Dog owner question: how do I get my dog to calm down around the cats?

Question:  "I have just adopted a 3yr old fox terrier and my indoor/outdoor cats are terrified of him as he will chase and harass them. I have sectioned off my house so the dog cannot get into the two bedrooms so they have a place to come in but they still are hesitant to be around the dog. How do I get the dog to calm down around the cats???"

Spartacus (middle dog) was trained and able to then get
along with Sweetpea.   Sweetpea was no longer afraid,
once Spartacus stopped chasing her around the house.

Advice:  Short form of the answer, is that you need to have your dog understand they are an important part of the family and import to you. Or as many dog trainers say "don't let him do that".

Long form of the answer, training is a way to solve this dilemma.  I don't know if there is a way for the cats to ever feel 100% around him, but there is a way for the dog to show he is 100% not a threat.   If he is not acting in these ways around the cats, the cats will be able to relax a little to check him out.

I'm not talking about training where the command becomes more of a trick or something not to be relied on.   This takes training to a standard so that commands are at least reliable four out of five times.   Also a dog learning commands undergoes a behavioral change, as they begin to correlate what is and what is not desired in their domestic home.  Dogs really don't want to make this harder or inharmonious, but they do need direction to know how to do that.

The basic obedience commands are trained to a standard are pretty much all you need.   Be Aware though, that not training to a standard will not get you or the cats where you want to go.

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