How To Keep Your Dog from Chasing Cats

Prior to the time when dogs were domesticated, they were savvy predators whose survival depended on their ability to catch and kill game. Today's dogs still enjoy the thrill of the chase, but all too often the objects of their predatory energies are cats. While it is unlikely that dogs today see cats as game animals to be hunted as possible meals, they certainly see their feline adversaries as competitors for both food and attention in their domesticated homes. Here's how to prevent your dog from chasing you cat.

Often, dogs who are introduced to cats at a young age learn to accept them as part of the family pack and will not chase cats at all. But if you are struggling to figure out how to teach your dog not to chase cats, the first thing to understand is that it is practically impossible to isolate this one behavior and solve it. Teaching your dog not to chase cats means teaching your dog not to chase anything unless you give your approval. Having that level of control over your dog requires that you spend time practicing basic obedience until your dog will respond to your commands even when sorely tempted to bolt after a feline antagonist.

Step one is to find what really motivates your canine companion and use that to encourage him to pay attention to you anytime you call his name. Most dogs love tasty treats, but some prefer toys or simple praise. Whatever it is that your dog loves most, use that to teach him to focus on you when you call his name and tell him to come to you. The reward that he receives from you must be greater than the fun that he has chasing cats, so make sure you have identified something he truly loves.

Next, you must practice frequently so that he will respond to you every time you call him. Eventually, you will use this training to keep your dog from chasing cats by calling him back to you if he decides to bolt. If you practice enough, your dog will develop a deeply ingrained automatic response to hearing you call his name and telling him to come to you. Even if your dog still wants to chase the cat, getting his attention and breaking his focus away from his intended prey will give you the advantage you need in getting him to come back to you.

Finally, make sure that your dog is not chasing cats just because he is bored. Ensure that he has the proper amount of exercise, plenty of toys for fetching and chewing, and perhaps most important of all, enough interaction with you to create the bond that you will need to overcome his instincts when you need to control him.