Do German Shepherds Get Along With Cats? Help a Cat & GSD Become Friends!
GSD Behavior Tips of The Week
Do German Shepherds Get Along With Cats?
Help a Cat & GSD Become Friends!
Worrying about having a cat and a German Shepherd in your home at the same time is perfectly normal.
But If you approach the situation with the right attitude, your German Shepherd and cat can become the best of friends.
However, it can take weeks or months for a dog and a cat to get used to each other, so don’t expect instant results.
Do your best to stay patient with your two pets during this period.
You’re also going to want to consider the temperament of your existing pet before you bring another dog or cat into your home.
If you already have a cat, look for a German Shepherd with a mellow personality.
Training a German Shepherd to Get Along With Cats
If possible, start training your German Shepherd to become comfortable with cats while it’s still a puppy.
You can also try teaching your dog to ignore cats. Do this by capturing your dog’s attention while a cat is in the room.
Start by placing your cat in a pet carrier. Bring your dog into the room, and let it sniff the carrier.
After a moment, call your dog away for treats and direct its attention.
Continue to play with your dog while the cat is safely crated.
If your dog tries to investigate the carrier, block their access, or distract them again.
Whenever your dog ignores the cat and pays attention to you, reinforce this behavior with treats and praise.
After a few successful ignore sessions, put a leash on your dog and let the cat out of the carrier.
Continue to reinforce ignoring the cat; and don’t let your dog get up to investigate.
Eventually, you should be able to let your dog off-leash and maintain its full attention while a cat is in the room.
Once your dog knows the ignore skill, you can also teach them to wait patiently and let a cat approach them.
Put your dog on a leash, and bring a cat in a carrier into the room.
Ask your dog to lie down and stay. If your dog lunges at the cat, say no.
Correct their behavior until they remain still.
Once your dog has shown that it can stay quiet around the kitty, let the cat out of the carrier.
Remember not to let yourself become tense; your dog will react to your emotions.
Keep your dog lying down while the cat explores the room.
Eventually, the cat may feel like approaching your dog.
So remember to keep your dog calm for the entire process, and reward your pup for good behavior.
Once the cat is put away, let the energy rise again with treats and playtime.
You can also try asking your dog to lie down every time they see a cat.
You want your German Shepherd to automatically relax and assume a non-threatening position whenever they encounter a cat.
Training Cats to Get Along With German Shepherds
This will also involve keeping your cat calm.
German shepherds usually only chase cats who run.
So if you can help your cat relax around the dog, you can prevent most chasing situations.
Start by Introducing Scents
Keep your two pets separated for the first day or two.
If they’ve already had a bad introduction, give them a few days to cool off and forget about the incident.
And remember to spend time with each pet individually; they shouldn’t feel like you love the other animal more.
Next, introduce your cat to the German Shepherd’s scent.
Take a towel or a blanket that the dog has interacted with, and bring it into the cat’s space.
This will help your cat become comfortable with the dog’s presence in their home.
You can also bring the cat’s scent into the dog’s environment.
We also recommend feeding both pets while they’re on opposite sides of the same door.
This lets them feel more comfortable in each other’s presence without exposing them to direct interaction.
When you haven’t noticed any barking, hissing, or stress from either pet in a few days, it’s time to try an introduction.
Follow the same steps as with your GSD to make sure your puppy doesn’t scare your cat when they first meet.
Keep the German shepherd on a leash while you let your cat explore the room.
Eventually your cat may choose to approach the dog.
Remember that actual results will vary based on your cat.
Give them plenty of room to move around, and let them introduce themselves to the dog at their own pace.
Your end goal is to be able to leave your cat and German Shepherd at home while you go out for the day.
Do this by making sure your pets have options to get away from each other.
Cats need access to high areas and safe rooms where the dogs can’t get to.
While dogs need backyards, crates, and other areas that are distinctly theirs.
And both pets should always be able to leave a stressful situation at a moment’s notice.
So leave bedroom and bathroom doors open if you won’t be home, and you can even isolate one pet while you’re gone.
Use plenty of treats to help both animals relax, as good food creates positive associations.
And if necessary, feed your pets on opposite sides of the same room.
Supervise all interactions between the dog and the cat for the first few months.
You should also monitor stress levels, and casually end playtime if it gets too rough.
For the full breakdown, click here!
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ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
What Human Foods German Shepherds Can Safely Eat
As German Shepherd owners, we love our dogs for their fierce loyalty, confident natures, and willingness to learn.
Because of this, you may have found yourself wanting to reward your GSD with a snack from your personal pantry.
But depending on what you feed your GSD, you could greatly endanger your dog’s overall health and well-being.
In this article, we take a look at the various human foods your dog is allowed to eat.
We also outline how these foods should be served, and how they can benefit your German Shepherd’s overall diet.
Click below to learn more!
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FEATURED VIDEO OF THE WEEK
How Long Can German Shepherds Go Without Eating?
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Until next time!
We would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness for www.newbeginningsrescue.com.
This is a rescue charity that does amazing work to raise awareness for the thousands of GSDs needing homes across the USA.
They're a national rescue of 17 years and have a sister rescue in LA that is a GSD rescue as well.
They do need help getting the word out that they're trying to find fosters in all states.
They also need drivers to get these amazing dogs from point A to point B in those areas.
They help countless medical cases and heartworm positive dogs and always need donations from other animal lovers as well.
Please visit their website for more information and to find out how you can help!
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