How to Get a Dog to Stop Bugging a Cat

With training, dogs and cats can live peacefully together.

Dogs and cats can, and often do, get along. This is especially true if they become “siblings” when they are young. However, even if your dog and cat have developed an acrimonious relationship, they can learn to coexist peacefully together. By teaching your dog that being calm is more rewarding than annoying, or even responding to, the cat, both pets can relax and enjoy their home.

Things You'll Need

• Baby gate
• Leash
• Dog treats

Instructions

1. Create safety areas for your cat, which are places your dog can not get to. These can include high spaces, cleared counters and rooms the dog can not access. Use baby gates and cat doors to prevent your dog from entering the cat’s safety rooms. If your dog jumps gates, place one baby gate on top of the other one. These areas will give your cat a place to go to relax without fearing the dog.

2. Place your dog in a crate and allow the cat to roam about the room it is in for 10 to 15 minutes. Treat and praise your dog any time it does not react to the cat. Put the dog and cat into separate areas of the house. Repeat this process for two to three days.

3. Put the leash on your dog and either hold it, or attach it to a piece of heavy furniture. Let the cat into the same room and allow it to roam around for five to 10 minutes. Reward and praise your dog every time it looks away from the cat.

4. Put the leash on your dog and either hold it, or attach it to some heavy furniture. Let the cat into the room for 15 to 20 minutes. Reward and praise your dog every time it sits down and relaxes while the cat is in the room. Then reward and praise your dog every time it lies down and relaxes while the cat is in the room. Repeat this process until your dog routinely relaxes when the cat is around it. It will likely take about two weeks.

5. Take your dog off the leash and put it and the cat in the room for short periods. Continue to reward and praise your dog when it relaxes around the cat.

6. If your dog starts to chase or annoy the cat, refocus its attention with a toy, by commanding it to “Come,” or with other activity. Go back to Step 4 until your dog can ignore the cat. Gradually, your dog should see time when the cat is in the room as an opportunity to get treats rather than a time to terrorize the cat.

Tips & Warnings

• Spend about 15 to .20 minutes a day training your dog to ignore the cat. You can do it while you watch TV.

• If your dog has been clicker trained, use the clicker to reinforce your dog’s positive behavior around the cat.

• Until you are sure your dog and cat get along, or peacefully ignore each other, keep them separated when you are not home.

• It can be difficult to refocus your dog’s attention when it starts to chase the cat. Use high-value treats -- ones your dog really likes -- for this training.

• Exercise your dog, so it does not need to use up its energy chasing the cat.

• To prevent your dog from annoying the cat while you are busy at home, place your dog in a crate, tie it to a piece of furniture or attach its leash to your waist.

• The longer your dog has enjoyed annoying your cat, the longer it will take for it to learn new behavior.

• Though they can learn to co-exist, your dog and cat may never become friends.

References

• Clickertraining.com: How to Cure a Cat-Chasing Dog
• The San Francisco SPCA: Introducing Dogs and Cats
• Paw-Rescue.org: Introducing a New Dog to a Resident Cat

Resources

• Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training; Karen Pryor