My anxious dog

[Annigolden]

He’s a 3 year old rescue and we’ve had him 2 years. Seemed fairly settled until a few weeks ago. Next door bought 2 cats. He’s now on high alert, barks at drop of a hat, wants to be out chasing the cats. He seems so stressed. Is unsettled at night and just not himself. Previously he loved pottering round the garden but now he just can’t relax out there. I’ve cat proofed to an extent but they still get in.

just had a vet check and physically fine. He seems stressed and unhappy though. Not sure how to help him. Tonight for example he’s paced from room to room. Can’t settle at all. Scratches at floor.

I have Adaptil plug in and calming collar. He gets enough exercise and we play games with him.

Is there something more that you can do to keep the cats out of your garden that is harmless to the cats? I’m thinking of those high frequency sound makers or something like that? In a sense it is your dog’s garden so he should be allowed to enjoy it without the cats entering it?

A website for a cat rescue centre recommends using scents that cats don’t like -
There are a number of safe, nontoxic scents that cats don’t like and will tend to avoid:

black pepper
cayenne pepper
dry mustard powder
coffee grounds (ask for free grounds at your local cafe)
used tea leaves
orange peels

I’ve pretty much tried everything. The damage is done now though, even the smell of the cats next door set him off. He's a nervous wreck.

Thanks PP. will look at those ideas.

Get a super soaker and discourage them from entering your garden.

Yep tried that. They are persistent though!

Can you get some film for your windows so he can't see outside? It might not solve the garden issue but it should have him relax indoors a little.

Thanks. That might help. It noises too. Going to start keeping a radio on low to cover the noise up too.

Along with the efforts to keep the cats out of your garden and mask the sounds, etc. -

Could you also try desensitisation? When your dog sees the cats, give him a super tasty treat, etc.? Our dog had never been around cats before we adopted him and was really stressed out by them initially. We gradually managed to teach him that cats are ok by showing him that when the cats appear, great things happen.

Also counter-conditioning - teaching him a new response to the trigger? So things like teaching him to chew on a pizzle when anxious, instead of scratching the floor, etc.

What has worked for us most of all is just helping him to understand that cats are not a threat, that they're ok, and he just needs to leave them alone, etc.

Hi. Thanks. Yes we are trying the desensitisation. It’s so tricky though. Dog goes berserk as soon as he sees one and we have no time to react. We’ll keep trying.

Is it the cats that's stressing your dog or something else. The majority of cats won't go into a garden with strange dogs there. Cats will walk along a fence and torment dogs mine do.

The cats. Yes they walk along the fence.

Would the plastic spikes you can put on a fence stop them walking over it?

Yes but it’s caused too much upset with neighbours now.

Why are cats entering your garden? Allow your dog to have free reign of the garden. Cats won’t enter a garden when they know a dog is present.

These ones do! They seem fearless.

does your dog have any playmates you can invite round? A dog that’s a bit bolder and will keep the cats out of the garden whilst it’s there and give your dog a bit more confidence.
mid ho for the spikes on the fence, tell them neighbours in advance and say your dog is barking and you don’t want it disturbing people so need to keep their cats off the fence. If they raise any objections then say you’ll give them a chance to keep them out of your garden-put the onus on them and if/when they can’t go for the spikes

The spikes did? Tell them you’re concerned for the safety of the cat with the dog about. And get a super soaker!
Yes I have cats. And plastic spikes and water wouldn’t upset me in the slightest. It’s a deterrent.

Soak them with a water gun.

I wouldn’t care about that. As a PP says, tell them it’s for their cats’ protection from your dog. They can go over the fence on the other side (or not go anywhere at all).

Thanks for replies. Yes we tried super soaker. Neighbours complaining about that!

I could take a hardline and just put the spikes up anyway but I don’t want a war which is what will happen.

trouble is they want the cars to use our garden as. They ‘don’t like them round the front’. Because of cars! Honestly they are so unreasonable.

They are daft! If the cats aren’t safe round the front they need to cat proof their garden. Much safer to keep them out of yours when you have a dog.

Yes they are daft. I’m trying to find a solution but they are idiots. In the meantime the dog is stressed. Infuriating really.

Can you do some calming/desensitization activities in the garden?
Don't feed from a bowl, scatter his food around the garden instead.
Do daily training activities out there, and lots of sniffing/retrieving work, so he's spending more time out in the garden but isn't thinking about cats.
Also, put up the spikes. The neighbours need to get their head around it is in order to keep their cats more safe. They have no right to your garden.

Thanks for ideas. He wakes us in night now barking. I am assuming cos he senses cat outside or hears something. I do think desensitisation is a good idea.