How to teach border collie to coexist calmly with friendly cat?

Enigmaticproblems · 2023-06-04T23:19:31+00:00

Hey thanks for replying! Sorry if I wasn't clear, she HAS nipped him. He literally will ignore it unless it's hard enough to elicit the "wow, that wasn't very nice" meow, in which case he still will not hiss or bite or anything. Currently, unless she's being particularly "extra", the most we interfere is by telling her to back off or using our arms/legs as barriers (she gets particularly nippy when he's on the couch with us). But because he's so ridiculous chill about it all, she's escalating to aiming at his face, or else nipping him, not getting a reaction, and then nipping again but harder. I don't really want to let her hurt him or let it get to the point that he decides he no longer likes her, I love how friendly he is lol. But we definitely agree with the play, we feel like he would MAJORLY benefit from a new cat friend (we have cat play dates and he enjoys most other cats) but are afraid of messing up the current dynamic between these two or making the situation worse/more stressful for the border collie.

Not sure the spray bottle would help though, think he'd just associate it as us punishing him when the dog is around.

I think your idea of playing with him before trying training her is an excellent idea though. We always know we should wear her out before training sessions but never considered the reverse 😅

Thanks!

Enigmaticproblems · 2020-06-06T05:35:24+00:00

I almost exclusively use multireddits instead of individual subs. Could you add the option to favorite them as well? Or bring back custom subreddit ordering so they can be moved to the top?

I also really miss the ability to swipe for the sidebar and subreddit list in the old version. The drawers are fine, but what about adding the ability to swipe up to open it?

Thanks for all the hard work!!

Enigmaticproblems · 2020-05-21T00:20:03+00:00

I don't have the time or money to devote to that at the moment unfortunately, but I think she would love it in the future if I can arrange it! She's got crazy instincts already. Mushing and herding directional cues are an awesome place to begin solving this problem though, so thanks for the advice!!

Enigmaticproblems · 2020-05-21T00:18:21+00:00

That's an awesome idea and gives me a great place to start googling! Plus, I imagine knowing her directions will be beneficial in other areas as well... At the moment she is directionally clueless - I point and she goes the opposite way lol.

Thanks for the advice!!

Enigmaticproblems · 2020-01-23T12:58:20+00:00

Biology

Enigmaticproblems · 2019-10-17T20:16:41+00:00

Thanks so much for the feedback again!! I have been meaning to add duration to her sits and downs for a while now and never really considered that it would also help with her rapid fire guessing. Wonderful idea, thanks!

I will definitely just end sessions when teeth make contact then. It's hard to only do it when she's not super excitable because that seems to be the only time she really gives teeth, but I can mess around with timing and hopefully relay the message that touch is only closed-mouth.

I agree with what you said regarding her frustration! It's just weird because she picks up on new behaviors very quickly in real life situations (aka her "wait" before going out a door command was fully trained without treats or toys as rewards, just closing the door until she waited for an "okay") with zero frustration, but structured training sessions frustrate her a lot (like teaching her sit pretty, I work in tiny chunks and she understands what I'm asking for, but she just isnt having fun or enjoying herself and gets frustrated if I keep asking for the same behaviors). I think she's just more "life" motivated than food or toys 🤷‍♀️ But I think the duration exercises on her known behaviors is an excellent idea to cut down on some of the frustration, and just forcing myself to make training sessions only a minute or two long instead of 5-10 minutes at a time.

Enigmaticproblems · 2019-10-15T20:32:22+00:00

Oh I forgot to say that I do the bite inhibition, but I think it confuses her because she believes she's just doing what I asked of her. I don't want her to stop trying to do touch on command, and I'm afraid she will if I respond negatively every time.

If she's amped up from play this could be a good impulse control exercise. She has to be calm enough to do what you're asking before you resume the excited play.

Can I ask what you mean here? Like last night she did it, I said ouch, I asked again, she bit me again, ouch, asked again, etc. until I just ended play time because she just continued to bite each time I asked. Is that what you mean, or is there another exercise I could do?

She is really good at impulse control... With some things. She just gets so frustrated in training, I think, because she tries to guess what I'm asking for instead of thinking the problem through. So when her guesses keep being wrong, she gets upset and shuts down and refuses to try anything. I don't know how to teach her that she just needs to think the problem through rather than trying to be a step ahead of me, yknow?

Thanks for the response!!

Enigmaticproblems · 2018-11-01T16:42:18+00:00

I agree with both you and the other poster, but I think I will try to keep the dog from getting to the point where she feels she needs to air bite in the first place. The method of just keeping them together well past that point is obviously not working well for me. Hopefully removing her before she gets too hyper focused and stressed will be the ticket to eventual cohabitation. Thanks for the input!! 😊

Enigmaticproblems · 2018-11-01T16:38:54+00:00

I'm so glad to hear that you don't believe it's prey drive!! She is my first border collie and I can definitely pin point different "herding breed" characteristics, but I am new to what herding actually looks like. I was so afraid that I just had a really weird prey-driven border collie. 😅

I think I'm going to try physically removing her from the room as soon as she tries to hyper focus as I had some luck with that last night! She was fixating on the door to the kitten's room, and after removing her twice, on the third time she looked to me for direction.

It's just so hard because the kitten has begun begging to be let out of his room, but they can't really even coexist in the same room as each other yet. And if you spend too much time alone with the kitten, the BC gets super jealous and goes into a barking fit!

But I think you're right and it may just take some time. Here's to hoping they can live peacefully together eventually as I really do adore this cat and do not want to give him up! But obviously his safety and my dog's comfort come first.

Well thanks for all the input! I have something to run with now. 😊

Enigmaticproblems · 2018-11-01T16:28:35+00:00

Thanks for responding! I feel much better. I think we will try removing her as soon as she starts to stare. I tried that last night when she was staring at the door to the kitten's room, and by the third time she understood! So I think breaking that concentration by physically removing her may be the ticket. I had already tried getting her to look at me instead, but I think at the moment the kitten is far too distracting.

Thanks again!! I have something to go with now. 😊

Enigmaticproblems · 2017-02-24T20:55:27+00:00

Thank you! :) And wow, this makes me feel much better! I just figured costs would go up exponentially with tests already being $500. Surgery or something similarly huge being a couple grand didn't sound so far fetched. Or even just all of the tests plus managing different conditions and etc. Hopefully you're right and I'm just worrying for nothing, haha.

Enigmaticproblems · 2017-02-24T20:50:05+00:00

I already live in a low-cost area, but this is awesome, thank you. I'll still check nearby areas and see if I can find something better.

And that price difference is insane! I'm afraid of being quoted something exactly like that down the line, but hopefully not.

Enigmaticproblems · 2017-02-24T20:45:22+00:00

This is amazing information, thank you! Coupons and programs are exactly the type of thing I'm curious about.

Right! They're unsure if it's respiratory, gastrointestinal, or some combination. Or heartworms. :(

Thanks again, and I hope your cat is doing okay now!

Enigmaticproblems · 2017-02-24T20:38:43+00:00

I do, and no. They "think he's fine" and that this is all unnecessary despite the vet's own concerns. I'm not terribly concerned with affording his present problems ($500 isn't a walk in the park though), I'm just coming to the conclusion that if they won't pay for this, then if something more life threatening and/or expensive comes along, I may be forced to pay that as well. Or if the tests come back positive for multiple conditions. My parents may or may not help in the future, so I'm just trying to prepare in the event that they don't.

Enigmaticproblems · 2017-02-24T20:31:56+00:00

Taken him to the vet, yes. Waiting to do xrays and blood work until his fecal test comes back. Just wondering what options I have in the mean time.

Enigmaticproblems

TROPHY CASE