The golden retriever is a friendly, gentle, and tolerant dog. It gets along with kids and other animals. The dog was bred from it to retrieve both land and waterfowl. Even with the dog’s hunting skills, its tender nature makes it retrieve without causing any damage to the game. It is this temperament that makes the breed unsuitable for security.
Do golden retrievers get along with cats?
The answer is yes, Golden retrievers can live harmoniously with cats. While it is true that golden retrievers chase small animals, trained dogs do not engage in this behavior.
Cats and dogs are always pitted against each other. The nature of the chase is often caused by a lack of understanding between the two creatures. Once both species are introduced to each other and deliberately made to be comfortable with each other, they can co-exist in the same space.
Golden retrievers are hunting dogs. Their inherent instinct to go after prey is ingrained from their ancestor’s DNA. The dog’s desire to chase cats is exacerbated when they are trained to hunt. The hunting skills give it a stronger drive to run after small animals.
The dog’s chasing instinct is triggered by movement and smells from anything smaller than itself. That is why it gets hostile around cats and continued contact leads to a chase. Nevertheless, the dog’s desire to chase can be minimized with training. The dog can also learn to co-exist with different species in the same space.
Additionally, the type of breed does not influence the golden retriever’s desire to chase cats. Whether the dog is a purebred or crossbreed, does not stop the dog from running after a cat. It is only through training that the dog can learn to get along with cats.
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Training
Training a golden retriever is easy but requires a lot of patience and consistency. Golden retrievers are good learners. However, it is up to you to enforce strong obedience. It comes in handy when giving the dog a command to distract it from the chase.
Here are a few training tips to keep your dog from chasing cats.
Put The Dog Leash
If your golden retriever has a strong hunting drive, it will not resist going after cats. If you have a pet cat too, things may get ugly real quick if the two species are in the same room. You can restrain your dog from going after the cat with a leash. The leash is a behavior controller. It restrains the dog from acting on its impulses.
The cat may also need a break from the constant chasing. Have a leash on the dog to keep it from pursuing the cat when the two pets are in the same room. Your cat knows not to go near the dog. With the dog restrained, the cat will be safe. A leash is especially useful when no one else is in the room to watch over the two pets.
Train The Dog To Obey Commands
Commands are also an excellent tool for controlling your golden retriever. They are a great diversion when the dog starts getting agitated over the cat’s presence. A simple sit down gets the attention of the dog to keep it from chasing the cat.
You can also tell the dog to leave the cat alone before the chase ensues. Commands have to be firm and grab the attention of the dog. They also provide a new direction for the dog. Simply telling the dog to stop the chase without offering another solution will not suffice when there is tension between the cat and dog.
Similarly, yelling out commands while the golden retriever is in hot pursuit is self-defeating. The instruction will fall on deaf ears. Naturally, your dog cannot resist the sight of the cat. The ability to overcome this urge is learned behavior. There has to be both formal obedience training as well as fetch it and leave its practices. The process takes more than just a weekend.
Reward The Dog For Positive Behavior
Reward the dog anytime it ignores the cat. Reinforce the behavior through a reward. For example, you can praise the dog for obeying your commands. You have to be patient. Behavior changes take more than giving your dog a few treats.
Puppy Stage (Chasing and Chewing)
Golden retrievers have an exuberant puppy stage. Although they have a gentle demeanor, they are playful, fun-loving, and aggressive. One way this breed shows its energetic nature is through chewing.
Chewing is another natural puppy stage behavior. Your golden retriever chews because it is teething. Teething is an annoying stage for puppies, and chewing reduces this discomfort.
Your dog also chews to clean its teeth. Having things stuck between the teeth is uncomfortable. Chewing is synonymous with teeth cleaning. Unfortunately for you, the dog gnaws on any chewable object in your house. Additionally, this destructive habit is also a form of entertainment for the golden retriever.
Regardless of its importance, you do not want your dog to chew on valuable things like shoes, rugs, or furniture. The only way to prevent destructive chewing is through training. Distract your dog from chewing and redirect their attention to another activity. For instance, you could give the dog a chewable toy. Ensure that the toy does not resemble anything valuable.
Golden retriever puppies are very energetic. Their high energy is released through chasing. Aside from the instinctive hunt, chasing is their way of having fun. Anything that is moving around excites the dog.
The dog also chases moving objects or animals when it is bored, anxious, or threatened. The dog chases after shadows when nothing is moving around to get rid of the unrest. If the aggression borders towards compulsive behavior, it could be a result of an illness, pain, or threats from another dog. For such reasons, help the dog calm down and consult your vet.
The best way to help the dog reduce its energy levels is through exercise. Exercising also enables the dog to use its energy productively instead of destroying things or going after the cat. Let the dog have a good run daily to keep it from chasing any other moving creatures.
The Golden Retrievers’ Temperament
Golden retrievers are generally calm. Their tolerant attitude makes them excellent for the family because they get along with everyone. It is this easy-going temperament that makes these breeds terrible as security dogs. They do not harm children and are not known to attack strangers. They are excellent pets. No wonder they are popular in the United States.
Golden retrievers like to please the owner. The dog’s eagerness to follow commands makes the training process bearable. Their competitive obedience and enthusiasm are also vital in helping the dog get along with other pets in your house.
Golden retrievers are also intelligent. They are quick learners. They quickly adapt and respond to both rewards and punishments.
The dogs are known as retrievers because of their ability to fetch. They have a good sense of smell and energy to recover objects on command. Their lack of aggression also helps in capturing shot game, or in the case of a police search, evidence without tampering.
How to Introduce the Golden Retriever and the Cat to Each Other
It is much easier to introduce both pets when they are still young, or at least one of them is young. As the saying goes, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. However, this is not to say the dogs are untrainable. It is much easier to rectify the problem when both pets are young.
Young animals have no preconceived notions about other species, making them easy to integrate. Furthermore, it is easy to decimate aggression between the animals through training with minimal resistance.
The introduction process between the two pets should be slow. You can bring the new pet into the room and observe the behavior of the other animal. Put the dog on a leash if hostility is coming from its end. Proceed to introduce the cat. The leash is a control measure to keep the dog from going after the cat.
If the cat is not welcoming, introduce both animals in secured confinement to prevent them from attacking each other. The hostility from the cat may trigger the dog’s animosity and lead to a chase. Try to keep both animals together to help them get used to each other’s presence.
However, do not leave both animals alone until they are comfortable with co-existing in the same space. You can reinforce positive behavior from both animals through rewards when they learn to live together. In case one animal becomes hostile, reprimand the behavior, and reward the calm pet.
Golden retrievers are very accommodative. Once they learn to co-exist with the cat, they will tone down their need to chase. However, you need to understand the temperaments of each pet and come up with interventions suitable for each animal.
What to Expect
You can count on the friendly nature of your dog to accept your cat as part of the family. A little training and intentional introduction are the tricks that break the perceived friction between the two species. Bonding between the cat and the dog takes time. Therefore, you need to be patient.
Golden retrievers are adaptable when it comes to getting along with other animals and humans. The breed warms up and settles in once the new normal is established. Your dog will eventually accept your cat and learn to integrate everybody in your family.
Golden Retrievers and Cats Can Exist in the Same Space
Contrary to popular belief, dogs and cats are not mortal enemies. They can live together in harmony. Both cats and dogs can overlook their natural tendencies when you help foster the bond.
However, training has to be deliberate and done over some time; it training should not be haphazardly executed. It is not a matter of orders and rewards. It also takes into consideration the temperaments of the pets involved. The training period requires a lot of perseverance.
Moreover, the outcome is not instant. Your dog may occasionally chase the cat despite the training. Nonetheless, the outcome gets better with time. Ensure that the two pets have separate areas of accommodation while they learn to get along. If it is possible, get a puppy and a kitten to lessen the burden of familiarization.