There’s a wrong myth that cats and dogs don’t get along. Some dog breeds can be the best of friends with other pets like cats. But Vizsla is naturally not good with cats. Small animals like cats trigger the Vizsla’s strong prey instinct. However, they can form a good relationship by training, time, and a lot of care.
Know why Vizslas cannot get along with small pets like cats, and tips on how you can train them to get along.
The Reason Why They Find It Hard
Of course, there are reasons as to why Vizsla isn’t naturally connected with cats. Here is the list of the possible reasons.
- Vizsla has a strong prey drive. This instinct is in their DNA; they can lose their mind whenever they see a small animal lurking around, like cats, rabbits, and many more.
- Dogs can feel jealous too. They might attack other pets if they are raised without pets inside your home.
Despite the difficulty, they can still be trained to get along. It will be much easier if you got a cat first and then bought a Vizsla puppy later. Vizsla can be used with cats living together, establishing their place in the family. Although, some families have a Vizsla first, then buy a cat later.
Tips to Get Them Along
Beginning Stage
Keep your cat and dog separated for a couple of days. They have the same strong smell, knowing that they are present in one location.
Introduction Stage
When you introduce them to each other, don’t forget to leash off your Vizsla and put them across the room. Show your dog that your cat is also part of the family. Pick them, hold and stroke them, and interact with them in front of your Vizsla. Break their focus on the cat by giving them toys and treats.
Starting to Get Comfortable Stage
Let the Vizsla go a little closer. When they both entered the room, give them their respective toys. Try to encourage your Vizsla to play with the cat. Offer them both treats to create positive associations.
Get Rid of the Leash
After weeks of practicing, you can finally get rid of the leash. But before you do it, make sure that you analyze your dog in the presence of the cat. Always keep their eye on them.
When things get heated up, break their focus immediately.
Maintenance
This stage is to monitor how they maintain their relationship. But still, you cannot trust the relationship yet as there might be something happening. It would be best if you still supervised your dogs’ interactions.
Feeding
Another thing to make them get along is to feed your cat first. Your Vizsla will consider the cat a part of the family and a higher social rank by feeding the cat first.
There are reasons why you need to get your cat’s ranking higher. Your dog can kill your cat, as they think about themselves as an ‘alpha.’ On the other hand, your cat cannot kill your dog.
Cat is Out of The Bag
It might be difficult for them to get along. It will take time, a lot of errors, patience, but it will end well. But that’s the purpose of having pets in the first place: establishing a family.
