that a try today....The cat stays in my daughters room with a baby gate up at the door, so he can come and go as he pleases, Neeko won't go past the baby gate.
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Post by Adele on Oct 3, 2013 5:18:37 GMT -7
Any progress with this?
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Post by amoritay on Oct 3, 2013 5:49:08 GMT -7
Haven't had a chance to try it yet....Daughter went out of town for a week to a friends and took the kitty with her....I have been taking Neeko into her bedroom while she's gone, so he can maybe get used to the strange kitty smell...She comes back monday so we'll start working on it then.
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Post by stef on Oct 5, 2013 9:50:53 GMT -7
I have also heard that feeding them on opposite sides of a door works, the kitty smell comes along with a treat or a good experience it helps calm things down.
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Post by amoritay on Oct 8, 2013 6:35:41 GMT -7
Problem fixed itself...Daughter found a roommate so she moved last weekend...whew!!! I was terrified Neeko was going to hurt the kitty...Thanks everyone for the advice, if the situation happens again I will try the things you have suggested  |
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Post by lenke on Oct 8, 2013 7:24:14 GMT -7
the simple rule is - control the most energetic member with clear instructions of your rules & boundaries....its how my mini zoo works: EVERYONE knows my rules.
(though doodle tries his luck any chance he gets!)
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Post by amoritay on Oct 9, 2013 6:20:15 GMT -7
Well most energetic would be Neeko....I swear this dog has more energy then anything I have ever seen...I walk him twice a day in the neighborhood and play ball in our back yard constantly through out the day and still it doesn't wear him out  ..Although he does seem to be calm when going to visit Jezzie...He will go over to her playstand and she will slide down to the bottom level and give him kisses on his nose, I'm just waiting for him to give her a kiss back with his huge tongue  ...I still won't let her go on her walk a bouts with him in the house though...he is still too much puppy for that. |
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Post by lenke on Oct 9, 2013 7:43:17 GMT -7
have you thought about taking a kong, stuffing it with either liver paste, peanut butter, meat paste or any other nice smelly treat, freezing it, and then giving that to him to help him to learn to calm down? You give it to him when he's on his bed or in his crate, and use it to teach him a "Quiet Time" command - either "place", "Home", "Bed Time" or something you find that works for you?
by freezing the stuffed kong, it lasts soooo much longer.
Especially in a high drive dog like a working breed (Neeko is GSD, isn't he?) the need to have a rock solid "calm" routine is essential, and the earlier you begin teaching this, the better it will sink in....the most simple things can help - the frozen kong, a blanket over the crate, some gentle music, a place next to the couch....you find the one that works (and i usually chose a place as near to the dogs "flop over" place - every puppy i have had the pleasure of working with has had a preferred flop over & swing tongue in happy tired place - as I can make it. they then begin to associate the blankie or pillow i am using with a calm head space and it helps teach them to self soothe.
you will also find if you do brain drain exercises with Neeko they'll tire him out waaaay better than just physical - give him a job like "Find the treat", Carry the paper, fetch the slippers etc. You might even look at getting him a back pack when you walk, even as a pup, though you need to be VERY respectful of his growing joints and NOT load him up with too heavy stuff, but the fact he has a job while walking (put your house keys into the pocket of the doggie back pack, for example, or a small bottle of water - less than 500ml) will engage his head and you'll find that by the time you get home, he's whacked and all he wants to do is go to sleep...
You can also start really getting his head working if you use NILIF routines - he must perform a job before getting a treat - he must sit calmly before getting food, he must lay down before getting a scritch, he must sit quietly before going out for a walk etc etc etc...it really works for giving the fundamentals of good manners in young dogs without needing to get all over domineering in teaching them
I am a member of a dog behaviour & training forum and if you're interested, i can PM you the link for some more ideas.
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Post by amoritay on Oct 9, 2013 14:02:07 GMT -7
The link would be great!!! I would love some tips and idea's on how to go about working his mind more. He knows and does all the basic commands like sit, stay, come, lay and heal. I do use a kong with frozen peanut butter and omg that thing is a life saver . He has 2 body pillows, one for the office and one for the bedroom and he knows those are his relax spots...Love the finding things routine...the only thing I have him look for himself are his balls for outside play, finding the keys would be great for the hubby since he is always losing his..LoL.. Like the backpack Idea also...he can carry my cell and his own poopy bags  I'm not sure if its him that is high energy or just me not being used to having a working breed...I'm used to chihuahua's...lazy little lap doggys. His vet tells me he is well behaved and socialized and he's just being a normal GSD puppy, but me not being used to big dogs I don't really see it. Thanks so much for the Idea's |
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..Although he does seem to be calm when going to visit Jezzie...He will go over to her playstand and she will slide down to the bottom level and give him kisses on his nose, I'm just waiting for him to give her a kiss back with his huge tongue 
...I still won't let her go on her walk a bouts with him in the house though...he is still too much puppy for that.