Cats driving oscar crazy

[oscarwilliams]

We've just had two new cats moved in the house opposite and they sit on a high wall driving oscar, our cairn terrier, to distraction. He goes completely crazy and barks, jumps up, is totally out of control until they go. It's driving us crazy too and making our dog totally neurotic. The cats are not I. The least bothered which sort of makes it worse! Any advice gratefully received

 

[goldenbear2013]

When you see them there, try and distract him with play time, or some sort of training. You could even take him for a walk to get him away altogether every now and then just to change things up a bit.

Also, if he can only see them in one part of the house, say the lounge for example, move him into a different room and shut the door, so he cant see them.

Then you have correction. A nudge or tug on his lead or whatever you feel is best to try and snap him out of the mental state he is in. Sometimes they get themselves so worked up you think its never going to end and you end up standing there staring at your dog thinking "SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!!" Trust me, we have all been there!

If he is going mad then as soon as he has calmed down give him lots of fuss. Maybe use a command for quiet if you have one (something I have not mastered with my dog yet! Its a working progress lol!)

If you can see that he is looking for the cats before they are even there, do the same as above, do something to distract him before he gets the chance to go mental and start acting like a lunatic.

It may take a while, or it may work straight away who knows!

Let us know how you get on!

Sophie x

 

[oscarwilliams]

Thanks Sophie. We are trying to distract him but he is definitely now looking for them even when they're not there. We tried associating cats with treats but that only works occasionally. We also try and praise him when he calms down but he quickly forgets and reverts to the looking out for them any time hes outside. We're. Of looking forward to summertime when he'll be outside more which is such a shame problem is he is a true terrier and never gives up on anything!

 

[goldenbear2013]

Yes terriers a very stubborn and once they are fixated on something it is difficult to snap them out of it.

I would try having his lead on at home, just dragging round behind him (as long as he isn't bothered by it obviously) and when you see him start to search for the cats or go to react a gently tug and a correction command should follow immediately (you usually only have around 3 seconds between the action and the correction for the dog to associate the correction with the action otherwise he wont know why he has been disciplined). This may go on for a looooooooooooooooooong time, with countless corrections but consistency in this matter is key, especially with how obsessed he is with the cats.

Just keep going with the corrections until he gives it up. This could be 2 minutes, 2 hours, 12 hours who knows, but he will soon get tired of being corrected and should give it up eventually.

I wish you the best of luck!

Sophie x