I'll (5th?
) the advice you've gotten. Keep the dog dragging a leash at all times, keep the cat safe room an option at all times and separate them when you cannot supervise (this means ever, even if you are just going down to the basement for something). Decide on contact boundaries and stick with them (i.e. it's ok for the dog to sniff the cat, but not put paws or mouth on it - this part is totally up to you). When it looks like the dog is
about to cross that boundary, calmly call them over or re-direct them gently with the leash to a better activity.
What you want is for touching the cat to become less rewarding than playing with you/other toys. Here is a great video to work on a "leave it" which will also help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNAOe1djDyc
Quote:
Originally Posted by mommad
I don't want to resort to a shock collar but I'm really worried that he is going to kill my sweet kitkat!
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I wouldn't do this, or keep using some of the other adversives you've tried (they arrent working anyway
). First of all, adversive stimuli actually increases a dog's level of arousal. You could inadvertantly charge that behavior and make your dog more interested in getting at the cat. Secondly (and prehaps most importantly) you want to avoid associating the cats with negative stimuli. If being near cats becomes the predictor of pain or punishment the dog may work to keep the cats at a distance, and play could become aggression.