Dog Whines Around Cats (playful)

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Ddelz D Hello everyone! My 1 year (and 1 month) old Bernese/Amstaff mix doesn't quite realize how big he is, and he loves to attempt to play with our two cats. The cats don't see it as playing but rather an annoyance and they either run away or swat him away (they don't use claws, they just sort of punch him lol) I've tried everything I can think of to get him to be less interested in bugging the cats, however the most annoying thing is if he's stuck in one spot for punishment or in his crate at night for bed time and sees one of the cats walk by, he'll stop everything and start whining at them and sometimes he'll even lunge out to play if he's in the cage and it thrashes the cage around super loud it scares the crap out of me and the neighbors. lol Plus his whining is just so unbearable, it doesn't stop for an hour or two once he starts, even if the cat walks out of sight. And all it takes for him to start back up again is a glimpse of a cat. He was always a big whiner when younger, however he grew out of most of it except this and whining when we leave him home alone for a bit, he'll whining and cry like we're beating him or something and you can hear him from all the way up the block even with the windows closed... Bonus points if anyone could help us with that too I suppose. lol I've tried holding both him and the cats together and casually introducing them also, but he just thinks the swatting thing is a game and he tries to swat back only his paw is the size of their whole head and he might end up hurting them so obviously I can't let them "play" together. lol I'm at the end of my rope with this whining thing, I've never seen a dog do it like this before. Like once he starts going, every breath he takes is a super annoying high pitched whine, my ears and head just don't get a break. Oh, also the cats have been there since we brought him home as a young pup. We've had the cats for years, he's grown up with them. Status Not open for further replies. #1 · Jun 6, 2015 (Edited) Hello everyone! My 1 year (and 1 month) old Bernese/Amstaff mix doesn't quite realize how big he is, and he loves to attempt to play with our two cats. The cats don't see it as playing but rather an annoyance and they either run away or swat him away (they don't use claws, they just sort of punch him lol) I've tried everything I can think of to get him to be less interested in bugging the cats, however the most annoying thing is if he's stuck in one spot for punishment or in his crate at night for bed time and sees one of the cats walk by, he'll stop everything and start whining at them and sometimes he'll even lunge out to play if he's in the cage and it thrashes the cage around super loud it scares the crap out of me and the neighbors. lol Plus his whining is just so unbearable, it doesn't stop for an hour or two once he starts, even if the cat walks out of sight. And all it takes for him to start back up again is a glimpse of a cat. He was always a big whiner when younger, however he grew out of most of it except this and whining when we leave him home alone for a bit, he'll whining and cry like we're beating him or something and you can hear him from all the way up the block even with the windows closed... Bonus points if anyone could help us with that too I suppose. lol I've tried holding both him and the cats together and casually introducing them also, but he just thinks the swatting thing is a game and he tries to swat back only his paw is the size of their whole head and he might end up hurting them so obviously I can't let them "play" together. lol I'm at the end of my rope with this whining thing, I've never seen a dog do it like this before. Like once he starts going, every breath he takes is a super annoying high pitched whine, my ears and head just don't get a break. Oh, also the cats have been there since we brought him home as a young pup. We've had the cats for years, he's grown up with them. See less See more Sort by Oldest first Oldest first Newest first Most reactions #2 · Jun 10, 2015 Can ANYONE please help!? I was already loosing it when I went out of my way to join a forum and reach out for help, now at this point I'm just always in a bad mood at home because of how my dog just DOES NOT stop whining! Grrrrr... >.< #3 · Jun 10, 2015 Have you tried giving him something else to do in the crate, besides focusing on the cats and whining? You could try frozen kongs, or puzzle games. You could also try putting a blanket over the crate, so he doesn't see the cats. Or, putting him/his crate in a room where the cats don't go. Does the dog get lots of exercise, both physical and mental? That can help tire them out so they are less likely to spend time whining, because they're busy napping. The other sounds like separation anxiety and yes, it's hard to deal with. Look here for some ideas on how to address that problem: http://www.dogforum.com/training-behavior-stickies/separation-anxiety-29576/ #4 · Jun 13, 2015 Unfortunately we cannot find a toy that he doesn't rip apart and start to eat within 2 minutes... He's a big, strong boy that's for sure. The only thing that lasts is a bone, but that's so loud against our hardwood floors that the neighbors downstairs flip out if he chews and plays with it. It's hard to keep him entertained indoors. >.< #5 · Jun 15, 2015 I'm having a similar problem with my new heeler mix I just brought home. His intentions are definitely playful but my cat is extremely aggressive towards him and as time goes on so I'm worried about a full on fight between the two if my cat gets to be too harsh with my dog. My advice is to bring him outside for as long as you need to, to exhaust his energy before bringing him in to interact with the cats. You also need to teach him that your cat is higher on the social ladder than he is, and try to get him to display submissive, respectful behavior around the cats. Put the cats in a position of power (raised above the dog on a table or chair) so they can confidently swat and display a little dominance. They shouldn't be the ones having to run and hide - your dog should learn to back down if the cats don't want to play. The cats shouldn't be overly aggressive, but firm enough to teach the dog a lesson. Teaching the basics like "sit" "stay" "down" and "leave it" are absolutely crucial as well. If your dog is bothering your cats you should be able to tell him "leave it" then "come" or "down". If he listens to those commands, always reward him with his favorite toy even if he destroys it quickly. Try bullysticks as a reward - it'll take him a little more time to tear through than some other treats. Status Not open for further replies. You have insufficient privileges to reply here.

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