Hi everyone,
I had a terrifying thing happen today - I am the proud dog parent of Niko (11 months Male Doberman) & Cali 2.5 years Staffordshire bull terrier, I work from home (in the kitchen) - I leave my utility door open, so the dogs can go in and out as they please throughout the day, (this is after their morning walk and training sessions) - they usually play together for a little in morning then sleep indoors, and lay out in the sun for a bit after lunch.
Today as usual the door was open & I had just gone to the sink to rinse my cup out, when I noticed a cat in the garden and noticed that Niko was just bounding towards it, I didnt initially panic (neither dog is a fan of cats) & only Niko has ever had an up close encounter with one when he was off lead and there was a cat on a wall at his level & he ran over to it and stopped right in front of it and ran straight back to me, however if they see a cat through the window they go crazy. I didn't panic because as we all know, cats are smart and agile & I assumed it would be straight up and over the fence like lightening.
That sadly was not the case, it tried to scale the fence & fell twice, boxed in a corner by both dogs with no where to go, neither dog (who I might add are both well trained and good dogs) (not trained in cat scenarios though), did not listen to a word I said and kept barking, or trying to get close to the cat, all I could think is one of them is going to grab it and kill it right in front of me, so I lifted my yard brush and stood in front of the cat backing my dogs up telling them to get the hell away, the cat makes a run for it, both dogs chase again, it runs straight into my house and by some miracle manages to hide behind the utility room door, while both dogs fly through into the kitchen in search of it. The poor wee thing has a big section on its back shaved (no surgery stitches or any lines from being cut open). I manage to get it back out of the garden after allowing it to decompress and giving it some water and food.
Problem, I am now terrified its going to come back or another cat is going to come in the garden and my dogs get it before I am able to prevent it -I need help asap on keeping cats away from gardens with dogs in them, I would be traumatised if my dogs where the cause of harm to another animal.
All help really appreciated.
I had a terrifying thing happen today - I am the proud dog parent of Niko (11 months Male Doberman) & Cali 2.5 years Staffordshire bull terrier, I work from home (in the kitchen) - I leave my utility door open, so the dogs can go in and out as they please throughout the day, (this is after their morning walk and training sessions) - they usually play together for a little in morning then sleep indoors, and lay out in the sun for a bit after lunch.
Today as usual the door was open & I had just gone to the sink to rinse my cup out, when I noticed a cat in the garden and noticed that Niko was just bounding towards it, I didnt initially panic (neither dog is a fan of cats) & only Niko has ever had an up close encounter with one when he was off lead and there was a cat on a wall at his level & he ran over to it and stopped right in front of it and ran straight back to me, however if they see a cat through the window they go crazy. I didn't panic because as we all know, cats are smart and agile & I assumed it would be straight up and over the fence like lightening.
That sadly was not the case, it tried to scale the fence & fell twice, boxed in a corner by both dogs with no where to go, neither dog (who I might add are both well trained and good dogs) (not trained in cat scenarios though), did not listen to a word I said and kept barking, or trying to get close to the cat, all I could think is one of them is going to grab it and kill it right in front of me, so I lifted my yard brush and stood in front of the cat backing my dogs up telling them to get the hell away, the cat makes a run for it, both dogs chase again, it runs straight into my house and by some miracle manages to hide behind the utility room door, while both dogs fly through into the kitchen in search of it. The poor wee thing has a big section on its back shaved (no surgery stitches or any lines from being cut open). I manage to get it back out of the garden after allowing it to decompress and giving it some water and food.
Problem, I am now terrified its going to come back or another cat is going to come in the garden and my dogs get it before I am able to prevent it -I need help asap on keeping cats away from gardens with dogs in them, I would be traumatised if my dogs where the cause of harm to another animal.
All help really appreciated.
