Cats!

Please can anyone help with a long term problem which I am failing to resolve? My terrierx (been with me 3 years from rescue) is brilliant in so many ways, chases birds but will leave with firm command(most of time), doesn't bother small furries, deer(recent encounter), however cats are a different matter. I have never encouraged her to chase cats but she goes crazy when sees one, in the garden, out on walks and has even started looking under the car in a morning because they're somtimes there. Also she goes crazy at post coming through door, have thought about box you put on the wall outside, but seems like easy option. Nothing I have tried to do works and know it is my lack of knowledge/understanding that is the real problem Any advice welcome
Many thanks

Guess that's a no then

I don't have any advice but can sympathise Madison lives with cats but she will chase any she sees out and about her prey drive is strong and even though she is very well behaved at any other time if she sees a cat i cannot get her attention at all im sure someone will be along to give advice soon.

I totally sympathise because our rescue Jack Russell is the same - he absolutely detests cats, and if one has been in the garden then it is nothing for him to spend an hour hurtling around trying to find it. sometimes there is one actually there, and the ensuing chase is terrifying to watch!

If he spots a cat when out on a walk, then he absolutely refuses to move on. and picking him up is the only solution even though it usually ends in my arms being scratched to pieces as he tries to get down and go after the cat.

We met another JR owner today, who has had huge vet bills..........her dog has caught two cats so far, and although one died the dog also suffered bad injuries.

Not sure that there is anything that can be done about this unfortunately.

Thankyou very much for your reply. I forgot to mention before but we did go visit a friend who had a dog which mine had met before and they were ok together, two bitches. Then friend got a kitten and we visited again, although she was (my dog) bit tense, did not try chase the young cat,almost like she realised it was some one elses patch(don't know how better to say, sorry), just wish I could stop her going crazy as obviously stresses her or wouldn't react so. I have been looking into dog behaviour/Psychology/training courses recently as next to human family dogs mean the world to me and want to understand as much as possible, don't want to fail my own or any other dog in future.

Thankyou both, I will try find out more and let you know if find any possible ideas/solution if that ok

I have 2 Kerry Blue terriers, both of which I would say have high prey drive. I live in a close of 12 houses and a lot of the residents have cats, my next-door neighbour has 3!

I have done lots of clicker training for being calm near cats which I have found to be effective. My dogs are highly food-motivated which helps. I keep a look out for cats and (hopefully) spot them first and get Cherry and Parker to sit and "watch me" command is used, I then click and treat calm behaviour. This has not changed their behaviour overnight but they are certainly a lot calmer than when I first got them.

Also, to my surprise, when we have been walking on the heath there have been about 3 occasions when a cat has suddenly appeared "out of nowhere" on the field and Parker has taken off in full flight pursuit (Cherry is on-lead). I have called him, thinking -waste of breath to myself!, but he has stopped chasing straight away and come back! Hurrah! when he does that he gets a "jackpot" of treats.

I think those of us with terriers have to be realistic about behaviour but they can improve. Mine know they are allowed to watch next-door's 3 mogggies through the fence but when they start wuffing it they have to come in so they are quiet.

Sometimes I fondly remember my previous 2 terriers Rusty and Angus (Cairns) and how I could visit my friend who had about 4 cats and Rusty and Angus would sit calmly in her home. The thought of attempting this with Cherry and Parker brings me out in a sweat!

Thankyou very much, I'd never been with a terrier or rescue before but she means the world to me and is so good. I have and still am learning more about terrier behaviour/temperament, all your advice is very much appreciated

This will cause a riot but I've used remote collars to stop interest in cats quite effectively.
It works fairly easily in that you just recall train the dog with the collar then when it goes after a cat recall, do this every time and the dog realises it can't go after cats.

Adam

No riot Adam........just a snort of disgust.