Are German Shepherds good with cats? I have heard this question thousands of times! To be honest, it would have to be said that almost any animal species can live in complete harmony with another.
If you have come this far it is because you want to know how to train a german shepherd dog so you can live with cats and there are no problems. Don’t worry, you are not alone, this question is asked by many! We are going to try to solve are German Shepherds good with cats and help you so that your cat and your German shepherd can share the space without causing problems for either of them.
Are German Shepherds Good With Cats
In general, with good training, German Shepherds and cats can be good friends like DWARF German Shepherd, however Admittedly, some German Shepherd cat couples will never become soulmates in these cases, if we get them to coexist without causing continuous problems, we can already consider it a victory.
Start with Cat Not German shepherd
This training method on are German Shepherds good with cats from your cat’s perspective. Why do we do it this way?
- First of all, cats tend to be more nervous than most dogs and also tend to reach their irritation thresholds faster. And this irritation can last for a long time, sometimes even days.
- Second, they experience negative situations, such as being faced with a jumping German Shepherd puppy, much more intensely than dogs.
- Lastly, cats move very fast, they are real rockets, com, even when they are not trying to run away. Y a german shepherd is a herding dog, so his instinct is to chase and notice everything that moves around him. So the cat comes within its prey targets.
Basic Foundations for the Success of this Training
Just a few things before we start. Don’t try to get quick results if you push your pets too much, they will fail, but the one who is really failing is you. The goal is to get the cat and the German shepherd to live together and respect each other, but not to do it in a few days
Follow these tips on are German Shepherds good with cats, they will surely help you…
- You are the one who knows and manages your pets better, only you can give them directions to continue or stop in this.
- It can take weeks or even months before there is complete harmony between dog and cat. But total harmony means you never have to worry about your cat having to run out the window or your dog getting a scratched eye.
- Going slow is good, but going slower is even better! You should give your cat and your German shepherd dog enough time to become completely comfortable with each other’s presence.
- You will need to handle each step of this process individually.
Four steps to train a German shepherd to live with cats
In order to train a german shepherd to live cat or any other pet, you should follow the simple basic steps to make a shepherd. Once if you train a shepherd then there is no necessary to make the dog to adjust with any kind of pet.
Total Separation
If you want to avoid the first problem are German Shepherds good with cats, initially keep the two pets separate.
In this first step it is necessary to separate the German Shepherd and the cat completely, both visually and physically. The best way is to keep them in different parts of your home.
This should not represent a punishment for either of them, so you must spend the necessary time with each of them, but always separately. Provide them with plenty of interactive toys to keep them busy and keep in regular contact with both of them.
Scent Introduction
You should start this step as soon as possible on are German Shepherds good with cats.
The goal here is to allow contact, but only through smell. Using 2 towels or soft toys, rub one on your cat and the other on your German Shepherd dog. Next, expose each pet to the scent of the other and see how it reacts.
This step can take about a week, but who really knows those involved is you, so if you think they need a longer period, do not hesitate to give them a few more days.
It’s Time to Get to know each other
Once both pets calmly deal with the smell and sounds they may have heard it’s time for the face-to-face presentation. For this the cat must be in a cage and the german shepherd puppy fastened with a strap. There should be no physical contact and we must start with a prudential distance. For example, you and puppy in one corner of a room, and the cat in his cage in the other corner.
Slowly decrease the distance it’s about going very slow. For example are German Shepherds good with cats, in the first session just stand to one side of the room without moving forward, and in the second one take a step or two, and continue gradually in the following encounters.
If when approaching, the cat or the German shepherd reacts negatively (hisses, moans, etc.) or increases his excitement (he wants to run away, moves forward, the dog starts barking), it is best to return to the distance where this does not occur. was happening and start over.
Physical Contact between your German Shepherd and Cat
Physical contact is the final step in training. This is the last step and the one that will probably take the most time. Once there is no reaction from both pets when the distance narrows we can begin to introduce physical contact. This time, put your little German shepherd in a cage or playpen or separate them with a fence that allows them to see each other up close.
This step should be done in a room with the door closed, pets should not be able to run away. However, make sure that there is a high place within reach for the cat since they feel safer when they are observing the panorama from above (it is one of their natural characteristics that helps them in delicate moments).
Allow your cat to get close to your puppy. Not vice versa. At this point, allow the German Shepherd puppy to approach when they are behaving in a calm manner, while the cat approaches and investigates without being excited.
This step is usually done very slowly.. Surely your cat will approach but will probably withdraw again. At this point the main objective is to get your German Shepherd to be calm when the cat is around him, keep in mind that The German shepherd has a good temperament. Whatever you do, never let them out of your sight, it’s still too early for that.
Keep meeting sessions short and slowly increase the time. Be patient, at some point you may need a good book to keep you busy while things progress. He is ready to take steps forward, some steps back and move on. But be persistent, and you will succeed.
And finally, are German Shepherds good with cats! Now you have a happy cat duo, German shepherd! So here are 4 solid steps on how to train a German Shepherd to like cats!