[Dek6252]

BACKGROUND
We’re trying to devise a plan to train our new 1 yr old boxer for the crate, for her severe separation anxiety, potty training and to stop chasing our cat. She’s smart, snuggly, and very very sweet. We believe she can do it.
We have read/consulted the appropriate people, but all sources have said “don’t leave her alone unless you’re actively engaged in separation training, don’t leave her in the crate for longer than she’s comfortable, always keep an eye/leash on her at all times.

ISSUES
Twice a week we have no one to watch her for 8 hrs. We come home twice each day to pet her/take her out. Furthermore, because she chases the cat, we have to crate her at night.

QUESTION
How are we supposed to always stay in her comfort zone/only expand that comfort zone during active training if we have two days and every night were that’s not an option?

CONSIDERATIONS
Because she needs potty training/chases the cat, she can’t be roaming around at night. We can not hire a sitter/put her in doggy daycare. None of the rooms in our house have doors you can close. We can not lock the cat in a room somewhere.

it’s a tough dilemma. We just want to be sure she gets the training she needs/knows she’s loved in the process.

 

[storyist]

The bathroom in your house doesn't have a door?

 

[Dek6252]

We took all the doors down to give the house an open feel. The bathroom’s the only one with a door, but both bathrooms are kinda small.
I run/walk with her every day, but I’m concerned about how to potty train/crate train/cat train her all at once. She’s pretty low energy/sweet which helps with training a lot, but the shelter told us she was fine with cats/dogs/kids so we were surprised when she chased the cat. She doesn’t hurt the cat though, just chased her and then whines when she caught her (the times we couldn’t stop her that is). She doesn’t seem to mean any harm, I just want to be sure she’s
A. Okay when we leave the house/she’s crated for the 6hrs (2 1 hr breaks)
B. Doesn’t have to be confined when the cats around

 

[storyist]

My thought was to leave the cat in the bathroom when you're not home, not the dog.

In my experience dogs' attitudes toward cats can be very individual and even depend on environment. For instance, my first Rottie was excellent with my cats, but then she was raised with them. At that time I was still letting my cats go outside, and she was good with them inside and out. However, if a strange cat came into the yard, it was prey, and she could tell a strange cat from her own at great distances. Take her to a friend's barn, and she'd have to be restrained to keep her from going after the barn cats there.

Later I fostered rescue dogs who were okay with cats inside, but would go after the same cat outside. Go after one cat but not the other. So from my experience, I'd never let any dog chase one of my cats. I'd stop it and make sure the dog understood that was a no go behavior. And I'd never leave a cat loose with a dog that showed any tendency to chase when I wasn't there and paying attention.

Some dogs really are mellow with cats, my Akitas were like that. I fostered some rescue Rotties that were like that. But for a dog that chases or even stares at cats - call me excessively cautious but the price the cat pays if I'm not cautious enough is too high. So, cat in safe place before I leave the house. Dog crated at night when I'm asleep.

 

[3GSD4IPO]

I crate my one dog at night and I have a full size kennel (two actually) for the dogs if I am out a long time. However, crating at night and two days a week for 8 hours is not excessive. Just keep doing that.

Chasing is prey drive. Some dogs can be redirected when you are around. Some NOT. Some will repond to a hard correction (such as hitting the end of a line with a prong collar) but most dogs figure out pretty quickly when the prong is not or not.

If a dog is chasing a cat the dog can NEVER be trusted when you are not there to watch.