dog obsessed with cat no matter what either one of them are doing. very low biddability (sp?) from this dog.
I have looked up numerous ideas on training and different posts on here about solving this issue. I live in a small space so I don’t have much to work with in terms of separation, using tools like a large pen for desensitization, etc.
I have worked on: - Look at That game. I have pretty much successfully gotten her to look at the cat, then me over and over for weeks with no growth. for whatever reason, the idea is not translating to get her to quit looking at the cat whenever I am not actively engaged. which I can’t be 24/7.
-I have also tried place command whenever the cat is around (which is a lot of the time bc it’s a small apartment) I haven’t been working on it for as long, but it’s not going great. just tonight I had to get up probably about 30 times over a 8-10 minute period just to get her to stay on place (her bed) or to make her lay back down. she left the bed or stood up that many times. and this was using real chicken and after exercise. also, place is something I have worked on for months since I have had her and she will reliably stay in place for about a minute or longer if there are not distractions.
main problems are: - what is here in the video, staring at the cat all the time. except dog will bark very loudly once or twice (I suppose it’s barrier frustration or demand barking wanting to be closer to the cat?) she will also whine repeatedly as you can see in the video. do a series of small barks, stand up and get stiff. dog does this both in the crate that is uncovered and in her larger night time crate that is covered, any time the cat comes into the room.
dog looks for cat all the time. I leash her when she comes out of her crate in the morning bc she developed a habit of chasing the cat every morning. now she is on leash searching all over for the cat while walking to the door to go potty. she will stop mid eating to look for the cat. cat has shelving to climb and areas of the wall to climb, dog will jump against the wall to try to reach the cat. then sit underneath and stare at the cat. she will stop mid play with me or my other dog and start searching for the cat. (dog is also on leash throughout the day bc of the chasing problem below)
she wants to play with the cat I think?? but I can’t be sure. dog barrels into cat when she runs at all. then wants to keep her from running again. is this herding? she does it to my other dog too but usually only when my other dog is running toward me quickly outside. or when they are playing a stalking game. dog also badgers cat when cat is laying around. bops her repeatedly with her nose, does little nips at her, bows and does a playful growl, nips at her tail and pulls a little, etc. very similar play I see with my other dog but she is not gentle. I can’t tell what it is. but when I have treats and the cat is sitting by her, she ignores her for the most part. like they can be side by side and as long as I have a treat, dog will leave cat alone most of the time.
forgot to add: dog is 10-11 months old. I have had her for ~6 months. and cat cannot be closed off into a room alone bc she rips the carpet up trying to get out, and I rent
TLDR; dog obsessed with cat. all hours of the day, kenneled or not, covered or not, leashed or not, busy or not, tired or not, my dog will look for my cat and want to antagonize her. I can’t tell what behavior it is exactly.