My puppy is chasing my cats - help needed!!!

I’ve got a bit of a problem with my little dog... she’s a little one I’ve just adopted.

She was heartlessly abandoned on the streets of Marrakesh, but thanks to a French rescue charity, we were able to adopt her.

She’s probably between 3 and 5 years old.

The issue is that she’s constantly chasing our 8-year-old cat, who only ever tolerated our previous dog, Loulou (who sadly passed away in March '25).

He’d taken her under his wing because she was a rescue too.

He never used to chase her, so she doesn’t understand why this new dog is constantly after her. Now, she won’t come into the house and stays outside instead, which is really worrying us.

Does anyone have any advice or a solution they could recommend?

So cute.

Swedish Vallhunds are really lively when they’re little. If it’s any consolation, I went through the exact same thing, and now my dog is totally well-adjusted and lives happily with a cat and another dog. Personally, what worked for me (though she was just a kitten then, so it was easier) was sitting in a small room with the kitten on my lap. Good behaviour gets a treat; if you bark, you’re out of the room. Obviously, when you put them out, there’s barking, frustration, and all the rest, but you mustn’t give in. As soon as he’s calm, try again. He’ll probably—almost certainly—keep going, so you just repeat it over and over again.

I really tried the gradual approach with friends' cats, but it never worked. The only thing that did the trick was putting in 3 or 4 hours non-stop. He eventually fell asleep from sheer exhaustion right next to the cat. What had taken me a year of "bit by bit" was sorted in a single afternoon, though I was just as knackered as the animals by the end. I’ve had other issues too, and it’s always the same: everything gets sorted quickly as long as I don't budge. If it took two weeks of getting up every two minutes to correct him, I’d do it. In the end, he’d eventually give up. It’s exhausting, but at least I know for a fact that it works.

In the end, my dog—who really had a problem with cats—calmed down, and by the next day, he wasn't barking anymore. I don’t usually say this, but with Vallhunds, you often have to win by wearing them down. I get the impression—and obviously every dog is different—that you don't really see progress as you go. They usually understand what’s being asked, but they just keep pushing and pushing. That’s why with the few issues I had, I felt like I was making zero progress; it was almost like he was pushing even harder to try and make me crack. Then, from one day to the next, he just dropped the bad behaviour as if it had never happened.

I eventually realised that the more pushy, headstrong, and persistent he was being, the more it meant I was on the right track. They have a very unusual way of operating; once you understand how they tick, they’re actually very straightforward, but there’s that period where you end up really questioning yourself. I learned this from a trainer who explained that my dog would double down before completely giving up. Anyway, he was quite set in his ways, but yours is young, so it should be much quicker.

Also, don’t forget to give them plenty of walks, especially off-lead, and do some brain work too. They’re dogs that really need to use their heads.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the helpful info. You're spot on—he is quite stubborn! House-training is going well now; he’s finally realised he gets a reward for going outside.

On the other hand, things are really tough with the cats. He’s calm at first, but then he gets over-excited and ends up getting swiped at. I’m constantly worried he’s going to get a claw in his eye.

He also barks a lot out of frustration: at the cats when they won’t play with him, and at my big dog (an Aussie Shepherd) who’s getting fed up with being pestered all the time.

When it comes to food, he goes absolutely mental as soon as he sees anything. He’s always trying to scavenge or steal whatever he can find, and it’s really hard to calm him down.

My mum just visited with her Jack Russell, and that finally did the trick! He’s exhausted now, just sleeping and being peaceful.

I’m going to try using some time-outs to get some basic training in place and so we can all get some peace and quiet back in our lives.

I’ve got a dog trainer coming over on Friday to help work through it all.

I’d just really like everyone to get along.

Thanks a lot and have a lovely day.

I've just spotted this post; I have a little Swedish Vallhund who is almost 8 years old now. You definitely need plenty of patience with them. I don't know which breeder you used, but they likely explained that keeping calm is vital. There's no point in beating yourself up about it, though.

Vallhunds have big personalities and are quite sensitive, which means they can really drive you up the wall for the first two years. They do settle down with time. Personally, when mine wouldn't calm down, I'd give him a one-minute time-out. If he started up again, it was back into isolation—even if I had to do it 15 times in an hour, I did it 15 times. They are herding dogs and love to push their luck; if they see you give in after the 10th time, they'll do it 10 times again next time, and it just snowballs. Determination, staying calm, no physical force, and rewarding good behaviour are all essential for this breed.

Since they're small cattle dogs, they're a different breed of herder—a bit more gung-ho and reckless than a typical sheepdog might be. They’re often less reactive towards people and other dogs because they aren’t as fearful; instead, they tend to "barge in first and think later". They are also exhausting for adult dogs when they're puppies; at nearly 8, mine won't stand for any nonsense anymore (how times change!). Consistency and boundaries are key. Best of luck! ^^

Any photos of the little lad? ^^

When it comes to house training, I’ve managed to stay calm; I’m waiting to catch him in the act so I can say "no", take him outside, and reward him when he goes there. But with the cats, I lost my temper because I was worried about both of them (the cat and the puppy), and that’s what I feel so guilty about: by worrying too much about their health and well-being, I’m the one turning into the bad guy.

It’s completely contradictory and, above all, very painful for me because I love animals so much (I’m even thinking about getting some little Ouessant sheep), and I’m struggling to understand my own behaviour.

So yes, I have things to learn and lessons to take from this.

Animals are so innocent; they bring so much joy, especially during these gloomy times.

"It just goes to show that it’s not only the puppy that has things to learn."

That is so true. Personally, I can honestly say my pets have trained me, and we’ve always ended up living in perfect harmony.

Dog and cat stories can be so different and quite funny. My Félix was the boss of the house when my first Yorkie arrived. In her previous home with cats, she was the one who ruled the roost. However, with Félix, she toed the line and accepted being number two. The little one I have now hasn’t stopped trying to win the cat over. Over time, she’d run past and sneak a little kiss, and the “old man” would start grumbling under his breath at the surprise of it. That didn’t stop him from giving her a little clip behind the ear when she walked past, though. Like, “the cheek of it...”. When it came to treats, they’d stand side by side to fi

And she looked for him everywhere when he passed away.

Your little puppy needs to burn off some energy on toys instead, and you’ve already had some advice on how to introduce them bit by bit. He needs to find his place in his new home. With your sensitivity, you’ll get there.