It’s impossible to spend your whole life worrying about every single closed door or every move someone makes. I’m not saying drop him off at a rescue centre, but finding someone else for him might be the only way to keep everyone safe. We aren't just talking about a bit of friction here; we're talking about a dog that kills the cats in its own home. To me, that is far too dangerous.
The dog sees the cat as prey. We’re not talking about a bit of chasing or a dog being a bit rough, where you might suggest a behaviourist or a trainer. This isn't a one-off incident either; it’s happened three times now. Is it impossible to fix? Maybe, maybe not. However, to find out if it's possible, you’d have to put the dog with cats again. Would you really take that risk? I don't think so.
I’m sorry to be so blunt, I don't mean to hurt or corner you, but once you’ve had three dead cats, I think living together is impossible without risking the lives of your other cats.
I’ll leave you to think about that and decide whether or not to take a difficult path. Best of luck!!!
Currently, the most effective rehabilitation techniques for cases like this involve, as a mandatory first step, a period of at least a month spent around other animals.
First, a long stint in a pack to get put in his place a bit, learn how to socialise, learn to be held accountable for his actions, and learn that life is much better when you aren't being aggressive. Then, in this case, exposure to sheep, obviously, since he’s a herding breed. Then you move down in size. You let the dog live among chickens and farm cats, supervised 24/7 by handlers living on-site.
At the same time, you work out the animal's physical and mental stimulation needs. There are agility courses, scent work classes, trainers on hand. Horses, the whole lot.
In the end, once the animal has been properly stabilised—and I mean really, 100% stable—you bring him back to the family and observe. If necessary, you're pointed towards resources to keep the animal working. It’s not just a behaviourist who deals with these things, and it’s not just a trainer.
Most importantly, you watch how the owners interact with the dog. Because at the rehab centre, he was perfect. We want to see if the humans on the scene are having a negative influence on the dog. And we’ll also watch the cats—is there a trigger, etc.?
Motion-activated cameras all over the house. Analysis after a week, follow-up after six months.
These are the techniques I know to be the most effective—the ones used by Cesar Millan.
