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My dog is fixated on the cat

My 2 1/2 year old Giant Schnauzer (got from a rescue kennel 6 months ago) is fixated on our outside cat. He will sit in front of the window and just stare at the cat as long as he can and tune every thing else out. When I take him for a walk the first thing he does when we exit the door is look for that cat and will keep looking until the house is out of site. I have done obedience training and he does that well and will stay in the heel position with repeated heel commands even when he sees the cat but will not break the stare. How can I break this fixation?

Comments

Well, this is not a nice or

Well, this is not a nice or happy message, but outdoor cats are never a good idea - they have a very short life expectancy due disease, predators, cars, dogs, human cruelty, and nuisance complaints. They are also VERY VERY devastating to local bird poplulations, particularly songbirds, which make them unpopular with neighboirs and anyone who cares about wildlife. That being said, as on owner of a young Golden Retriever and an older housecat, it's very hard to distract them from instantly available, known "prey" - it's a battle against instinct - I think it may help to let the dog get to know the cat better if possible, to try and satisfy some of the curiosity and excitement. We're still having issues, but it's a little better since he now knows her scent and who (or what) she is. An outdoor cat may just be seen as a readily available "wild" animal, so that may be tougher yet. Sounds like you're doing the right thing, though I'm certainly no expert.

Thank you for your response.

Thank you for your response. We have tried to introduce them to each other. We have held the cat in our arms and held the dog in a very short controled lease and let him sniff the cat. I can make the dog sit and stay when the cat is near but if I look away or do not reinforce the stay command he will lunge at the cat. I am hoping over time he will accep the cat but this has been going on for 6 months now and I am not sure of the right way to handle this.