You need to make the cats know that they're still number one, and doggy there needs to be reprimanded for chasing.

How far is his training?? Did he have any when you got him, or is it all new for him?? He really needs to learn leave it, and no.

Both my dogs were reprimanded by being put out of the room when they harassed the cats. We also installed baby gates so the cats were free to roam without fear.

It will take time for your cats to adjust. You may want to keep your new friend on a leash when he's out of his crate, until he learns not to chase. That way the cats will realise he won't chase them EVERY time, because he won't be able to.

My calico took a few months to come around and stop hiding when my boyfriend and his dog moved in. Now you'd never know she was afraid of him, or that he ever chased her.

He only knows sit and down. We are working on other commands. I tell him no when he has chased the cats but he does not respond when he is on the chase.

The cats have access to our basement and the dog doesn't.

I have called a dog trainer to help with the problem. He is scheduled to visit next Wednesday.

Gradual socialization was the key for me. It took several weeks of keeping the two species seperated with very short periods of supervised time together, but in the end it was totally worth it. Now the only time he chases the cat is when I have a busy week at work and don't take him out for his usual hour run in the morning for days at a time. Of course the cat is usually the one to initiate the chase...

I have the cutest picture of the cat & dog sharing some water but it's on film, not digital, so you will just have to wait until I finish the roll to post it!

Good luck with the trainer.

BCs are intensely driven working dogs who MUST be properly and consistently trained and given A LOT of daily, interactive exercise. They are genetically programmed to herd other animals and will do it all day every day. But I'm sure you researched the breed thoroughly before you adopted him and are aware of the requirements for both mental and physical stimulation for the breed.

Get that dog into obedience classes immediately. Training him in a dog sport like agility, flyball, or herding would be a very good idea, as well. With a breed as energetic and intelligent as BCs, the more training and exercise you can provide, the better.

In the meantime, do NOT allow your dog off-leash in the house until you get his behavior under control. Under NO circumstances should he be allowed to approach or initiate any sort of contact with your cats. In fact, BCs intimidate sheep simply by staring at them with the "eye", so you should prohibit that behavior toward your cats, as well. In other words, you need to teach your dog very firm behavioral boundaries where the cats are concerned so that he clearly understands that they are off limits and NOT herding animals.

All the training in the world, however, will not solve your problem if your BC is not adequately exercised. He needs constructive ways to expend his energy and working drive. A bored BC is a BC who will constantly be in some sort of trouble. They are far too energetic and intelligent a breed to allow their need for stimulation to go unaddressed.

Don't count on baby gates to keep your cats safe. BCs are extremely athletic. A baby gate won't slow him down at all. And don't plan on crating him very often. A crated BC will drive himself crazy with pent-up energy.

I sure hope you knew what you were getting yourself into when you adopted a BC. They are phenomenal dogs, but they are NOT easy. There's a reason so many of the herding dogs get dumped at shelters. Most folks don't understand how much physical exercise and mental stimulation they require to keep them happy, healthy, and controllable.

Laurie

laurief,

Thanks for all of the great information. Yes we were well aware of a BC traits. Our local BC rescue does a very good job of informing and screening potential adopters.

He has been getting a fair amount of exercise daily. Two 30 minute runs with my husband, a one hour walk with me, and ball with my 15 year old son.

I think that obenience classes are needed. He has not had very much training.

I do believe that it was a mistake to not have him on a leash from the begining.

I have one cat that is very scared by nature. I think it will take some time before he will come out from hiding even if the dog is restrained at all times.

The dog has many positive traits. I hope that we can clear up this problem and have a happy home for all of the residents.

Laurie, I should clarify with the babygates.

We never use our gates unsupervised. They're just nice to have in place, to separate the dogs (who are with us) and the cats, when the cats feel the need to get away from the dogs. Our dogs wouldn't last terribly long before the figured out a way to work around the gate.

We usually only close our gate, if the beagle is really on a mission to annoy the cats. This way the cats have the choice of being with us in the living room, or being away from the dogs. We can always tell when they're not enjoying play time with the dog anymore, and if she's super persistent, the gates close.

I can appreciate what you're going through. We had one cat, then adopted a 14-week-old collie that had had no training whatsoever. She was our "wild puppy." We began training and a few months later adopted a sibling pair of kitties. We kept them apart and let the cats decide when they were ready to become acquainted. It wasn't easy, really. Our collie has a very strong herding instinct (and she definitely has "the stare" lol) and will chase what runs. After a couple of years now, our dog has great recall and will immediately stop whatever she is doing if we say, "Leave it!"

Our first cat considers herself royalty and couldn't be bothered with the dog except on occasion, and then she'll nuzzle our collie nose to nose. Of our sibling pair of cats, our male is our collie's best friend. They tumble, play, groom one another and sleep together. It's so adorable. That cat's sister has always been an apprehensive sort and still runs when she sees the dog, who always runs after her *because* she's running! If I say "Leave it!" our collie girl will freeze in her tracks.

So, lots of different relationships in our household - but the command "Leave it!" has been the best thing we could have taught our collie (who by nature is loyal and wants to please us -- she's a fantastic dog!!).

Best of luck.

We're in the same slow boat trying to acquaint cat to our rescued border collie. :) He's about a year old and we've had him about 2 months now.

The cat is slowly, oh so slowly, observing the dog more. Every night after we kennel our pup and turn out the lights, the cat goes sniffing within inches of the kennel. He's curious, but not quite ready to face the dog in day light hours.:)

Restoring the cat's sense of security is important. Cats will make the final call on when/where they are ready to get acquainted with a dog. Some take longer than others, but they can learn to live together.

Yes, BC have a strong drive to 'focus' and 'chase' on anything that moves, but the flip-side is they are intelligent, responsive and sensitive and can learn what is(or isn't) the appropriate reaction with consistency and leadership.

We're big on 'leave it' and as our pup is interested in EVERYTHING that moves it is absolutely invaluable. Every week we see a *little* improvement, both in his self-control and the cat's confidence.

Our's figured out the first week that we were not happy if he whined and jumped around when the cat came sneaking down the stairs to see the new arrival. It became a loose-loose behavior: we grew serious, shaking our heads, telling him to 'leave it' but worse the would cat disappear as quickly as he appeared. :( He also learned that if he lays still and quiet the cat will stay longer and come closer (win-win for everyone).

Even on leash keeping his attention can be a challenge at times. We occasionally reinforce the 'leave it' with a quick squirt from a water bottle when he became too intense on the kitty and stops listening. A rattle, whistle, a can of beans, or other noise to startle works to break the 'focus'. Just don't let him see you do it :)

After getting his attention back we quickly re-direct his attention to an easy command: 'find the ball' or a sequence of 'sit, shake, down'. Redirections works wonders and helps him calm down. The cat is just SO exciting after all. ;)

It sounds like you and your family are off to a great start doing the research and insuring he gets his exercise, training, etc. It is a household job to keep a BC pup's day busy and interesting. We know!

Give your kitties time, space and lots of love. They can learn to tolerate the new arrival and if you're lucky they might even become friends.

Northy,

Thanks for the encouragement. I contacted the rescue group today asking for suggestions. I hope to hear from them soon.

The cats haven't come out of the basement in days. I hope they will be brave enough to try again.

He is a wonderful dog in many ways. I hope we can work it out.

About 8 years ago we rescued 2 Scotties, and for about 3 months we had the upstairs pets (cats) and the downstairs pets (dogs) then the cats slowly started to slink past to get to some point they wanted (like the hard cat food I started to put on the dryer), in all it took about 6 months, but then they would play together.
Scotties are known for their hunting abilities, they were originally used to keep moles,gophers and the like out of the "castle", so the instinct is there to "get it"

The herding instinct of Border Collies is actually a sliver of their enormously strong prey drive that has been refined & focused through selective breeding.

If a Border Collie puppy is destined to herd sheep, the puppy is kept with a mother ewe & her lambs so that he imprints them as "his herd" from the beginning, not as prey.

An untrained or improperly trained BC will chase sheep down & kill them.

Same here.

If your BC can't accept the cats as "his" family rather than prey, it's a matter of when & not if disaster strikes & he kills them.

Be very diligent, *never* trust him with them unsupervised, &, if it just won't work out, get the rescue to find him another place.

& consider this, too:
Your cats were there first, & this is their home.

Overnight, their lives have changed from safe & secure to stressful & dangerous.

I wish you the best.

My McNab, a cow dog breed with alot of BC. When I got her she never saw a cat. She did't like the cats, she thought they smelled bad. lol After spending time with them and helping raise two orphened kittens she feel she should protect them. My cats are house/barn cats so when they are outside and a strange dog, bob cat or strange person comes around she has a special "cat" bark and all the cats run home.

Silviatexas,

I was not aware that BC had a strong prey drive. Herding drive yes, but not prey drive. This was not in any of the books or information I have read. I also was not aware that a BC must be kept with sheep from puppy on if that is his purpose or he will kill the flock.

I have seen many BC herd sheep that were not raised as one of the flock. No killings took place.

Thank you for the concern for my cats. Their safety is my first priority. The dog has shown no aggression towards them. He did chase them and they have retreated to my basement.

The rescue organization which I got the dog from was aware that I have 2 cats. The dog was in a foster home with a cat that was very bold and did not run from him. No incidents occured.

can't remember where I read it-or even *if* I read it or if I saw it on public television, but, yes, the herding instinct is a remnant of the prey drive, & sheep farmers put the puppies with a ewe & her lambs to imprint.

If the dog chased the cats & they fled, it was rewarding for him, & he'll do it again.

Often a dog will tolerate or get along with a cat who's experienced with dogs but will be aggressive with other cats or pets.

The dog and the cats are doing what is normal for each. The cats are not responding to the collies 'eye' so his next move is to chase. If they still don't go in the right direction, he may mouth and bite the cats if they continue to 'disobey' instead of going where he wants them to go.

Did your cats ever live with a dog before?

Cats not familiar with dogs are very different than cats in a foster home who are used dogs. The foster home kitties are likely to simply sit still or walk slowly.

Your adoption group knows this, and hopefully they provided some guidance on integrating to keep the cats safe.

Sylvia is correct on the 'herding instinct' being a selected trait rooted in prey drive.

No, my cats have not lived with dogs.

daggett,

I have 14 cats and 3 dogs, two of whom are herders. Pippin is an Aussie with moderate herding drive, and Tasha is presumably an Aussie mix with VERY intense herding drive. All of my cats have lived with dogs for as long as the cats have been members of my family. Even so, they are wisely nervous and cautious around dogs they don't know.

When we adopted Pippin as a newly neutered young adult, he came from an Aussie rescue where he had been fostered with a cat or two. I was told he was curious about the cat but not at all pushy, so I thought he'd make a great fit for our family. When he arrived, he was, indeed, curious about the household cats and spent some time trying to follow them around until they hissed and backed him off. He took their reprimands well and left them alone.

The next day, Pip and the other dogs came out to the barn with me for morning chores. The eldest cat, Billy, had gone out earlier to start his daily farm sentry duties. As soon as Pippin caught sight of Billy, he took off after him with bloodlust in his eyes. This was no playful romp. This was a hungry wolf after a rabbit. I screamed at Pip and ran after him, but he could not be called off. He was after a kill, and there was nothing I could do to stop him. He didn't know me yet and hadn't accepted me as his pack leader. He also didn't know Bill and hadn't identified him as part of his new family pack. Gratefully, Billy escaped into the hayshed before Pip caught up with him, and I eventually caught up with Pip and dragged him back to the house, screaming at him along the way.

If I hadn't had Pip flown up to me in MN from TX, I would have returned him to the rescue that day. Because that wasn't an immediately available option, I decided on a different tactic. I purchased a muzzle and put it (and a leash) on Pip when he came outside with me. He continued to be fine with the cats indoors, but it took about a month before I trusted him outdoors without the muzzle.

With Pip, the key was to give him time to identify and integrate into his new family pack and to understand and accept the pack order. Over the course of a month, he realized that all of the cats were part of his new pack, and he never chased one of them again, inside or out. In fact, Pip is submissive to all the cats (he's a submissive personality, anyway). It wasn't until I got Pip into basic obedience classes, however, that he fully accepted me as his alpha pack leader.

Tasha was and is a different matter altogether. We adopted her as a tiny puppy, so she was raised in a household full of cats. Even so, she has always been much more problematic for the cats than has Pippin. Tasha is MUCH more intensely driven than is Pip, and she's also a very pushy alpha personality. Everything in her universe BELONGS to Tasha, is DOMINATED by Tasha, and REVOLVES around Tasha ... everything except me, that is. She knows and accepts that I am her alpha leader, but everything and everyone else breathes her air at her pleasure and mercy.

With Tasha, it is obvious that herding drive is an extension of prey drive. The intensity of her herding behavior is really quite remarkable. I have no doubt, though, that she would have turned into a killer if I hadn't set very strict behavioral boundaries on her and if I didn't continue to enforce them on a daily basis. I am still constantly having to tell her to leave the cats alone. She simply wants to dictate every move every animal (or toy) makes in her world. Unfortunately because of her cruciate problems, I can not allow her to exercise as much or as vigorously as her mind requires, so keeping her behavior within controllable limits is a constant challenge. As I noted in my earlier response, herders are amazing dogs, but they are NOT easy!

Now back to your dog. You made a MAJOR mistake by ever allowing your dog to chase your cats. Not only has the dog been rewarded for his bad behavior by achieving the desired effect of "herding" the cats, but the cats have now learned that you can not or will not protect them from the dog. They have lost trust in you and in the safety of their own home. They are trapped with the enemy - an enemy that they are very much aware can and may want to kill them. Of course they're hiding. Every instinct they have tells them they must hide for their self-preservation. They have no experience living with passive dogs, so all they have to respond to are their own instincts.

As I mentioned earlier, you must keep your dog either leashed or locked securely away from the cats at all times until and unless your cats adjust to his presence and give you the opportunity to train him properly. Do NOT in ANY way try to force your cats out of hiding or into the presence of the dog. They must be allowed to make peace with his presence in their own time and way ... if it's going to happen at all. Most likely, they will start coming out under cover of darkness, late at night after everyone has gone to bed, the dog is securely crated, and all is quiet. Once they start reaffirming their safety under those conditions, they will probably slowly start to appear during daylight hours. If you do NOT allow the dog to approach them or intimidate them in any way, your cats will eventually get braver. It may take months or years, but if you assure their safety and work to regain their trust away from the dog, they will probably eventually come out of hiding again.

You can help your cats by spending lots of time alone with them in whichever room they are hiding, trying to coax them out of hiding just to enjoy some petting, playing, and treats. Like I said, they have lost trust in you, and you're going to have to work to regain it. Let them know that they still matter and that they can safely spend time with you without risking interaction with the dog.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to teach your dog to accept the cats as part of his new family pack until and unless the cats come out of hiding and start reintegrating themselves into the household. It's a waiting game now. Make it impossible for the dog to get anywhere near the cats on his own, and give the cats the supportive loving they need to feel safe again. Hopefully in time the cats will give you a second chance to be their protector in the presence of the dog.

Good luck,

Laurie

I would love to see what you guys think of this situation, please... Our first pit-bull-mix-type dog has always been great with our cats. When we started looking for a second dog to play with him, we really wanted another pitbull mix type of dog because we just love them. We limited our search to dogs who have been fostered or introduced to cats with no violent reaction. And the day before yesterday, we did bring home a dog that fit that description. He is very sweet, and very treat motivated, and even though he's a pretty young and very Terrier type of dog, we decided that we would bring him into the house with the cats here and see how it goes. We have even seen footage of him interacting in a very chill away with a cat in his foster house. So, we didn't realize that he would chase them as soon as he saw them and especially after they ran from him! ItI it isn't at all what I expected. We are going to get a trainer to help us learn how to navigate this, and right now we're just allowing the cats to hide. But I feel absolutely terrible for them! The dog gets a ton of exercise. He and our other dog run around the backyard several times a day, he

gets walked several times a day too because we are also working on housebreaking him. So it's not that he has too much pent-up energy. Any advice you could offer would be so appreciated, thank you very much!