Roslyn hates Geek and Lilu, help!
I adopted Roslyn, a 4 year old fluffy, about 2 months ago. I have been teaching her some basic commands and have can't wait to get her into a basic obedience class right after the new year, but we have a problem I need to start resolving asap.
Roslyn has a strange aggression towards my cats.
Most days everything is fine, but sometimes, something will trigger her into barking and chasing the cats. At first I thought it was only if the cats were near her food or toys... but that is not always the case.Sometimes If the cats start playing with a plastic bag and she is in the room with them then she is fine... but as soon as my fiance or i walk into that room she suddenly goes on alert and has to bark at them. Other times my female cat can be walking around with no problems but as soon as my male cat walks out of a room she will bark and chase him.
also she only 'chases' them for a few steps then just stands and barks.
On most days though it is as if she is afraid of them. won't enter a room if they are in it. Refuses to walk past them unless i am at her side.
I am just really really confused.
I am not sure if this will help, but at the dog park she seems protective of the smaller dogs and she tends to herd and bark at the large dogs if they are playing together. She is also very bossy at the dog park.
Also, I own a rabbit. Roslyn and Liam get along perfectly. They love each other and Roslyn begs me to take Liam outside to so they can play in the snow together. So I don't think she has prey drive issues... because My bunny Liam and her play chase and tag. (they switch back and forth who is chasing who!)
If you have any suggestions i could really use some advice. Roslyn is just such a wonderful dog, but my fear for my kitties is getting in the way of me loving her as much as she deserves.
Roslyn has a strange aggression towards my cats.
Most days everything is fine, but sometimes, something will trigger her into barking and chasing the cats. At first I thought it was only if the cats were near her food or toys... but that is not always the case.Sometimes If the cats start playing with a plastic bag and she is in the room with them then she is fine... but as soon as my fiance or i walk into that room she suddenly goes on alert and has to bark at them. Other times my female cat can be walking around with no problems but as soon as my male cat walks out of a room she will bark and chase him.
also she only 'chases' them for a few steps then just stands and barks.
On most days though it is as if she is afraid of them. won't enter a room if they are in it. Refuses to walk past them unless i am at her side.
I am just really really confused.
I am not sure if this will help, but at the dog park she seems protective of the smaller dogs and she tends to herd and bark at the large dogs if they are playing together. She is also very bossy at the dog park.
Also, I own a rabbit. Roslyn and Liam get along perfectly. They love each other and Roslyn begs me to take Liam outside to so they can play in the snow together. So I don't think she has prey drive issues... because My bunny Liam and her play chase and tag. (they switch back and forth who is chasing who!)
If you have any suggestions i could really use some advice. Roslyn is just such a wonderful dog, but my fear for my kitties is getting in the way of me loving her as much as she deserves.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joanna Kimball on
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It doesn't sound like she hates them; it sounds like she's a normal dog. Corgis are supposed to be the police; they do not like things out of place and they do not like other beings with what they perceive as the wrong vibe or energy. Cats are often a big problem because they do what dogs think are odd and probably dangerous, like move really slow and tense and then bolt, or make weird motions and noises. It's also very normal for dogs to escalate behaviors when the humans walk into the room; you're the boss and they will try to impress you.
Roslyn knows that the cats are in some way connected to your disapproval but isn't sure why, which is why her behavior is so "erratic." She's not sure if she's supposed to ignore them or chase them or make them stop playing with bags or what.
The best thing you can do is allow them to live separate lives if they would like. For example, we have a gate across our stairs that the cat can jump but the dogs cannot. If he wants to come downstairs and face the dogs, he does. If he feels too pressured by them, he just goes back upstairs. We also have surfaces he can escape to, like cat trees.
The other thing is to give Roslyn very clear cues about what she should and should not be doing. If she looks at them and then looks up at you, praise her. Work on giving her the correct desired behaviors for when she's confronted with a choice to make. If she knows that "a cat appears" always means "go to mom and sit for a treat" she can make that a habit and you'll be much happier with that behavior. But I wouldn't expect them to be buddies.
It's been my experience that dogs and cats that get along and want to be together are notable in their rarity, and it's usually because the cat wants to be friends and doesn't react when the dog experiments with rushing it or barking at it. If the dog gets no reaction, he or she usually tries friendship next. If the cat bolts, it's established forever as an untrustworthy individual who needs to be regarded with extreme suspicion.
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Permalink Reply by LaRissa L. Head on
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Thank you, Joanna. I have also put a gate up so only the cats can enter certain rooms and they have cat trees and counters they have utilized. I have also been using the advice about feeding the dog treats everytime "we hang out with the cats". I don't mind that the cats and Ros aren't friends, I just don't want to give mixed signals to Roslyn and confuse her more.
And to be honest... my cats are untrustworthy! I love them for all the havoc they cause... now I just have to make sure they don't provoke the dog too much!
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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My dogs will occasionally do this especially at night just as I am falling asleep! They start barking and running down the hall toward wherever the cats are. Do your cats ever hiss or swat at her? MIne don't and I wish they would as I think they would leave the cats alone then. I really don't have any advice except does Roslyn know the command "leave it" that might be a start! Or "ahah" instead of "no" to get her attention. I have started the "ahah" when my Livvy barks at the other dogs and she listens to this much better than "no".
Good luck, I'm sure someone else can help too!
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Since I have taught Ros my "displeasure noise" and "leave it" she has been doing much better. She used to bark and chase everyday... now it is more like once a week. I know my biggest problem is that Her and I NEED to take classes together, but there weren't any open until after the holidays (the most problematic time of the year!).I think she like order just as much as i do.
Also, is your Livvy named after the famous historian? Such a nice name!
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Ok...I had to ask my husband and he gave me the info on Livvy! No, my Livvy is named after an elderly woman who used to live in a medical apartment complex that I managed years ago. We had so much fun and she was such a great lady that I named Livvy/Olivia after her hoping she would be like this Olivia...and she is a real spitfire just like I wanted her to be! Keeps me on my toes!
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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I don't allow cat chasing unless the cat started it. Training involves a firm NO and if that does not work, a leash being dragged around so I can catch the dog. If it persists as it did with Misty who was 6 when she came to live with me and not used to a lot of rules I go to a time out (tied to the banister at my house). The cats can run through the room and nobody chases. However, I have noticed sometimes the cats will instigate it so I stay out of it unless I think it is too rough. Over the years I have noticed that some cats and dogs get along great and some don't. One of my current cats loves to cuddle with Misty or Izzy but never with Sparty. He would never allow it. Both cats play with Izzy sometimes.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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I agree with Bev about leashing. Cat-chasing should never be underestimated and I never make assumptions that the dog is "just playing" or "just warning" or anything else, because there are dogs that will kill cats if they catch them.
What is happening is natural and dog/cat relationships can be tricky. My dogs both have a very healthy respect for my cat, but she is not above hissing or swatting if they get too close.
Watch the body language of dogs and cats and it is easy to see where confusion lies. A cat giving a friendly greeting will arch her back and shimmy her tail. A raised back and twitching tail are most certainly not greeting postures for a dog! Similarly a dog showing submission will lower itself down and flatten its ears, which are cat language for "I'm going to pounce on you." It's no wonder they often aren't the best of friends. There are cats that like dogs but even then the love is usually confined to a particular dog the cat takes a fancy to, and not dogs in general!
From your description of Rosalyn, I'll bet if you just leash her and correct her a few times she'll get the message. I find it also helps to make a big show of elevating kitty's status by picking up the cats in the dog's presence, cooing over them and even placing them on high spots like the back of the sofa while the dog is watching; it makes the dog realize you are supporting the cats' places at the top of the pecking order.
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Great suggestions Bev and Beth!
I put a training leash on Ros today and corrected her with it a few times... nothing towards the cats because she was fine with them today. I also hung out in the living room with both cats and her and let the cats up on the couch like suggested and made Ros stay down. When the cats jumped down and walked over to her she actually sniffed them and walked away instead of running away from them! That is something I didn't expect so quickly. later i noticed she let them near her toys and didn't make a fuss at all!
Hopefully with continuity she will see them with health respect.
Thanks everyone for such great advice!
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