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Hello there. My name is Libby and we just adopted a wonderful 6 year-old dog who is working out nicely except she keeps barking at all but one of our cats! It's only been 10 days, so I am hopeful....she is quiet almost all the time but when 2 of my cats show up (very timidly) she barks and snarls at them. What can I do beyond the usual "No, Brea. No, no, no!" Any suggestions?
She gets along fine with one of my cats, but these other two seem to somehow bring out the worst in her! HELP!:eek:
I'd suggest the opposite of "no, no, no!" - this is just reinforcing her excitement since it sort of sounds like you've joined the bark-fest, too (think about how a relatively high-pitched "no no no!" from a primate sounds to a canine)! Keep a pocketful of extra-yummy treats (chicken, cheese) at hand. Any time one of the cats makes an appearance, shower Brea with treats. Pretty soon, her attitude towards the cats is going to change to, "wow, I LOVE it when this cat shows up - I get tons of treats!"
Additionally, give her something else to do. Every time that cat shows up, maybe you want her to lie down on her bed, or run across the room and jump onto her favorite chair. With baby steps, you can work up to the point that this behavior becomes an automatic response to the appearance of the cat, just as barking is the auto-response now.
Consult a trainer in your area (APDT.com is a great resource) to help you set up a behavior-modification program. Focus on positive methods that don't utilize any aversive techniques such as shaking, pinching, pinning, shocking, etc. - you'll have to ask some questions and vet various trainers to find someone who works best for you :)
Best of luck!
Megan