The German shepherd and cats coexistence

 The German shepherd and cats, coexistence? 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 species.

The German shepherd and cats coexistence

If you have come this far it is because you want to know how to train a German Shepherd dog so that it 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 it and help you so that your cat and your German Shepherd can share the space without presenting problems for either of them.

How to train a German Shepherd to live with cats.

In general, with good training, the German Shepherd and cats can be good friends, however we must recognize that some German Shepherd cat couples will never become bosom friends, in these cases if we can get them to live together without posing problems continuous we can now consider it a victory.

Let's start with the cat, not the German shepherd.

This training method is from your cat's perspective. Why do we do it this way?

First , cats tend to be more nervous than most dogs and also tend to reach their irritation thresholds faster. And this irritation can last 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.

Finally, cats move very fast, they are real rockets, even when they are not trying to run away. And a German Shepherd is a herding dog, so his instinct is to chase and notice everything that moves around him. So the cat falls within the prey targets of him.

Basic fundamentals for the success of this training.

Just a few things before we start... Don't try to get results quickly, if you push your pets too hard 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, they will surely help you…

1. You are the one who knows and handles your pets best, only you can give them directions to continue or stop at this point.

2 . It can take weeks or even months before there is total harmony between the dog and the cat. But total harmony means you never have to worry that your cat will have to flee out the window or that your dog will end up with a scratched eye.

3. 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.

4. You will need to handle each step of this process individually.

German Shepherd and cats, how to live together?

Four steps to train a German Shepherd to live with cats.

Step One – Total Separation.

If you want to avoid the first problems, 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 should spend the necessary time with each of them, but always separately.

Provide them with plenty of interactive toys to keep them busy and maintain regular contact with both of them.

Step Two – Introduction of the scent.

You should start this step as soon as possible.

The goal here is to allow contact, but only through smell. Using 2 towels or soft toys, rub your cat with one and your German Shepherd dog with the other. Next, expose each pet to the other's scent and see how they react.

This step can take about a week, but you are the one who really knows who is involved, so if you think they need a longer period, don't hesitate to give them a few more days.

Step Three – It's time to get to know each other.

Once both pets calmly face the smell and sounds they may have heard, it is time for the face-to-face introduction. To do this, the cat must be in a cage and the German Shepherd puppy on a leash.

There should be no physical contact and we must start with a safe distance. For example, you and puppy in one corner of a room and the cat inside his cage in the other corner.

Reduce the distance slowly, it's about going very slow. For example, in the first session just stay on one side of the room without moving forward, and in the second move forward one or two steps, and continue gradually in the following meetings.

If upon approaching, the cat or German shepherd reacts negatively (hissing, moaning, etc.) or becomes more excited (wants to run away, moves forward, the dog starts barking), it is best to return to a distance where this will not occur. was happening and start again.

Step Four – It's time for physical contact between your German Shepherd and the cat.

Physical contact is the final step in training. This is the last step and the one that will likely take us the most time.

Once there is no reaction from both pets when the distance is narrowed, 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 escape. However, make sure there is some elevated 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 approach 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 usually progresses very slowly. Your cat will probably approach you but will probably retreat again. At this point the main objective is to ensure that your German Shepherd is calm when the cat is around him, keep in mind that the German Shepherd has a good temperament.

Whatever they do, never leave them out of your sight, it is still too early for that.

Keep meeting sessions short and increase the time slowly. 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 back and move forward. But be persistent, and you will succeed.

And finally! Now you have a happy cat/German Shepherd duo!