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Canine Behavior/Shitzu chases cats in the house

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Expert: - 1/26/2008


Question
Hi,

Any advice when it comes to getting my 9 month old male Shitzu to stop chasing my cats all over the house? This is almost constant. Whenever he sees the cats, he goes on a mission to chase them out of the area. If he can't get to them (for example, if the cat crawls into a space where he can see the cat but can't reach it), then it's constant barking. In addition, whenever he becomes aware of anyone in the house giving the cats attention, he takes a fit and takes a barking tantrum.

Thanks for any input you can provide that might set me in a direction where I might put a stop to the habit.

Sincerely,

Mike

Answer
It's very difficult to habituate a dog to cats when the cats run.  It's the natural instinct of most dogs to CHASE what RUNS.  I've seen normally cat-unfriendly dogs freeze and back up when faced with a dog friendly cat who does not run and might snarl and give a small swipe.  You need to control your dog's behavior by putting him on a house leash and not allowing him to successfully (at any time, ever) corner any of your cats.  At this point, your cats have been conditioned by the dog's persistence and now they have a REASON to run, so convincing them to suddenly accept him is just about impossible.  If his prey drive is so high that he can't be distracted, then these animals might not be able to peacefully coexist.  Using positive reinforcement training, teach your dog some simple obedience routines (one at a time) and, once he has acquired a conditioned response to one of them 100% of the time, when he begins to chase, distract him and give him the obedience command so you can reward the behavior you want to see.  Chasing cats is a hugely self rewarding behavior for this dog so it will take an enormous stimulus to get his attention away from it.  A sound aversive can also be used to convince the dog not to chase cats but this requires the dog be conditioned to it and for that you need a credentialed behaviorist.  This is a difficult problem to tackle on your own so you might want to find an expert in your area.

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Jill Connor, Ph.D.

Expertise

I have spent my entire professional life rehabilitating the behavior of the domestic dog and I can answer any question regarding any behavior problem in any breed dog. If you are a caring, committed owner and need advice, I'm here for you. THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES for serious behavioral issues; not only is it unprofessional to offer same, it is also unethical. IF I ASK YOU SUBSEQUENT QUESTIONS, I NEED YOU TO INTERACT WITH ME. More information equals more credible answers and a more successful outcome. If you want ANSWERS THAT WORK, participate in any way I request. I'm quite committed to working on this site for YOUR benefit and the benefit of YOUR DOG. Help me in any way you can.

Experience

30 years of solving serious behavior problems in domestic dogs; expert in dog to human aggression; Internet columnist for ThePetChannel.com for 5 years; former radio talk show host, WHPC.FM, Garden City, NY "Bite Back" (1995 through 2000). List owner, international animal behavior experts, K9Shrinks@egroups.com. Seminar leader: "Operant Conditioning and Learning"; "Aggression in The Domestic Dog"; "Solving Problem Behaviors" -- conducted for various training facilities on Long Island from 1993 through 2000. Former clinical director of "Behavioral Abnormalities" in conjunction with Mark Beckerman, DVM, Hempstead, New York.

Organizations
Member, APDT (UK); Psychologists in Ethical Treatment with Animals

Publications
Harcourt Brace Learning Direct: "The Business of Dog Training" "The Fail Safe Dog: Brain Training, not Pain Training"

Education/Credentials
Ph.D., UC Berkeley

Past/Present Clients
Board of Directors: Northeast Dog Rescue Connection; The Dog Project; Sav-A-Dog Foundation; etc. Pro Bono counselor: Little Shelter Humane Society My practice is presently limited to forensics. I diagnose cause of dog bite, based upon testimony before the Court, for attorneys and insurance companies litigating dog bites, including fatal injuries. I also do pro bono work for bona fide rescue organizations, humane societies, et al, regarding such analysis in an effort to obtain release for dogs being held for death in municipal shelters in the US.

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