Territorial/predatory Behaviour Towards New Kitten

[koolietas]

I'll try and make this as short as I can...!

My 2 yo sheltie, Koolie is reacting to our new kitten (who is 5 months old). Koolie has been brought up with cats (both at the breeder's place and we had 3 cats at home when he was introduced at 8 weeks). In the past 12 months, we have been looking after a stray cat who has a bed outside & is also fed outside (away from Koolie). On a couple of occasions though, Koolie has chased this cat (who luckily was quick enough to get away). I thought this behaviour was likely due to him seeing the cat as an 'outsider' seeing he never comes inside.

3 weeks ago, our family purchased a Birman kitten. I was wary of Koolie's behaviour right from the beginning, so did not introduce Koolie & the kitten face to face for about 10 days (but Koolie could see the kitten playing throught the glass sliding door during this time).

After 10 days, armed with my clicker & lots of treats, I took the kitten outdoors to our enclosed courtyard (where Koolie is most of the time), put Koolie on lead and clicked & treated him for calm behaviour whilst the kitten was walking/playing. Koolie's focus is great whilst I'm dishing out the treats - the kitten can be walking around him (with Koolie knowing that he's close by) but he remains almost 100% focused on me & the food!

On a couple of occasions during these training sessions, Koolie has lunged at the kitten growling & snapping which concerns me greatly...

The kitten will be an indoor cat (with Koolie remaining outside most of the time as he always has) but I am concerned that if the kitten accidentally got out to where Koolie is that the end result will not be a good one.

As this is a new situation to me - is there anyone that can offer some advice? Is it a lost cause or is there something I can do?

I thought that by offering rewards for calm behaviour (especially seeing that Koolie is so food motivated) that this would help - (and I do believe it has slightly) or am I expecting too much too soon?

Thanks everyone - I appreciate any advice/thoughts you can offer.

I live in Tas and there are no veterinary behaviourists here in the state, but I would definitely consider consultation with a v/b on the mainland, and if need be to fly Koolie & myself over for consult.

[haven]

I haven't seem you training so this is not aimed at you personally, but a big problem I see with novice handlers when using food training to deal with aggression is that the problem often gets worse because of the inability of the handler to read signals correctly or get their method and timing right.

That said, if it were me and I was certain it was a predatory behaviour, I would be looking at an alternate outlet for prey behaviour rather than attempting to subdue it by rewarding for calm behaviour. Predatory drive is going to come out whether you like it or not, so the best way to deal with it IMHO is to control it by giving your dog appropriate outlets.

When your dog behaves in this manner, what does the kitten do?

[BC]

Good old working dogs

When I bought home my cats after already having my BC, (he had never seen cats) I put the cats in the spare room, with fly screen up so they could all see and smell each other but not get to each other. I did this for a few days and when they did not react to each other, I let the cats out. It took a while with the BC as he is a working dog and feels it is his duty to herd the cats, but they all get along great now. He still herds them, but will leave them when I call him off, and the cats are so used to it now they just ignore him. He will head but them and and occasionally mouth them (which is not on, he gets in trouble for that) when they're not moving, but they all get along fine now.

Koolie is a working dog and you will not stop some behaviour as he is bread to work, but you will learn to manage it.

You do need to have good control over your dog though so if not trained, I would suggest get some obedience training asap.

[koolietas]

I haven't seem you training so this is not aimed at you personally, but a big problem I see with novice handlers when using food training to deal with aggression is that the problem often gets worse because of the inability of the handler to read signals correctly or get their method and timing right.

That said, if it were me and I was certain it was a predatory behaviour, I would be looking at an alternate outlet for prey behaviour rather than attempting to subdue it by rewarding for calm behaviour. Predatory drive is going to come out whether you like it or not, so the best way to deal with it IMHO is to control it by giving your dog appropriate outlets.

When your dog behaves in this manner, what does the kitten do?

Last night I took the kitten to the courtyard when I fed Koolie & also a couple of hours later I had Koolie on lead and clicked/treated him only when he was looking at me/doing tricks etc. whilst the kitten was playing around him. My gut feeling is that it isn't predatory behaviour rather territorial aggression...he doesn't chase strange cats in the street when we're walking & he has never chased people's cats at their homes when we've visited (wouldn't he do this if it was predatory behaviour?)

What would you suggest as an alternate outlet for this behaviour?

The kitten will either run away (as you would!) or growl at Koolie.

[koolietas]

Good old working dogs

When I bought home my cats after already having my BC, (he had never seen cats) I put the cats in the spare room, with fly screen up so they could all see and smell each other but not get to each other. I did this for a few days and when they did not react to each other, I let the cats out. It took a while with the BC as he is a working dog and feels it is his duty to herd the cats, but they all get along great now. He still herds them, but will leave them when I call him off, and the cats are so used to it now they just ignore him. He will head but them and and occasionally mouth them (which is not on, he gets in trouble for that) when they're not moving, but they all get along fine now.

Koolie is a working dog and you will not stop some behaviour as he is bread to work, but you will learn to manage it.

You do need to have good control over your dog though so if not trained, I would suggest get some obedience training asap.

I'm glad to hear that your cats worked in well with your BC :cool:

I know what you mean about herding...Koolie is always herding our original 3 cats (nose up the rear bringing them back inside!) Koolie has been obedience trained and I have no problems getting his focus/doing work with him whilst the kitten is playing around him...which I suppose is a good sign. Maybe it's just going to take more time then I thought it would - we just have to hope in the mean time that the kitten doesn't accidentally get out.

[JulesP]

I try and take myself out of the picture when introducing animals. I think you can sometimes get a worse reaction when the dog is on lead or if you are there. Introducing through a screen or something seems to work well.

I was really freaked out about my pup and kitten for a while as pup likes to drag kitten around. Then I worked out it is the cat that starts it! Brock has even made friends with my rather nasty old cat! He gives her a lovely licking every morning!!!