Cats!

[greysrus]

My newly adopted greyhound goes mad lunging when she sees cats. She's very strong. I have to be constantly looking for them as we walk. Quite often she sees them before I do and nearly takes my arm off. We can walk on the opposite side of the street and although alert I can keep her calmish. But if they're on the same side of pavement she goes mad. Is this something that i will just have to live with or can I do something to make it better. There are lots of cats on our estate. Any advice?

[alfiemoon]

We have the same issue with our lurcher, Alfie...he has always gone ballistic when he sees a cat (now code-named Fury Hat), also redirecting his frustration onto whatever is nearest (our leg, the lead, whatever) especially if they're moving.

We've had some significant success with using a 'watch me' whilst walking past and using high value treats (i.e. pilchard cake) as a reward, to get him to focus on us instead of the cat. Repeat, repeat, repeat - it will take time and not always go to plan, but we've found he rarely reacts to stationery cats using this method, and if he sees a moving one (or one we've missed) and starts reacting, we can get him back focussing on us much more quickly, and the level of reaction is not as bad as it was.

My husband has even started getting Alfie to sit for the reward in sight of the cat which is amazing.

You may need to teach a sitting 'watch me' first, before progressing to a walking one.

You also need to perfect the art of cat spotting so you can control what's happening. Don't worry, it will become second nature after a while!!

Bear with it though as it might take months to see a significant improvement.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

[gazer]

Sept 29, 2015 14:54:08 GMT -5 alfiemoon said:

We have the same issue with our lurcher, Alfie...he has always gone ballistic when he sees a cat (now code-named Fury Hat), also redirecting his frustration onto whatever is nearest (our leg, the lead, whatever) especially if they're moving.

We've had some significant success with using a 'watch me' whilst walking past and using high value treats (i.e. pilchard cake) as a reward, to get him to focus on us instead of the cat. Repeat, repeat, repeat - it will take time and not always go to plan, but we've found he rarely reacts to stationery cats using this method, and if he sees a moving one (or one we've missed) and starts reacting, we can get him back focussing on us much more quickly, and the level of reaction is not as bad as it was.

My husband has even started getting Alfie to sit for the reward in sight of the cat which is amazing.

You may need to teach a sitting 'watch me' first, before progressing to a walking one.

You also need to perfect the art of cat spotting so you can control what's happening. Don't worry, it will become second nature after a while!!

Bear with it though as it might take months to see a significant improvement.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

I love this alfiemoon, well done being able to calm Alfie when he sees a cat.  I have 2 lurcher girlies, one very often screams like a banshee and lunges when she sees a cat, or squirrel, or anything small and moving, the other one redirects onto whatever is closest, she can't help herself and is now muzzled to protect Cara and my legs.

My old greyhound lad who is also called Alfie just stops with extremely tall ears and stares, he has never pulled or lunged but would defo chase if he was offlead I'm sure.

I have tried the watch thing, treats and sit but Cara especially is so alert on her walks she just isn't listening when something like a cat appears, she's also very reactive to motorbikes, joggers, kids with footballs etc, etc. A real live wire when out.

[alfiemoon]

It's definitely more tricky with more than one hound, unless you have a walking partner and have one each.

It seems that if we can prevent the initial lunge/spin, then Alfie doesn't get quite so 'hyped'.

There's also the issue of needing a spare hand for holding the treat, not always easy with a lead in each hand.

It takes some practice.

[greysrus]

Thanks Gazer, how long have you had your greys? Have you seen an improvement or is it just how they are? Do you just walk on hanging onto the lead?!

I have an older grey that I walk too, thankfully she isn't bothered!

[kamkay]

The perennial problem ! Jet had a very well tuned cat nav and nothing I could do would change him. Just before he died he dived behind a bin and came out with a cat attached Alien style to his face. He was screaming and so was the cat . When I finally separated them Jet had a long scratch which missed his eye by a millimetre. Guinness is interested and goes into dog dressage mode but has so far not lunged at a cat. Good luck with the Watch me training and let us know how you get on

[littlewonder40]

Hi am new to Greyhound Gap and a first time dog owner. Have just this week adopted our spanish greyhound. She seems to freeze and her ears go up when she sees a cat. Am getting used to playing dodge the cat and there seem to be alot on our street something I noticed now we have a dog! One problem I have found is some cats are not phased by this big dog and decide to approach us slowly..while I am there trying to shoo it away! Some mischievious cats round here! Anyone got any tips. Treats don't seem to work as she's in the zone...almost like a trance!

[gazer]

Sept 30, 2015 4:41:14 GMT -5 greysrus said:

Thanks Gazer, how long have you had your greys? Have you seen an improvement or is it just how they are? Do you just walk on hanging onto the lead?!

I have an older grey that I walk too, thankfully she isn't bothered!

Hi, my 2 girls are younger lurchers that have been here a few years now.  Has their behaviour improved, let me see, errrr, that'll be a No!! 

When they are walked seperately things are definitely better, but then it's easier to get out of situations when you only have one dog with you, together they earn me the nickname of 'mad dog woman', I'm sure several multidog owners can relate to that

I walk them both in Ruffwear harness's, double ended leads and a muzzle.

Don't be disheartened though, all dogs are different, some will respond to training really well.

My greyhound lad has been here over 8 years now, he has never really lunged at anything but at the grand age of 12 and a half, he is still very alert and does the stare with ears, sometimes I get a little on the spot dance a bit like the 'dressage mode' Kay mentions.  I have had other greyhounds here and they were keen, one was very keen, she would have cheerfully murdered any cat given the chance.  She was a total delight round the house but a nightmare if we saw a cat.  Sadly I lost her at just 4 years old so there's no telling how she would have been in old age.  My other girlie I had was not 'cat friendly' but would walk by with limited interest.

I'm totally comfortable with it now though, I've learned to handle them in a way that causes the least stress for eveyone.  As for the cat that stands it's ground I have on occasion suddenly let a short lead go long but stay just out of reach of the cat, I don't recommend it though, cause it's a bit norty.   Usually shifts the cat though, when it sees a screaming hound hurtling towards it.

Good luck with your girl, let us know how you get along.

Jacqui

[Ted]

All Four of my Hounds are cat chasers if given the chance and anything else that is furry. However this is the way Greyhounds are trained in Ireland with live bait of the fur from a recently dead furry beast. One of my Greyhounds, Mickey-Finn, is very proactive about getting at cats if he was given the chance. My female Greyhound, Kelly, chases squirrels at the Riverside Park with lots of encouragement from my Greyhound Mickey who because his recall even after 4 years is still nil even though three lots of different trainers believed they had cured his recall. My eldest Greyhound, Merlin, would chase a cat if he was out in our garden, whilst my Spanish Hound, Menta, is now blind so she can't see the cats or squirrels. So in our area where there are numerous cats they are always on the lead. My Dog Walker, who walks Mickey and Kelly, knows that Mickey is very pro-active about getting hold of a cat if he can. My second Greyhound, Missy (1999-2011), would chase cats and squirrels given the chance. My first Greyhound, Jagger (1993-2007), was a cat chaser but both his best friends were our two cats, Tigger and Flossy, he would chase any strange cat he saw.

[burnsider]

Reggie has learned from Lola that cats are "the enemy"! He will bark at them, Lola is all out to kill!

A dog trainer suggested to me that a sudden rattling noise will distract them from the "cat focus" and suggested dropping a plastic bottle with pebbles in it. Distract? Terrify them more like!


I keep a four small pebbles in a small plastic pot which I gently turn over when they react to a cat, allowing the pebbles to slide from one end to the other. That's usually enough to break the focus and get them looking my way and listening to me so the treat idea can take over. Reggie now just focuses and grumbles a bit and Lola "huffs and puffs" until the treats come out. If I can distract them before they see the cat all is well....

[sharonhigh45]

I know this may sound funny but, sometimes our cat comes on walks with us, so when there is a cat in the vicinity I say to my two the name of our cat and try to make out that is there mate and not a stranger, it certainly confuses them until we have passed by!

[andywillow]

Welcome to the world of Greyhounds! We've got 7 greyhounds and lurchers here, all of them hate cats. Annie one of our black bitches screams the minute she sees one then they all go bonkers!
Over the years I have developed eyes like a hawk and normally spot cats long before they do. There's no distracting mine with food, we just hold on tight until we are past it.

[lurcherlot]

Oct 1, 2015 4:17:12 GMT -5 andywillow said:

Welcome to the world of Greyhounds! We've got 7 greyhounds and lurchers here, all of them hate cats. Annie one of our black bitches screams the minute she sees one then they all go bonkers!
Over the years I have developed eyes like a hawk and normally spot cats long before they do. There's no distracting mine with food, we just hold on tight until we are past it.

Same here Sue ... my 5 go bonkers when they see a cat (or rabbit, squirrel, anything that moves!) and 1 does everytime he sees another dog! It is a case of hanging on for dear life until whatever it is has disappeared.

[dash4misty]

Quite lucky here Obie just pricks his ears up and gets a bit quicker , Dulcie does the little "cat" dance but is manageable , my last bridge boy Sam used to scream and lunge it was horrific as he was a big boy I tried all sorts treats , water gun , stones in a jar etc etc , mine always walk in s muzzle just in case gives me a bit of peace of mind

[greysrus]

Gazer, do you find they're better with a harness and double lead? I have the traditional collar and lead but am wondering whether to try a harness. Where do you buy the harness and lead from? I presume I wouldn't need her normal lead as well - daft question?!