[cmoorewv]

Hello again. I have posted one thread regarding Sheba already. Her squabbles with the other resident dog have dulled a bit, but now I'm worried for my cats. For the most part, she is scared of them and doesn't bother most of them. I do have a few I'm not comfortable about her interacting with. Two are fairly small, and dart around, and one is 14 years old and not as spry as he used to be. I'm aware that terriers are generally high prey drive dogs, but the shelter assured me she was an excellent dog, and she ignored the cats in the cat room. The only problem is that they were in cages. I have had success using an airhorn (softly, not full blast) to distract the two dogs when they are getting too boisterous, but if I use it when sheba takes after a cat, it scares the crap out of the cat too. I'm sure I will probably need to crate her til I can trust her. I really, really do not want to return her to the shelter, but I don't want to put my cats' safety at risk. I already lost one cat to my dogs before (not the same two-I had two St Bernards and a Australian Cattle Dog. For two years, they had all co-existed up until that terrible day. The solution was to never let the cats and dogs out at the same time, and they were never in the house together unsupervised. When the dogs go to bed, the cats got to go out. I am down to only letting two of my cats out at all now, and CoCo and Sheba live in the house. Any suggestions, other than crating (which I am considering heavily), to try to ease Sheba's drive towards my cats? She is such a smart dog, but she is also a stubborn dog. I need a way to let her know that cat chasing is completely unacceptable without breaking her spirit.
I am sorry I'm always so longwinded, but I am hoping some background will be helpful.
Thanks,
cmoore

[lange]

Yogi would have had the perfect answer about this I'm sure. Unfortunately he's not with us anymore but maybe someone else has experience... I'm cat & terrier clueless.

[reeskujo]

Originally Posted by lange

Yogi would have had the perfect answer about this I'm sure. Unfortunately he's not with us anymore but maybe someone else has experience... I'm cat & terrier clueless.

Lange that is so true!..Lange and I are Akita people and like Lange I don't know a whole lot about Terriers but one suggestion I can give you is to try a spray bottle with water and say the little booger whenever he/she is chasing after the cats..It works well with most breeds except for the ones that tend to really like water like Labs.

I've had Akita's all my life and since they generally think of cats as dinner I haven't had to deal with that issue..I hope some of the Terrier peope here can give you better advice.

[cmoorewv]

I had always heard chows, too, were aggressive towards cats and with strangers, too, but I must've gotten really lucky. I had a chow when my kids were small. I couldn't tell you how many people felt the need to tell me that Teddy could turn on us, bite the kids, and kill the cats. We got him as a pup, neutered him before he matured, and never ever rough-housed him or boxed his head in play. He never even threatened to harm a cat, loved the kids, and wasn't the least bit food aggressive. Any of us could reach into his mouth and take what he had. He was a bit aggressive with the neighbor's dog if she ventured too close to his food bowl-but only a warning bark and chase. Otherwise, he loved her too. He was good for making strangers think twice about coming onto our property, though. His bark was quite intimidating-but it was only bark. He was an impressive specimen at 85 pounds too. But not fat. Sadly, I lost him to congestive heart failure when he was nine. I love the rest of them, but Teddy was special. I don't know if chows and akitas are similar in temperment, but if I could be assured I'd get another gem, I'd have another chow in a heartbeat.

[cigwyllt]

What about a really high pitched whistle? I find it cuts through all the excitement and makes them focus on me. When my Patterdale is being stroppy I have to get between her and whatever she is pestering but if she were to go after a cat then I would stand no chance of catching her.

[lange]

Originally Posted by cmoorewv

I don't know if chows and akitas are similar in temperment, but if I could be assured I'd get another gem, I'd have another chow in a heartbeat.

I do believe they have similarities. (I'm sorry to hear about you're loss with Teddy He does sound like he was very special to you)

I've also heard the same about Chows being unpredictable, and Akitas for that matter. Either can be but it depends on breeding, then each individual temperament, and how you bring them up.

I'm betting you could find an older Chow who's been tested & is good with cats if you ever wanted to in the future. I don't think you'll ever get a guarantee of getting a gem. A puppy would probably be too risky to chance since it could go either way.

side note to Cig: What is 'stroppy'? I love that you are from the UK! I only wish I could hear you speak (i love hearing the accents as well as learning the little distinctions here & there)..

[cigwyllt]

Stroppy - unruly, obstreperous, impudent.

I forget not everyone is a Brit! Mind you, if you ask my nationality I would say Welsh, not British, every time!

[reeskujo]

I had a Chow about 25yr.s ago..He was actually a stray running with a pack of stray dogs..I put some food out for him and needless to say he never left..He was a very unique dog..He would disappear for about 2 days every week and then return home for the rest of the week..He became the neighborhood dog..When he first started running off for 2 days I was worried for him until I found out he was sleeping at one of the neighbors houses for the night lol..I had my first 2 kids at the time who were under 2 yr.s old and he was as sweet and gentle as he could be with them..He had one strange aggressive tendency..once someone came in my house if I didn't tell Bear it was ok for them to leave he would block them from the door and growl..He would also sleep under the porch outside and if someone came up the stairs to knock on the door he wouldn't let them back down unless said so..He kept some of his stray pack mentality but when it came to my family and the neighbors he was a giant,gentle,teddy bear..When my youngest daughter was born he would sleep under her crib and if I took to long getting to her when she cried he would come and get me..

Like Lange said they're personalities are simililar to Akita's but very different as well..I have trained a lot of Chows with whom it was very evident they would snap on their owners in a heartbeat and I've had some that were simply big babies..Akita's don't tend to have that issue when it comes to their owners..However if their owners ever physically diciplined them they can snap in a heartbeat..I've got to agree with Lange that it has a whole lot to do with the breeding and then how they're raised.My Seigi comes from an awesome bloodline of wonderful temperments and he has one as well..However he's still an Akita and will not hesitate to growl if he's not feeling good or the vet is taking blood from him..However he's never really tried to bite..He snapped at me once but it was my fault..He was really sick and didn't want to be bothered and I insisted on trying to lavish him with attention and did nothing more then piss him off but that is typical o any dog who's sick..He's the perfect gentlemen with people and other dogs..He goes through the typical Akita testing fazes and is quickly reminded of his place in the pack and gives up within a day or two..Again it's all in the breeding and raising.